Signal Oiling

 Tuesday 5th Aug

Another visit to Broadway to wake the signals  up from their long slumber!

So armed with oil can cans and any necessary tools we started at the north end and worked our way back to Childswickham bridge (stopping for a coffee at the station cafe on the way)

Firstly the direction indicator signal 

And the adjacent ground signal , making sure that all moving parts were well oiled and moving smoothly.

And then down to the station

So far everything is working well.

South of the station the bracket with the single doll was next

And opposite is the wooden post starter signal. The woodwork appears to be in good condition - even the sealant where the post sits in its metal "boot" is in good order and is keeping water from seeping in

All the pulley wheels guiding the signal wires across under the tracks are working freely

Then the bracket signal with the call-on arms. Neil C doing all the up top work with the rest of us pulling signal wires and hoisting balance weights several times to make sure the oil was well worked in

And  to Childswickham bridge  (missed taking a picture of the signal here).

Curly

Relaxing a few more stiff pivots

 Tuesday 22nd July

Off to Broadway again today to continue with the checking of the operation of the point rodding.

Last week we had to remove the seized adjustable crank for the headshunt fpl - again this was solid and will need some heat - so a spare one (well oiled!) is being fitted

A bit of digging out under the steel plate to get a spanner on the bolt heads

And then it's back in position

Report from the signal box that the lever pulls nice and smoothly.  

Meanwhile opposite us on the headshunt 3850 waits for the hand operated points to be changed for the run round down platform 2

Now if you follow the connection from the adjustable crank across the tracks to the 4ft of the headshunt you can see the connection to the facing point lock - all this is now working smoothly, but will not be operational until the hand operated connection is eventually removed.

So this concludes the northern end pointwork - its now off to the Evesham Road  Bridge end to check out all the pivoting units. In each case we are disconnecting the point rodding to make sure the cranks move. No seizures here but some are pretty stiff and need vigorous twisting with penetrating oil to get free movement. 

The temp compensators were  tight and needed the central link removing to free up all the joints

In the end we were satisfied that everything was in order and all runs pulled OK from the signal box.

Next time we will check the operation of the signals.

Stand back to let 2807 past.

Curly

Another Stiff Povot

 Tuesday 15th July

Another visit to Broadway today to continue with the checking of the operation of the pointwork. The seized compensator that we removed last weeik has now been replaced with a spare one. We were unable to free up the seized one using brute force - it will need some heat.

Manhandling it off platform 2

And bolting it into position - works fine now.

Meanwhile at the other compensator position we had to reduce the length of one of the rodding runs which needed the re-drilling of the bolt holes for the connectors:

We then progressed up to the North sidings where the rodding is directed at right angles via a crank under the tracks to the headshunt points where this rodding run will eventually be connected. These points are currently operated by hand lever.

So, communicating with Peter W in the signal box by phone, when the point lever was tried, it would not move. It became obvious that there was another seizure!

And here is the culprit hiding in the undergrowth

This adjustable angle crank would not pivot so it had to be removed.

This turned out to be another one needing heat!

Back at the workshop at Winchcombe we continue to recondition signal parts from the Gotherington distant signals

Note that we are getting very much more organised with racking to store parts - 

We are very happy with our new working conditions! 

There is still a lot of "stuff" in the old carriage workshop/messroom that needs sorting out or throwing away though.

Curly

Having seizures at Broadway

 Tuesday 1st July

Our second visit to  Broadway today to sort out a few problems with the point rodding and it's associated connections. Last week we visited the signal box to check the operation of the point levers to make sure that they were functional.

This revealed some problems. A seized pivot on the exit from the tunnel under platform 2 and a seized compensator halfway up platform 2. 

So the team leaping into action today ready with the ladder to descend to track level once the first engine has run round:

Here's the replacement crank ready to go. We haven't managed to unseize the seized one yet. Although this had been oiled when installed, all the years that it hadn't been moved and being open to the elements contributed to its seizure!

Very awkward getting it to fit in between all the other cranks - John P having to crawl into the tunnel and attempt to get the nuts and spanner on underneath the steel plate:

There are four temperature  compensators in the rodding runs to the siding points and headshunt points at the north end, they are set on steel plates in pairs:

One of these is seized solid and won't move so needs disconnecting and taken back to the workshop for dismantling.

Also there is a problem with the rodding length here, so once we have re-fitted the compensator we will solve this

Got it in the barrow for wheeling back up the platform.

Back at the workshop we failed to free the seized arm - will need a good soak with release oil before we try again next week

Hwever we have a spare one so will that will be fitted instead.

Work also continues with the restoration of the parts now dismantled from the Gotherington up distant signal - here's its finial is having the old paint removed

We're never short of signal parts to clean and paint!

Curly

We're Still at It

 We're still here.  Busy sorting items from the old coach to the new workshop.  We've been putting up some new level crossing signs where the old one s were life expired or in the wrong place.  We've also installed an ex-GWR triple disc signal on a plinth for Carriage and Wagon as a talking piece.

As well as that we've been refurbishing Gotherington G19 and last Thursday we fitted the top fittings and took the scaffolding down.  This week we'll put the balance weight casting on the bottom of the post and hook everything up for testing.  Gotherington is needed for the upcoming steam gala.

Jim, Andy and George stand at the base of G19 shortly after clearing the scaffold away.

G17 Finished

During the first week of the season we completed work on G17, re-wired the cabinet alongside, fitted new TC feeds and also painted the cabinet.  I'm pleased to say that Gotherington worked faultlessly through the Cheltenham Festival week. 

Gotherington is not now needed to open again until the Steam Gala in late May, so we'll be taking G19 to pieces this week for it's own clean and paint.

Season Start Update

The Railway begins operations on Saturday 1st March.  S&T have been beavering away getting the last few bits done ready to open.  Points W19 at Winchcombe are now complete and tested.

 In the photo you can see the points set normal with the locking bolt in the lock position.  Notice how there is a 'chicane' in the locking bolt which move the locking detection bar sideways.  Note also the three bars disappearing off to the left, one from each blade end and the one from the locking detection, these go to the mechanical detector for the signal wires, shown below.

The three bars connect to three blades which slide together through a casting.  Crossing them at 90 degrees are two other blades which are in line with the signal wires for the two facing route signals.  Slots in both the point detection and the signal wire bars are carefully cut to allow only the correct signal to operate for the lie of the points and to prevent the points being unlocked or moved if a signal is cleared.

We have also been progressing with Signal G17 at Gotherington.  The post is now painted, the top fittings re-attached and the top level of scaffold dropped.  The ladder is in the process of being painted and will be completed hopefully tomorrow.  Then the rest of the scaffolding can be removed and the bottom fittings attached in readiness for operation during the race week.

In the photo we see Curly wire brushing the ladder whilst Mike, John and Peter set off up the line to help dig in some track circuit cables where P-Way have replaced an old dipped insulated rail joint with nice new welded in IRJs.  Nice for it not to be raining.

That's all for now.