Saturday 4th February 2012, Carriage & Wagon Works, Bury

Saturday 4th February 2012, Carriage & Wagon Works
Attendance: 5

Enjoying an early start, Chris headed into the C&W shed. First job on the list was some painting, patch undercoating the A End roof section and cooler group section over some small bits of filler and undercoating two side doors that were lagging behind the others.

Alan, Jim and Kris turned up soon after. Jim and Kris set about sorting a front windscreen frame out that was slightly bent back, preventing the window being fully fitted. They first removed the glass, then the wiper motor and finally the internal wood surround. The Aluminium frame was slacked off then employing a large hammer and wood piece, the plate smacked a few times. This moved the frame slightly, but it was apparent that the frame was butting up to the cork between roof and frame then bouncing. Jim decided to employ some bolts and nuts to see if it could be pulled up. This duly did the trick, but soon as the bolts were slackened the frame moved back.

The cork between roof and cab for that side was then removed, Jim deciding that it needed shaving down. With this done, the cork was then refitted, sliding easily in between the roof and cab. The bolts were then tightened up and the window tried in the frame, success the frame was even all the way round.

While all this was happening, Martin had turned up and was busy making 8mm pipe sections for the forward and reverse EP to relay valves and fitting them, he also made up and fitted the 8mm pipe run from the 100psi feed to the control air connection on the manifold. Once done he then made another small 8mm pipe run from the control air tank to the EP valve. Chris was busy making up flexibles for the transmission overspeed, and engine governor to control air EP. Alan was busy making the pipework up for the tooth on tooth ratcheting cylinder and plumbing it in with a double check valve and also a small EP valve.

As the snow began to fall, Jim decided to head home. Kris began the task of hoovering and cleaning out underneath the carden shaft where the locking pins are located. Once done he then made a start on fitting two flexibles that go from the locking pins to the reversing cylinder. One is located directly underneath the lower shaft, and Kris had to modify a spanner to be able to get in and tighten the connection. This took some time doing in a very confined space!

Martin had finished the 8mm pipework and moved on to some small repairs on the brake frame where a few small holes were producing air leakage. These were soldered up and once done he then set about making the 15mm pipe run from one side of A end underneath to the other, feeding the exhauster speed up choke and front sanding EP valve. As fittings and pipe were running low, he had to be quite inventive to get the job done.

Kris had finished connecting the locking pin pipe connections below the shaft, so Chris B then went into the cab to cut them to length and, using ear clips, crimp on the fittings to the cylinder. With this done and Martin still occupied soldering and bending pipe for the A end, a £1 coin was utilised in a nut end and the 100psi temporarily blanked off at the A end. The shed air supply was then connected and pressure allowed to build up.

Once sufficient air pressure has been achieved, an attempt to reverse the final drive was made .... and nothing happened - the main shaft being very much stuck through lack of use!

Using some crowbars, force and keeping air on the cylinder, the reverser eventually began to move. It took a good few goes and working it back and forth with the cylinder before it would detect in both directions, a few tense moments but, with the cylinder moving across and the reverser fault lamp dimming off in both directions, success and a big relief!

With this Alan had to depart, Kris & Chris had a tidy round and gathered equipment whilst Martin was busy completing the final piece of 15mm pipe. By 18.30 the air pipework system was completed and we all braved the snow to make our way home.

As we've seen in the past, 'Ernest' likes to put up a fight .. we'll 'ave him though!