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Nene Valley RailwayMechanical Engineering Group - About Us |
© 2005-2011 NVR |
What we do
But the overhauls are only a small part of our work; most of our time is spent on repair and maintenance. Once restored, our locos are well looked after. A warming fire is always lit the day before a steaming, to warm the boiler so it is hot to touch and reduce the stresses of rapid heating (rapid heating can cause cracks). At the end of the day, ash is removed from the smokebox and ashpan (Ash, if left to accumulate, will form a corrosive acid if it mixes with water, it can eat right through the steel of a wheelbarrow in a few months). All engines have chimney caps put on at night to keep rain out, and help retain heat, so that the boiler is warmer next day, and heating stresses are reduced.
Many heritage lines are building new loco sheds - we are building not just a shed, but a new overhaul workshop with a 10T overhead crane; the tool that should enable the railway to provide the steam engines it needs to survive. The building started going up in November 2006 - a magnificent sight. But we are in desperate need of more funds before it can be completed. Who we areMost of our volunteers work on the major overhauls of engines. We also have 5 paid staff. Three work on the locos, but due to running repairs, often only one has time for loco overhaul work. Lastly we have two paid staff in the carriage and wagon, 1 on overhauls, 1 on maintenance. There are also other groups;
If making hopelessly outdated giants work once again appeals to you then call us. Imagine that you have worked for days, even years, and finally the big moment when the results of your labours burst dramatically into life! Don't let us have all the fun, call us in the shed on 01780 781676, at break times of 10:00, 12:30 & 15:00. To volunteer on the footplate, speak to the office on 01780 784444. We are a friendly bunch, but there are only a handful of us - your help would be warmly welcomed! No skills are needed, you need only be warm to the touch. Once you settle in, expect to make some good friends.
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We pride ourselves on doing things well....making a peach of the job. The photo says it all: Fresh from a thorough rebuild; carefully polished; ready to go. 
Under the expertise of Alan Whenman, our overhauls are done to a high standard - every last nut and bolt. A recent innovation is the use of a wet blaster to strip and clean before painting, see the photo below. This is like a grit blaster but also has a very small amount of water to add mass, and cut down noise and dust. An inhibitor can be added to prevent rust. Research has shown this gives a far better paint bond than a needle gunned or shiny surface.
Much pride goes into presentation, locos are mostly cleaned with wax polish for a better, longer lasting shine than the old method of Paraffin and oil. Firemen and drivers also do the cleaning, and sometimes there are two cleaners. Our loco superintendent, Paul Roe aims to build a high standard of crew, with an excellent reputation. Like everyone else, he also gets stuck in with the cleaning.
No water treatment is used, so boilers are washed out as often as every month - plenty of black gunge and scale, sometimes the odd rivet! A high flowrate pump has been built to make washouts better and faster. In the photo, Alan Whenman is blasting water through one washout plug hole, along the water space, and watching the way the water escapes from the next hole. From experience he can tell that the water is escaping too slowly and there is a partial blockage. He is directing the jet along the water space to clear the blockage.
Repairs are always required; the best kept engines are prone to wear (e.g. new brake blocks to new piston rings) or leaks. In the photo an injector from Thomas has been removed, to cut new seats for the steam valve and clack valve, and stop steam leaks. Note the Specially made steel fittings, used to guide a specially shaped tool to cut the seats with grinding paste.
