|
|
Mar 23, 2023 21:42:06 GMT
|
According to the latest GCR "Rail Mail" nearly half of the £150,000 has been donated so far this month. This is being "Matched" by another donor so doubling the money that goes to bridge building. This match offer ends on Easter weekend. Meanwhile back on the black wagon there was a small corrosion hole in the North end headstock. We cut a bit out, then removed the buffers and cut a bit more out, then removed the draw hook....and cut a bit more out....now we need to cut a bit more out! The headstock is 8" U Channel section and after a lot of searching we have found a suitable replacement section. This corrosion is due to the original 1950's body having the end door leaking over it and then the replacement body 1970's having a rusty endfloor leaking over it from the 1990's.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 26, 2023 13:36:02 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Re the GCR "Gap" project Following the "Money Match March" fundraising initiative, the total raised so far is now over £1.78M for the Factory Flyover section. So it is expected that the start of construction will be announced later this year....if the fundraising continues to go well.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 20, 2023 13:53:55 GMT
|
There was an unusual day at the GCR yesterday when a group of over 100, first and second year Nottingham Trent University engineering students were able to see how a heritage railway operates and the many aspects of engineering involved. They spoke with many volunteers and paid staff in the Locomotive shed, machine shop, Quorn signal box and station. They also went into the Ex BR Test Car 2, Quorn Wagon and Wagon site, Rothley C & W shed and saw Windcutter restoration work.
At the end of the day there was a Q & A session with our new General Manager and other senior staff.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 21, 2023 12:02:29 GMT
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 21, 2023 18:02:26 GMT
|
There was an unusual day at the GCR yesterday when a group of over 100, first and second year Nottingham Trent University engineering students were able to see how a heritage railway operates and the many aspects of engineering involved. They spoke with many volunteers and paid staff in the Locomotive shed, machine shop, Quorn signal box and station. They also went into the Ex BR Test Car 2, Quorn Wagon and Wagon site, Rothley C & W shed and saw Windcutter restoration work. At the end of the day there was a Q & A session with our new General Manager and other senior staff. We had a visit several year ago, from a professor and his students at the railway I attended. I think it came as a shock to them that as a country, we designed and built stuff to such high standards and in the case of the passenger rolling stock, to such 'luxurious' standards (normal old Mk1 and 2 stock...).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
More bits going back on our wagon! The vac cylinder has been refurbished and painted so the center floor can go back in place to be welded.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We had another look at the end door as there were some small holes around the patches...It turned out that there was a lot of thin rusted steel - so it has now been cut out!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I went to my local steam train place the other day phil (pm'd you) , it was fascinating .they asked me about volunteering , i said let me get the hs done first
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
May 19, 2023 10:06:30 GMT
|
Well I enjoy my time volunteering on the GCR. I do about a day a week on Windcutter wagon restoration and then a day a month doing shed tours and guiding for school visits. Here is the latest work on our wagon #16
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are making steady progress with #16 as the vacuum pipe is nearly finished, the end door repairs are nearly complete and three patches have been done on the West side. We are also looking forward to seeing our rake running on June 17th as part of the 50 wagon freight train. We will have a display at Quorn so come along and say hello!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hi Marinanut1 I take it that you worked on 16T mineral wagons then? What are OA sets? On some of our wagons there are odd holes (plated over) on the ends and we wondered if they had been cut to enable the ends to be pulled in prior to welding repairs? Very nice detailed work on your 5" gauge loco. Does your wife now know about it??
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
We are having a display at Quorn and the theme is "Before and After" so we have two wagons on show. This is B272798 which is the "Before" wagon.... 7 dustbins full of rubbish later
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 11, 2023 13:05:40 GMT
|
Here are pictures of the outside of B273798 at Quorn This is on show next weekend, June 17/18th ...and our spectacular 50 wagon train is running for one trip on the Saturday.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 12, 2023 21:13:47 GMT
|
Hi Marinanut1 I take it that you worked on 16T mineral wagons then? What are OA sets? On some of our wagons there are odd holes (plated over) on the ends and we wondered if they had been cut to enable the ends to be pulled in prior to welding repairs? Very nice detailed work on your 5" gauge loco. Does your wife now know about it?? Yes mate, SWMBO does know about it and has driven it ("I suppose I will have to have a play with your new toy then...."; ten minutes later and she wouldn't get off it!). OA sets are Oxy/Acetylene sets; some were ruddy great burners to get large areas hot. I worked on anything that rolled into the shops at Ipswich C&W; 16 tonners, Grampus, HTV's, Ferrywagons, cement hoppers (usually bunged up.... boy theres some tales there....), freightliner flats - you name it, apart from nuclear stuff we did it. I learnt how to gas axe stuff there under a VERY strict tutor - we ended up cutting all the huckbolts and rivets out of a scrap 16 tonner and when the shunter (03) came to take it away, it fell apart! The guy didn't know whether to b*ll**k us or laugh..... We'll have to meet up and I can take you through how we'd straighten wagons out...
|
|
Last Edit: Jun 12, 2023 21:16:28 GMT by marinanut1
|
|
|
|
|
It certainly would be good to meet up Marinanut - especially as I used to drive a Marina (a 1.8TC Jubilee (in Puke yellow)) We were at Quorn yesterday and made a start on #98. I cleared out another three dustbins of rubbish whilst Julian cut out two rusty sections. This is to show what sort of work is involved in keeping these wagons running. I also tidied the other wagons paintwork. As can be seen we are doing a "Letterbox" repair on the East side as the lower repair sheet is still very thick steel and is part of the wagons history. All this is in preparation for this coming weekend's 50th anniversary of the Preserved GCR. There are also lots of Jaguars coming for a club outing I'm told.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jun 19, 2023 11:11:58 GMT
|
We came, we saw...The GCR delivered .....50 wagons rolling behind the 9F through Quorn - spectacular! Many videos now on line. Boscasle was looking more complete, but is still missing it's boiler.
|
|
|
|
|
|