What i've done today

[stevep]

Brian, it loks like you have the hook of the block and tackle just on one lip of the cross beam. That doesn't seem too secure.

I fitted wheelbarrow wheels to my handling trolley, and it runs over grass, gravel, and small lips with no trouple.

[millman]

Totally agree with Steve, the hook needs to be more secure, mine clips on to a g clamp style of holder that fits around the RSJ. Wheelbarrow wheels are a good idea, if you want smaller wheels go to a caravan dealer and have a look at jockey wheels, they are available as solid or pump up versions.

[steamer5]

Hi Brian,
Head off to Supercheep & pick up a couple of sack barrows they have them on special this side of the ditch quite regularly. When i brought mine several years ago a lady brought 2 just for the wheels for a go cart!

Cheers Kerrin

[jem]

Can you slot a chain over the RSJ to make a loop for the hook, or a wire strop? the Chinese sell good cheap wheels, but make sure that they are bolted together, the two flanges, otherwise you will never be able to repair a puncture

Jem

[runner42]

My intial attempt to lift the locomotive was unsuccessful due to the method of connecting the locomotive to the block and tackle. I used 10mm dia rope going under the the locomotive between the driving and rear driven wheels with a similar connection under the front bogie. As soon as I attempted the lift I saw that the underneath piping and brake gear was being strained and further the rope was bearing on the running boards and causing them to distort. 

So I decided that the only clear points for lift was on the front and rear drag beams but I needed some method to keep the connecting mechanism from contacting the smokebox and driving cab. Looking around I had a piece of 90mm X 45mm wood that was the length of the locomotive that I could use as a lifting beam so I could hang the connections to the drag beams across the lifting beam. An eye bolt was attached to the lifting beam to engage the hook in the block and tackle.

Brian 

lifting beam by Brian Leach, on Flickr

PS I assume to get an horizontal lift that the eye bolt should not be in the centre but offset towards the rear of the locomotive because of the back half being heavier than the front? Since there is no way to determine where the eyebolt is positioned it will be a wet finger guess, I guess.

[ettingtonliam]

If your timber is long enough, cut a series of notches for the straps so you can adjust their positions to get balance? Or several holes for the eyebolt to achieve the same thing?

[andyhigham]

I would advise pinning or clamping the slings in place. Otherwise there is a possibility the loco could roll and slip out

[jem]

Instead of an I bolt in the middle of the beam, put one at 20 cms in from either end, then put a rope or better a chain between them inverted V and lift from that. this way being a bit heaver at one end wont matter. Definitely nail all slings to the wood so they wont slip as said above.

Jem

[dhamblin]

I co-presented at an Institution of Mechanical Engineers seminar on whole life costs in rolling stock today. Very enjoyable, if slightly nervous at having to talk about the work we do on the Underground to a room full of fellow engineers.

Regards,

Dan

[runner42]

I lifted the locomotive off the handling frame. I guessed wrong that the rear of the locomotive is heavier than the front, the opposite is true, due to the cylinders being fairly heavy. It needed placing a club hammer on the footplate to even things up. Today is 40 deg C so I didn't pursue my intention to replace the handling frame with my hydraulic trolley so I can modify the handling frame. Tomorrow it's only going to be 26 deg C a drop of 14 deg C so that is a more comfortable temperature to undertake that operation.

Brian


airborne by Brian Leach, on Flickr

[smallbrother]

Nov 10, 2023 1:27:26 GMT runner42 said:

I lifted the locomotive off the handling frame. I guessed wrong that the rear of the locomotive is heavier than the front, the opposite is true, due to the cylinders being fairly heavy. It needed placing a club hammer on the footplate to even things up. Today is 40 deg C so I didn't pursue my intention to replace the handling frame with my hydraulic trolley so I can modify the handling frame. Tomorrow it's only going to be 26 deg C a drop of 14 deg C so that is a more comfortable temperature to undertake that operation.

Brian


airborne by Brian Leach, on Flickr

Hi Brian. Please can you send the spare 14 deg in this direction?

Pete.

[gwr1509]

Finally completed: a mounting frame is useful for small inspections or repairs 


Monatgevorrichtung_01 by Helmut Jarosch, auf Flickr

Monatgevorrichtung_02 by Helmut Jarosch, auf Flickr

Regards Helmut

[runner42]

Having reduced the height of the handling frame by 6", I plucked up courage to take the locomotive outside. Although the experience was better than my previous attempt it still requires further modification to the handling frame to be less than a risky experience. The fitting of large 🔟 dia pneumatic tired wheels is a given, but because the handling frame needs to be steerable because two right hand bends need to be undertaken only the rear fixed wheels can be of this size. At the moment the steerable component is achieved by two medium sized castors, which are patently unsuitable for the grass terrain which is not a bowling green flat. The weight of the locomotive makes the hauling activity laborious with the added risk that the distance betwwen the castors is not sufficient to prevent tipping. So I needed to produce a solution to this problem which utilises the same wheel type as the fixed wheels, having a wide wheel separation, with the added benifit of ease of pulling the contraption across the grass.


outside by Brian Leach, on Flickr

another obstacle is the 6" step shown in the background of this photo


outside1 by Brian Leach, on Flickr

What I have decided is to produce something like the gun carriage that was used in the Royal Navy's gun crew's challenge at Earls Court. It relies on the spigot on the carriage being engaged in a bracket affixed to the handing frame, this is achieved by tilting the handle upwards so the spigot is below the hole in the bracket and then pulling down. The wheel axle being the pivot point. This enables easy engagement and release when stowed.

Brian

steerable carriage by Brian Leach, on Flickr

[suctionhose]

Brian, please assure us that the engine is fastened down to your trolley when you pull it along?? A sudden stop or wheel in a hole... disaster!

[stevep]

And are the cross beams that support the rails just bolted to the uprights? If they loosen, the engine would tip over.

[jem]

Would it be better to have steerable wheels as in a car? if you can find a scrap ride on lawn mower their steering gear would be I deal I would think>. As your idea is, the platform could still tip over if you take a very sharp bend.

best wishes

Jem

[coniston]

Pneumatic swivel castor wheels are available, sometimes used as heavy duty gate support castors. I would fit two of these on a longer cross beam that will solve both problems in one go.

Chris

[smallbrother]

Attended the passing out parade for fully trained Air Engineering Technicians today at RNAS Yeovilton.

Had a close up look at the maintenance of Wildcat helicopters and saw a demo by a Merlin. Presentations by a lot of top brass!

Nothing like any engineering I ever did in my career, but had a super day. I would have loved the technical stuff as a youngster but the military aspects were never for me as a rebellious young man.

Got to say I have so much respect for the Officers, Ratings and their formidable equipment.

Pete.

[JonL]

I wish I had known, I could have shown you round the hangar with our old stuff in.

[smallbrother]

Nov 17, 2023 19:48:59 GMT JonL said:

I wish I had known, I could have shown you round the hangar with our old stuff in.

We'll be back Jon. He's based there permanently unless on deployment, so plenty of opportunity.

It was quite an intense visit and we were driven around in coaches to stop us stumbling over people actually doing some work.

Pete.