The Battlefield Line: 22nd October 2017
Although I'd not been rostered on the Battlefield Line during October, on Friday 20th October, I received an urgent text telling me that Shackerstone had 'lost' the crew for both Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd October. I offered to do either day and was asked to cover Sunday which (like Saturday) had a 'Gold' Footplate Experience prior to the public service. There's a description of the format of the 'Gold' Footplate Experience in an earlier post here (when we were using 'Austerity' tank locomotive 'Cumbria'). Jamie had offered to fire on the Sunday so I knew we'd have an enjoyable day. Our engine was Great Western 'Light Prairie' 5542.
It had been some years since I'd driven 'Light Prairie' 5542 - there's a very short post here.
5542 running round its train at Shackerstone during the visit in 2010.
5542 Layout of Valve Gear
All the 2-cylinder Great Western designs (until Hawksworth produced his remarkable Pannier tanks with Walschaert's motion for shifting empty stock in and out of Paddington) featured Stephenson Link motion with four eccentrics mounted on the driving axle between the frames to provide the necessary valve events. Where outside cylinders and valves were required, the movement of the dieblocks was transmitted from inside the frames to outside via the intermediate valve rods, rocking shafts and finally via the valve rods to the valve spindles, as shown in the diagram below.
Click here for a larger view.
The diagram above is drawn as for a larger, tender engine. In the 'Light Prairie', the intermediate valve rods are shorter and set at a steeper angle so as to connect to the inner valve arm attached to the rocking shaft mounted on the framing. The outer valve arm then drives the valve rod connected to the valve spindle.
5542: Link motion for right-hand cylinder.
The set of pictures of 5542 here has a number of pictures of the valve gear illustrating how the layout in the diagram above is implemented in practice.
5542 Sight Feed Lubricator
The sight feed lubricator is mounted in the cab on the boiler backhead, in front of the driver. Moving parts in contact with superheated steam (such as the valves, pistons and regulator valve) require lubrication with a special, compound mineral oil, formulated to retain its properties at high temperature. Sight feed (or hydrostatic) lubricators are often used for this purpose and Swindon developed a range of suitable lubricators. Through training and the issue of circulars, Swindon ensured that drivers understood the method of operation and the importance of the Sight Feed Lubricator. A copy of Great Western Circular 5801 issued in November 1937 by C.B. Collett can be accessed (and downloaded) here.
5542: Boiler backhead.
5542 preparation
Whilst Jamie raised steam, I set about reminding myself of all the oiling points as I carried out the daily examination and oiling. The most obvious change since 2010 was that the 'shaded' tankside lettering 'G W R' had been changed for the GWR Roundel which was used between 1934 and 1942 (see 'GWR Roundel' link below). There were changes to the mechanical arrangements for remote control of the regulator used when working 'push-pull' or 'Auto' trains. I discovered that the locomotive had acquired a Stone's electric generator since I last saw her - certainly not a Swindon feature - but not yet in use. I talk about electric generators on steam locomotives in the post Electrical Systems on Steam Locomotives. And the locomotive certainly has a hopper ashpan now.
Having started with oiling the 'easy bits' accessible from ground level alongside the engine (principally crankpins, big ends, little ends and crossheads), I moved into the pit underneath the locomotive and clambered up, perching on a mixture of brake rigging and axles, as I dealt with the Stephenson link motion and axleboxes. Then it was onto the framing at the front of the engine to deal with the vacuum pump oil pot, rocking shafts and a few more oiling points. In the cab, I topped-up the two oil boxes which serve the trailing coupled wheels.
We were kept pretty busy all day, so I didn't manage to take any pictures, but I've included pictures from an earlier visit by the locomotive in 2010.
Peak Rail: 11th November 2017
Locomotive 'Jennifer' at Matlock Town earlier in 2017.
I discovered that this was to be the final weekend for 'Jennifer' at Peak Rail. Although the locomotive engineering department had failed to cure the oscillation in the drawgear which had created some problems for passengers (and crews), she was a 'solid steamer' and strong so I viewed her return to Llangollen with some regret. She was facing 'downhill' so we operated the service coupled to the south end of the train, 'top and tailed' with the diesel electric.
Operating on a Saturday, we saw East Midlands Trains Diesel multiple units at Matlock Town two or three times in the day.
Peak Rail 11th November 2017: View from the footplate of 'Jennifer' on arrival at Matlock Town as an East Midland Trains Class 156 departs.
Related posts on other websites
Although the links below worked at the time this post was published, be warned that changes by a website's owner may 'break' the links.
GWR Roundel.
Locomotive 5542 Limited.
Related posts on this website
All my Battlefield Line posts.
All my MIC posts.
All my Peak Rail posts.
My photograph albums
Where necessary, clicking on an image above will display an 'uncropped' view or, alternately, pictures may be selected, viewed or downloaded, in various sizes, from the albums listed:-
5542 at Shackerstone.
All my Battlefield Line pictures.
'Jennifer'.
Peak Rail 2017.
All my Peak pictures.
