Mutual Improvement Class - Boilers and Rules

Sunday saw a dozen or so steam crew attending a Mutual Improvement Class at Weybourne - in fact two, one on boiler design and one on firemen's rules - timely, as we all need to have our annual rules test completed by the end of March.

Before we start, we have a look at the splendid model of the planned Holt visitor centre, featuring the turntable, Reedham signal box, an underpass and what appears to be a vast display building. I hope I get to see it!

After some slides illustarting various aspects of boiler design and an intercative drawing session on the whiteboard, with studennts naming all the boiler components we moved into the boiler shop to have a look at some boilers in for overhaul.

This one is from LNER Class Y7 no. 8088, owned by the Y7 Preservation Society and usually based at the Mid Suffolk Light Railway:

This next one is from LSWR Class M7 No. 30053 owned by Drummond Locomotives Limited and based at the The Swanage Railway

And the last one we looked at was from Robert Stephenson & Hawthorne tank engine - and that is about all I know about it!

Outside the shop we looked at a much larger boiler, that of Southern Railway West Country Class No. 34010 'Sidmouth' owned by Southern Locomotives Ltd. It is expected that sister locomotive 'Sir Keith Park' will receive this boiler when it is next overhauled & the current SKP boiler will be overhauled at Weybourne for 'Sidmouth'.

These Bullied boilers feature interesting 'thermic syphons' which circulate water through the firebox:

Clearly, this area will attract solid debris and needs special arrangements for cleaning:

Another boiler that is currently outside is for the M&GNJRS locomotive 8572, our beloved LNER B12. Whilst we are all very familiar with this locomotive, it's interesting to see it stripped down:

I've included this picture as a matter of record - that square drive under the floor is for the drop grate on the B12. It's not used, since it's very difficult to get it up if you drop it.

The afternoon was spent going through various important rules relating to locomotive operations, where the fireman plays a role - like train protection in the event of loco failure and use of the waring arrangement.

For me, the next railway event is a third Man turn during the February Half-term holiday.