Rowsley Update, Summer 2016

After the hubbub and excitement of the launch of 7828, thoughts may naturally veer towards launching into the next major project, but having the carriage shed at Rowsley vacant also offers the opportunity for some other valuable smaller projects. In the meantime 7828 has enjoyed use on dining and cream tea trains on Peak Rail, and appropriate to its era also being used during the 1940s weekend.

If it wans't for the the steel bridge this scene, of 7828 at Matlock during the 2016 1940s event, may very well be mistaken for one taken in the early 20th century
7828 at Matlock during the 2016 1940s event. If it wasn’t for the steel bridge in the background, this post-processed photo may very well be mistaken for one taken in the early 20th century. Photo © Alan Taylor

 

7828 departs Matlock Station
7828 departs Matlock Station

First into the shed after 7828’s outshopping was Peak Rail’s BR Mk2 BSO 9404 which was in for replacement of a window, minor bodywork repairs and a repaint to further protect refresh its external appearance.

BR Brake Second Open (BSO) 9404
BR Brake Second Open (BSO) 9404 in Matlock Station shortly after its repaint

Next into the shed is the one of the LMSCA’s own CCTs, 96430, which is to become a trim shop, enabling upholstery work to take place in a clean environment whilst other works can be concurrently carried out in the carriage shed.

Work on 94630 continues, with further updates to follow in the coming months

 

Official Launch of LMS 7828

On 29th March 2016, LMS Period 1 Third Open, 7828, was officially launched into service. Owned by the National Railway Museum and restored by the LMS Carriage Association, the carriage will now form part of Peak Rail’s service train.

This video covers the event, including the speeches that were given as well as views from the interior as afternoon tea is served.

 

 

 

 

LMS Carriage, 7828, Runs into Matlock

Following completion of the restoration work on LMS Period 1 Third Open, 7828, a period of running in was undertaken through the early part of March. This included the first run of an LMS carriage into Matlock station for the first time in probably over 50 years and has been captured in this short video.

The restoration of LMS 7828 in four minutes

On loan from the National Railway Museum since 2003, this LMS carriage, 7828, has been restored by a dedicated group of volunteers. The carriage was built in 1925 at Derby’s Carriage and Wagon Works on Litchurch Lane. With restoration completed in its 91st year the transformation has been remarkable.

7828 was withdrawn from passenger use in 1962, but gained a further lease of life as part of the London Midland Region mobile control train. Eventually it passed to the National Railway Museum in 1980. Restoration was then started by apprentices at Derby Carriage and Wagon works with the intention of assembling a joint LMS/LNER main line set.

Although restoration was started, the work was not completed and the coaches were stored, 7828 going to York. Other vehicles in the collection represented the LMS, so further work was of low priority. Some years later volunteers from the LMS Carriage Association became interested and 7828 was moved to Rowsley.

Many hours of research and hard work by the dedicated volunteers have culminated in the restoration of an historic carriage as part of the nation’s heritage railway collection. One in which passengers will be able to enjoy a journey back to yesteryear. This video shows the many years of work compressed down into just over 4 minutes.

(Note: The piece of music used in the video is called Coronation Scot, which was purchased by the film maker who has an amateur film maker’s music copyright license, covering mechanical copyright and the Phonographic Performance License. Amongst the criteria, it allows the use British music for public exhibition promoted for raising of funds for bona fide charitable causes of which the LMSCA is one.)

Restoration of LMS Period 1 Third Open, 7828, is complete!

On loan from the National Railway Museum since 2003, this LMS carriage, 7828, has been restored by a dedicated group of LMSCA volunteers. The carriage was built in 1925 at Derby’s Carriage and Wagon Works on Litchurch Lane. With restoration completed in its 91st year the transformation has been remarkable. Check out our teaser trailer for a sneaky peak at the restored carriage.

7828 Let Loose

The week commencing Monday 15th February saw a long held ambition of mine realised – to ride in an LMS coach on part of the old Midland main line.

After many years of restoration by LMSCA members, the National Railway Museum’s 1925 Derby built LMS Third Open 7828 was shunted out of our shed, turned on Peak Rail’s turntable, and added to the rake in the platform at Rowsley South. After a few checks a short steam hauled run to Church Lane crossing took place, followed after return to Rowsley South by running over two sets of crossovers including the tightest one on Peak Rail to check the action of the adaptor gangway with the Mk1 RBR that 7828 was coupled to. All seemed to be OK although the amount of sideways movement is a bit alarming to watch close up!

7828 remained on the running set during Peak Rail’s half-term midweek running with further checks carried out by carriage manager Harvey Coppock, then on Saturday 20th a group of working members boarded to carry out some snagging jobs – nothing major mainly missing or loose screws – and importantly to enjoy a longer ride, this time to Matlock Riverside. Everyone was of the same opinion – a smooth ride, perhaps slightly more bouncy than a Mk1, but LMS coaches are softly sprung; the steam heat worked and after some initial warm paint odours settled down; the brakes work – essential; the seating is very comfortable; and perhaps most important 7828 seems to make a big impression on all who see her, including the owner of a well known railway modelling company at Darley Dale who saw 7828 going past, had to come and have a look inside, and was most impressed.

Further work to ease some of the droplights is needed, and the dynamo needs attention but otherwise 7828 should be fit for its first revenue earning run as a dining coach on Mother’s Day 6th March.

Our next project at Rowsley is a 1935 Third Open No.9125, just ten years younger than 7828 but with large windows and art deco interior very different stylistically which fits well with the aims of the LMSCA to show the development of the LMS coach.

