08915 Idling

08915 idling in the yard whilst 401 is being disposed in front, 915 had been out today giving cabride's for a Schools visit

401 Third Steam Test

The loco was steamed up again today for the third in house steam test to check for any leaks following remedial work since the last steaming

Richard building up the fire

Raising steam

Richard raking the fire out at the end of the day, 401 was steamed up to full pressure with no major defects to report. The loco is now awaiting its insurance steam test which is booked in for February 12th

Brake Van work

John securing the LHS step

Weighing 401

Big thanks to Andrew & Jamie, from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, for their help with weighing 401 today, check out more of what they get up to in Grosmont MPD here

Unloading

Andrew & Jamie taking rear buffer heights

Setting up the load cells in the pit

Tied onto D2078, due to 401 having to float when it is being weighed with the handbrake off and no chocks in, it is buffered right up to the 03 and the coupling wound in tight

Positioned over the weighing equipment

Cables being unloaded

Andrew connecting cables into the readout

Whilst Jamie connects the other ends into each load cell underneath

Tightening up the cells to lift each wheel ever so slightly off the rail

Andrew watching the readout as springs are tightened/loosened where and when required

Air tanks

Norman beginning to sand down the air tanks off D2078

Odd bits

George and Alan working on fittings for a new water tank gauge on 401

Coaling 401

Picking up 401

401 being coaled up in readiness for being weighed tomorrow

Waiting to pick up 401 after its been coaled

Michael trimming coal in the bunker

Line inspection

08915 idling outside the shed before going down to inspect the line in readiness for tomorrows Schools Trains

Stopped to open the yard gates, heading down the line

Testing and inspecting Percy Main groundframe

Second man's view, looking North out of Percy Main

Testing Percy Main South points

Air tanks removed

Air tanks removed from D2078 for repainting

Office Work

All new railway operations documentation sorted into new folders in the control office today

Brake Van Reassembly

The new timbers that have been constructed by John & Richard over the past few weeks have now been fitted onto the South end of the brake van and are awaiting painting

Richard tightening up the new brackets

New bookshelf

New bookshelf made to replace the old plastic tubs in the museum, books are available to buy for a donation to the NTSRA

More work to 401

Whistle off again for some more remedial work

Valve removed

Valve prior to cleaning, scuff & wear marks can be seen on near the bottom

After some careful cleaning

Taking the opportunity to give the whistle a good polish

Valve temporarily re-fitted

Lapping it in

Nicely lapped in with a tiny bit of grinding paste and glanol polish

Re-fitting

Michael (R) tightening the retaining nut whilst Richard (L) cuts some new packing

Inspecting the LHS injector stuffing box

Michael fitting new packing after removing the remains of the old torn up packing

Job done

The steam brake isolation valve removed whilst Richard sets to work removing the blower

Annealing copper washers

Blower re-fitted with new washers and an extra turn

Michael re-fitting the steam brake isolation valve