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Swee Pea's return to service at HMR
Topic Started: 20 Sep 2012, 11:18 PM (593 Views)
HMR-DAN
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Hi guys.

It's been a while since I've been on here but you know what it's like when you're playing trains all summer!

As some of you may be aware our steam outline DH (formally Alan Keef No31 of 1990) has returned to service with a bit of a difference. She has returned with a new body, livery and tender.

Due to her being the main loco for the best part of 20 years she started to fail mechanically in every direction possible. The Perkins engine was leaking oil, diesel and anything else you could think of and worked when it pleased. The hydraulics were on the original set of pipe work it was supplied with in 1990 (anyone with a similar loco will know what I mean when i say that it is no easy job to get at or replace these pipes!) The coupling rods were non-existent, and the horn guides and axle boxes not far behind! Also in-spite of a new body in 2008 and various re-paints the chassis had also gone untouched since she was built. To use a phrase - Opening a can of worms! But to be fair she has done 22 years of service for us, it was her time for a serious overhaul.

She left service in September 2011 and was stripped bare, the body was donated to Hasty (RVM 2012), the engine stripped of any spare parts and scrapped and all remainder parts stored bar the chassis. Work proceeded through the winter, stopping for Xmas specials, maintenance and other projects (Hasty and Uncle Jim). By March '12 the front end overhaul was completed bar painting. It was fitted with a firebox and RVM steam generator (the kids like it), new horn guides and re skimmed axle boxes. The front end no longer drives so the coupling rods no longer link the wheels together, instead a new single rod was fitted from the rear axle to the pistons. Unfortunately due to lack of funding over the first part of the year (and hasn't it been a terrible year financially) work ceased until July.

We started again in July with the new tender fitting a new Kubota 3 cylinder engine and new pipework on the hydraulics. The tender is chain driven from the hydraulic motor to two 12" drive wheels. As the controls are in the cab they had to be made with removable linkages so that the tender can be disconnected from the front.

Finally she was painted in a burgundy livery with gold pinstripes and re entered service in August and has proved to be by far the most popular from both adults and children.

Pictures below or check out the videos on Intermusicm's You tube channel
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Dan Radcliffe
Owner and operator of Hastings Miniature Railway
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Timbo
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Really impressed by this one, Dan. Not many S/O tender locos about in the UK*.

Saw the comments on Facebook about it the other day, but I'd like to know more about the smoke effect - is it water vapour or actual smoke - and how is it fired?



*See other threads and Lawson Little's "The Narrow Gauge" series on "The Pretenders".
Tim Dunn
MRW Moderator

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