My appeal last time did not go unheeded. Thanks are due to two members, Nick Nicholson and John Cooper, as we now have a lockable steel cabinet in the workshop in which to keep oils and grease etc. and a tall steel shelving unit for general storage purposes. Both have enabled some further tidying up to take place – just in time as it turned out as we now have a load of steel on site thanks to David Hartland’s efforts in extricating it from the Brecknell Willis scrap heap. We had thought this steel could form the uprights for the Vivary extension but concerns have been expressed that the Council would prefer to see the new works done in the same style as before as the Park is a public place. To this end the Hartnell brothers have volunteered to make up some extra concrete moulds and produce 3 legs a day towards the total of some 65 needed – good luck lads. They deserve some physical help if you can make the time available, and all our moral support.
Meantime the steel will come in useful for the planned steaming bays at Creech. These will involve the hoist currently with Andy Webb at Culmhead for attention, construction of a traverser linked to the present unloading and shed tracks as well as erection of the raised steaming bays themselves to aid locomotive servicing and access for running repairs. With these in position not only will TME have better facilities but we shall then be able to invite other Clubs to join us on occasion to enjoy some running on our track.
On site the grading of the embankment has been completed and one busy Sunday morning, the exit point was installed in the north loop, levelled and ballasted ready to extend the running line. This point is locked out of use while public running takes place and until we can install the remote point lever that Steve Gosling has produced to the same pattern as that controlling access to the circular track. These levers based on a North American point stand enable Drivers to select the routes they wish to take, and incorporate an indicator of the route to which they are set.
By mid August 4 lengths of track (some 80 feet) had been laid on the embankment towards the level crossing and ballasted, though final levelling and packing is yet to be done. A further 25-30 feet is required before the level crossing section can be laid and concreted in. All this track will include 5” gauge rails but from the level crossing only 7 ¼” gauge track will be laid for the time being until we can judge demand for the third rail. This will simplify and speed up track construction as will the double spacing of track ties and sleepers on plain tracks away from public, i.e. station, areas. New track is now produced in ‘half-track’ sections, i.e. one rail welded to ties in the workshop (wet weather job!) so that curves can be laid out to suit ground conditions before welding the second rail in place (fine weather job!).
The riding cars were fitted with self-aligning Oilite bearings which tend to stiffen in use, especially if we do not remember to oil them regularly! This can lead to haulage problems with a heavy train so thanks to Noel Whiting, a spare pair of bogies has been fitted with double-row self aligning ball bearings and installed under coach no.1 which has much reduced rolling resistance. Bearing in mind the flexibility required within a bogie is only slight, as an experiment one of the displaced bogies has been fitted with single row bearings where the outer housing is permitted a degree of ‘rock’ within its axlebox. This bogie needs testing to confirm its riding qualities, but immediate reactions are that the other bogies should all receive self-aligning bearings in due course.
As ever there is plenty to do and plenty of opportunities for members to join in whether on running days or helping with maintenance (grass cutting, weed killing etc) and construction. We look forward to seeing you, meantime here is a Winter project for someone. We need a weed killing unit capable of being mounted on a wagon and spraying over a width of about 1 yard as it is propelled along the track. Who likes a challenge?
Mike
If any member with a 7 1/4” or 5” Gauge Loco would like to run his Loco at Creech when there is no public running, then he may do so on the second Tuesday evening of the month during the summer or alternatively, 'Rambo' has kindly agreed to open the track at any other time, provided that he is not otherwise committed. He can be contacted by Email through our Webmaster, or at Club Meetings or by telephone though any Committee members - telephone numbers on the inside cover of this magazine - to make arrangements.