Newsletter 6, Getting ready for the season
Here we are in the middle of May, time flies!
Here we have a quick catch up with all thing’s engines, I think last time we were just getting over Christmas and the New Year! Time for a catch up…
Albert
Albert was just starting his 10-year hydraulic work, well we can safely say that is still going on!! With all thing’s engines, when you start something that you think won’t take too long, it takes twice as long and some more!! As we took Albert apart, lagging off, we found that his lagging was similar to loft insulation! Not one we had seen or heard of before. He was stripped down so we could have a good look at everything we thought would need looking at. We then had our boiler inspector in to take a good look over him and tell us what he thought. A list was made, and we have been working through this over the last few months, the biggest of these jobs was a new set of tubes, so they were ordered, and we started on taking the old ones out. We can now say that this job has been done and all is well.
Jobs we have done so far are
- New Tubes
- Repair or replace studs
- Paint many bits, coal bunker, fire hole door, pipe work, and much more
- New olives for the clacks
- New spindle for the blowdown valve
- So many little jobs that just take time!
- Yet more cleaning, I don’t think this will ever end!
We have just had our boiler inspector back and he checked Albert over. We have had the 10-year hydraulic test, this means that the engine is filled with water, right to the very top! Then the boiler is pumped up to one and a half times its working pressure, so Albert works at 180psi, so he is pumped up to 270psi!! Then the boiler inspector takes a good look round making sure there are no leaks or issues, and that the engine can keep this pressure for a certain amount of time. We are pleased to say Albert passed! We then had a steam test on him which we must have every 14 months and again we are please to say he passed, so with him now having a clean bill of heath from our boiler inspector it is time to put him back together. We still have a fair amount of work to do but we are hoping to have him back out and steaming around very soon.
Victoria
We have started to give Victoria her usual beginning of the season clean, we always like to get her clean and have a good looking over before the start of the season. This was probably the dirtiest we have ever seen her from her winter hibernation in all the years we have had her, not sure why she just didn’t winter so well this year but we are please to say she is nearly back to her bright shiny self. We also decided to get her yearly test done too and we are pleased to say that she has had both her cold and steam tests and all good so she is back on the road for 2025 and we have already been out with her just for a little ride around our local roads. We are looking forward to our trip to Amberley with her in a few weeks, always a long day on the road but a great trip for her to stretch her shiny wheels.
Francois
Francois hasn’t had much done to him really as of yet, he was the last of our engines to be in steam for 2024 with a trip out on New Years Eve. He seems to have wintered well and has now come out of hibernation and has had a few routine bits done including a new gauge glass as his old one was looking rather well used. He is waiting for a clean, his boiler test isn’t due until the autumn so no test for him as of yet. We will get him all put back together and filled with water, by the time you read this he is probably already out and about. We will take him for a trip out maybe to visit our VTT crew members, Jack and Alice, who have just purchased their first home together; I’m sure their new neighbours need to see some steam so we’ll start small and work up to Victoria and Albert!
As for all our other toys they are all coming out of their winter slumber. Our little Morris, Delilah, has had a new clutch which Jack fitted and all is going well, hoping to take her to an event this weekend. Our modern classic, Lancia VX Coupe called Vernon, has been to the local car meeting. Our tractor, Finnigan, has been for a start of the year shake down trip and as always with Finnigan he starts on the first turn of the key and runs as smooth as ever.
There has been a new arrival to the collection though, another Morris has arrived, meet Dottie the Morris Minor. This is Jack and Alice’s latest purchase, mainly for Alice to take to shows and enjoy life with, so welcome Dottie, come and join the fun.
We have a few events booked in for the summer but first we must get on with Albert. Our first planned event is at Amberley Museum in Sussex for their Large Steam Rally which we are hoping to have all 3 engines in steam, we will then stay there for their Railway Gala which is a couple of weeks later. If you are in the area, come along and see us, we would love to say hi and all the engines would love to see you. If you want more information on these two events then please visit the Amberley Museum website.
Please don’t forget to keep giving Victoria’s Torton Tales a share or even purchase a book or two, they make great presents for the little ones, and everyone loves a heart-warming story. Thank you to all who have purchased them in the last few months, it is very much appreciated.
We look forward to meeting many of you this year and bring the sunny warmth with you.
