BR 92207 "Morning Star" Blog

Work continues on the restoration of 92207 with focus on the parts required for the lubrication system. This has included Steve Jefferey machining over 60 cone fittings for the copper oil feed pipework that is fed from the Silvertown lubricators. He has also machined some ferrules for connecting long sections of pipe runs.

During one of the working days Steve Jefferey was to be seen cutting and bending the grease line piping and silver soldering on the fittings that have been produced. Those of you familiar with 9F’s will be aware of the small copper piping that comes from the grease blocks located on the sides of the mainframe between the driving wheels - they really enhance the appearance of rolling chassis.

To secure this pipework in place clamps are required. When the locomotive was in Barry the copper lubrication pipework was removed and with it some of the clamps. The clamps left on the locomotive have been cleaned and painted but a complete inventory of the different types of clamps has been made with reference to the original British Railways drawings. Richard Kellaway has produced the formers for the various types of pipe clamp that are needed - see photo. The metal strip which will be cut before being bent into shape has also been procured.

Meanwhile Nick Feast at his home workshop in Lymington has overhauled and checked the pumps for the 16 Feed Silvertown lubricator. He found that the pumps were all in pretty good condition, requiring minimal attention before cleaning out dirt and reassembly. Each pump was then put on his test rig on which working pressure was reached and the leak off time measured.

He then travelled to Poole and had the satisfaction of fitting the lubricator on the fireman’s side plinth on the rolling chassis of 92207.

A key part that has been obtained is the regulator valve which was removed from the boiler for spares for another 9F during the time 92207 was at Barry. This had been stored for many decades and negotiations took place to secure its ownership for the Trust.

During one of the working days on site Keith Turk and Kevin Drake cleaned the surface rust off the coupling rods before treating them with Waxoyl to protect them from future corrosion. It is worth noting that all of the motion required for 92207 has been obtained with the exception of the connecting rods, one union link and the return cranks. An order for return crank forgings has been put in along with other locomotive owners through Railway Forging & Castings.

Back in the 1980’s when one of the Project Managers for 92207 Barrie Papworth was involved in the restoration of 92212 at the Great Central Loughborough he was given the manufacturing books for Class 9F’s by a colleague on British Rail. These were used during the building of Class 9F’s at Crewe and Swindon works in the 1950’s. The books itemise every part used to construct a 9F from the largest to the smallest including details of drawings and the grade of material. A sample page from one of these books is shown.

A very extensive number of British Railways drawings for the 9F were included in the sale. These are carefully stored and are catalogued by the numerous major areas of the locomotive and tender. Note these are not all of the drawings used in the construction of a 9F. They have been carefully selected. For example there is no point in having drawings relating to parts of the main frame or the smokebox saddle as these are already part of the locomotive.

We also have soft copies of drawings which can be provided to contractors to assist in the production of parts.

Also within our Technical Resources are a couple of historical documents which Barrie has had in his possession for decades that can be used as reference material during the restoration and subsequent running.

The first of these is the Railway Executives Instruction Book for Standard Steam Locomotives. This is the first edition published in 1951 before any BR Class 9F’s were built but the equipment is similar. This was essentially the MP11 for Standard Steam locomotives but it also covers operational elements such as preparation and disposal.

The second document is a copy MP11 Standard Examinations for Steam Locomotives.

This was a copy that was presented to Barrie over 40 years ago by John Duncan who was a Maintenance Supervisor and Engineer at Carlisle Kingmoor in both the steam & diesel eras. For those who remember SLOA the Steam Locomotive Operators Association (run by the late Bernard Staite) that organised many main line steam hauled specials on British Railways - John Duncan was their Engineering Representative.

Many will know that the MP11 document was rewritten into MT276 Examination Schedule for Preserved Steam Locomotives Running on British Railways Lines. This was subsequently replaced by RIS-4472-RST Engineering Requirements for Steam Locomotives and other Heritage Rail Vehicles.

Heritage Railways have developed maintenance and examination procedures that have been adapted from these source documents for locomotives that do not operate over the national network. It is worth noting though that much work done on the 9F running chassis during its restoration has been to MT276 standards.

Work on 92207 continues including machining activities and the acquisition of parts. The short-term aim is to pipe up the lubrication system on the rolling chassis. Clearly there are a number of projects that are required to deliver this. As mentioned below machining around 100 lubrication nuts has been completed. Dave Beard has completed the 20 bolts required for the underkeeps to keep them in postion.

One of the engineers who has stepped forward is an expert in the testing of Silvertown lubricator pumps. The 16 feed pump was delivered to his workshop for him to conduct these tests and identify any issues. Nick Feast has previously undertaken this work on the Mid-Hants Railway and we are very grateful to him joining the project.

Another new team member is Richard Kellaway from Cornwall who has a lifetime of experience in engineering and has an extensive workshop with numerous machines including lathes and milling machines. He has taken on the production of pipe clamps for the lubrication system. Although we have a number of original clamps more are to be produced. Initially Richard will machine formers for each type of clamp required into which steel strip will be inserted to bend the clamps into shape.

Photo - Keith Bottomly and Steve Jefferey assembling the second steam brake cylinder at Midsomer Norton prior to its transfer to Poole.

We were visited earlier this month (June 2023) by Richard Roper who worked in Swindon Works during the 1950s and helped in the building of 9Fs including the last builds where 92207 was constructed. He is seen standing next to a new chimney for the locomotive outside the iconic Goods Shed at Midsomer Norton South station.

You may be forgiven having viewed the Trust’s website since the early days of purchase of 92207 that nothing has been happening to progress the restoration. Happily, this is not the case as members of the Trust will have seen in the Telegraph magazines that have been published since the Autumn of 2022. For the wider audience we have not been able to resource the posting of updates on the website. Fortunately, someone has stepped forward and has very kindly offered to do this.

Saturday 26 November 2022 was the very first occasion that working volunteers from the Trust had the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Trusts 9F, 92207 at the private site near Poole. 8 members took the opportunity and were delighted to see the progress that has been made on 92207 over the time since it left Barry Scrapyard. Over the years the frames have been completely stripped down. The wheelsets have had the tyres turned to the correct profiles, axle journals and motion crank pins reground to ensure a smooth surface. All of the axleboxes and horn guides have been done and inspected a number of years ago by the now late Bert Hitchens.

The picture shows Barry Bradford on the first working day - hard at work cleaning the wheels of 92207 which had an accumulation of dust that settled over the Covid period.

Some may remember that while at Barry Scrapyard the front Pony Truck wheelset became derailed during a movement to release another locomotive. Rather than re-rail it was decided to strap up the wheelset and cut through each wheel. Many years later Keith Bottomley had the wheelset axle untrasonically tested for flaws. No defects were found and the damged wheel pressed off and replaced with new ones.

As can be seen in the photograph the locomotive is now a rolling chassis. Note also in the picture replacement sandboxes with their long necks which stretch up to where the running plate along the side of the boiler is mounted. The frames have been stripped down, checked, cleaned and painted. The wheelsets have had the tyres re-profiled and the axle journals skimmed along with the crank pins on which the outside motion is attached. Work to repair the Horn Guides was undertaken several years ago by the respected engineering expertise of the now late Bert Hitchin who many of you will remember led the restoration from Barry Scrapyard condition of Bulleid West Country pacific 34027 Taw Valley. He was also owner of Black 5 locomotive 45231.

Following a long period of due diligence, during which the Trust inspected the current condition of the locomotive and also obtained a detailed inventory of all the parts currently available for the locomotive, the Trust decided to purchase the locomotive with the long-term aim to restore it to full operating condition for use on the Somerset and Dorset line at Midsomer Norton.