Dave Winter

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7828 Round Up

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Seating bay
Seating bay
Assembled table tops awaiting stain and varnish
Assembled table tops awaiting stain and varnish

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A summary of work completed on 7828 in the last few months. It has become difficult to update at times when the coach is changing so quickly, but for several months most volunteers were engaged in preparing large quantities of components- either trimming seat parts, machining timber mouldings, varnishing, glazing, painting underframe or searching for brass work.

 

So, state of play as of today-

All seat back and end units are fitted, lined up and bolted down. We need some more screws to finish putting the full quota into each anchoring bracket, but as soon as they land we can install them, leaving the way clear to bolting in the seat bases.

Bases all trimmed, some are awaiting their piping. 8 armests are finished, the other 20 are having piping applied.

The luggage racks are up in the 3-bay saloon, and stacked up ready for the 4-bay. I would think they’ll be up by the end of, say, Tuesday. Table lamps are up in the 3-bay, ready for installation in the 4-bay, and the lights are up and working in the loos and vestibules. Ceiling lamps not delivered yet.

The droplights have been rebuilt, glazed with toughened glass, assembled and sealed, painted to gloss on the outside and varnished inside. Specially made felt sections (20mm x 10mm and 10mm x 10mm) have arrived to allow us to fit new seals to each side, which help with vibration and sound proofing as well as facilitating a smooth slide. These are ready to pin on, and then it’s just the leather straps to apply with the cleaned and painted fittings prior to installing in the coach. Each droplight, for saloon or door, has already been tested in it’s own numbered aperture.

Tables- all parts now made to reproduce the original early Period 1 LMS TO table. We borrowed a genuine example from the team at Swanwick, and have produced a set of 14 in solid utile. The previously mentioned leg base castings are machined ready to go, and the fixing brackets and tabs are sorted into boxes. 7 table tops have been assembled to date, it’s a fill in job when we get an hour at the end of another task.

Toilets- sink and loo fitted in No.1 loo, all works. Loo seats and lids to varnish. Parts ready for No.2. New toilet roll holder cast and fitted. Paper towel holders sourced and mounted, bins procured. Vacant/engaged locks have arrived thanks for team based on ELR, modified to suit 7828 and now ready to fit. New left handed keeper plates have been cast and drilled. Some jiggery-pokery to convert the door locking system back to as-built is underway. The main door handles are now fitted and working.

Vestibules- not much gone on here, apart from draught excluders fitted around the side door apertures, as these areas have been virtually finished for some time. The clips to hold open the partition sliding doors were discovered and fitted.

Underframe- fusebox in process of being put back where it was meant to be, and some painting undertaken at the ends. Still gloss black to go on some bogies parts and the trusses, when we shunt it out again.

Lining- continues… Livery- LMS transfers due in 2 weeks time.

A list of final jobs exists in the carriage shed, ranging from window cleaning to spotting odd missing panel screws, gluing in bell pushes to hanging lampshades. Come see.

The Hand of Bob

Well more like the finger of Bob really, Bob Matkin that is, who with yours truly finally managed to plumb in one of the drop-down sinks into the NRM’s LMS Third Open 7828. Much adjustment of feed and waste pipes was required but I think the work was worth it with Ken Paige’s cleaning efforts on the sink showing to good effect. Just need to connect up the toilet pan now and we’re all ready to go – err but not in the shed or the station please!

Dave Winter

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Who Ya Gonna Call? Tankbusters!

Here’s the thing, we want the lovely LMS Period 1 Third Open 7828 we’re working on to have working toilets, but with Period 1 and 2 coaches you have to scramble up on the roof with a hose to fill the tanks, not a good idea. So we brainstormed a low level filling system – the first version attempted to fill via the drain but we found the internal pipework gave a ‘virtual head’ of water causing the fill to take the easy way out of the breather pipe – it worked if someone went on the roof and blocked the breather with their finger but you’re back to square one. OK so version two was to cut a hole fairly high up in the tank and fit a bog standard 15mm compression brass tank fitting (£2.17 from Toolstation). But, how are we to get it through the hole we’ve drilled given that the roof filler is too small to get a hand through into the inside of the tank – unless you can borrow a small child? This is where a piece of wire comes in and the good Dr Ben Riley says this is like a medical procedure.

So it went like this, first a 22mm hole was cut in the tank, as far as possible in line with the roof filler and avoiding the baffle in the tank. Then while I was up the ladder Bob Matkin pushed a length of electrical wire through the hole and I hooked it out from above and tied it off. Then the tank fitting was given some sealant and threaded onto the wire, and Bob below told to standby. The fitting was released and by some miracle shot down the wire and straight out of the hole! By the time I had come down the ladder Bob had already screwed the retaining nut on and there we have it! We had a backup plan to use a couple of ‘L’ shaped hooks to pull the fitting through the hole but didn’t need them in the end.

A ‘T’ piece and two non-return valves will be used with concealed hoses down to solebar level to enable the filling. It doesn’t happen very often but now and again things do work out nicely!

Dave Winter

Link: Carriage Preservation — further articles on carriage preservation techniques.

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P1 meets Mk1

LMS Period 1 Third Open 7828 has been residing outside the LMSCA shed at Rowsley for a few weeks to enable the chassis to be cleaned and painted. This has also been a good test of its waterproof qualities, and despite some heavy downpours no leaks have been detected – apart from self-made ones when testing the toilet water system. Its being outside has enabled BR Mk1 Restaurant Car (RBR) E1970 to have a repaint and emerge as M1970. Today the M1970 was coupled up to 7828 to do the shunt required to get it back in the running set, and I must say they looked well together!

Dave Winter

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