Winter is Here! - February Edition - Daresbury Gazette – WDMES - Warrington & District Model Engineering Society

Winter is Here! – February Edition – Daresbury Gazette

Posted on 03. Feb, 2019 by in Daresbury Gazette, Daresbury Gazette 2019

Well here we are, we are now into February and still running and access to the track is holding up and days are getting longer!

This Months edition of the Daresbury Gazette, we feature a photo of the Winter Snow at the Daresbury Track, many thanks to Roy Allen for braving the sub zero conditions to take the photo!

Thursday February 7^th from 8:00pm we have our next WDMES Talk about the ‘History of Mining in Lancashire’ by Guest Speaker: A. Davies (at the St Mary Magdalene’s Church Hall, Appleton) – we hope to see many members at this event – More details of this event and future events can be found here

Since the last Gazette we have a new engine on the block in the shape of a very nice 5ins Royal Scot belonging to Barry Purslow – as expected it ran straight out of the box blowing off continuously, a really nice bit of kit. On the same day Paul Caldwell brought along his Flying Scotsman after extensive re-piping of the injectors this also turned out to be a great success. Paul has waited a long time to get this magnificent engine into a good reliable runner. As for waiting a long time for a reliable runner my Heilan Lassie returned from the BP Loco Works after re-piping the blower and a smokebox steam leak. We steamed her up and off she went after around four laps of the track – i then decided to open her up and blast through the platform guess what happened? the regulator broke off in my hand!! I managed to close it and that was the end of play. I have made a new one more akin to a standard regulator with a pull handle a lot stronger than the original.

Another feat of well planned engineering work was carried out on Wednesday 23rd of January (which was a very cold icy day!). It was all down to meticulous planning by Dave Mulholland and Craig Scarisbrick the whole of the bottom bend outside rail was lifted and relaid in one working session. Teams of two were employed removing rail, and bending rail and relaying a great job well done. Thanks to all concerned above all Dave and Craig. Paul Caldwell has now found a supplier for the concrete panels to finish the tunnel they will be brought to the site when it is deemed safe enough to take the machinery across the field.

Our landlord has renewed the entrance gate, on leaving you now have to pull a bit further into the road to close them behind you. The MMEX Exhibition (more details here of the event) is almost upon us I am reliably informed we have a good display of engines and rail wagons – any inquiries contact Brian Renton (club Secretary).

We have now been in our new meeting room for a full year where does the time go? Julian Stow gave us a fascinating talk on the Rail wheel interface I think everyone in the room learned a great deal from his talk. Our first “Bits and pieces night of 2019” was a sell out! for a miserable winters night the hall was packed lots of projects on the table to observe and discuss a truly great effort.

Patrick

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