Revision of Blue Book

[Boadicea]

Feb 24, 2013 18:29:23 GMT gwrfan said:

Having been told by the Southern Fed at the beginning of this month that there would be a delay in sending the new certs out due in part to the need to source a parcel delivery service with favourable rates.....

And this is a very difficult and time-consuming task - it involves spending two minutes on the Parcel2Go website!

I realise we in the country, as in Wales and New Zealand, can be obsessed with sheep but never mind folks, if we "leave them alone, they will come home, wagging their tails behind them!"

[nonort]

I am beginning to wish I hadn't started this.
But someone had to. I assume that the MELG who produced this Green Book were all in the same room at the same time. So why has there been any ambiguity. Did they not agree the implementation program. The sad thing is that they have produced a hymn sheet and are now singing different tunes.
I hate to start another row/discussion but perhaps it is time to have one national body to oversee the hobby.
Sorry in advance if this stirs up more problems than it solves.

[ejparrott]

I've recommened to my committee that we ditch the southern fed. NAME do not charge for the paperwork, southern do. NAME seem to be on the ball and have got stuf out, we are still waiting for southern certificates. Name always have the answers straight up when I need to ask a question, you wait forever to hear back from Southern.

[Shawki Shlemon]

I know its not my place to comment on UK system but I think , one Country one body , even better if we had one body for the hobby world wide .( I am dreaming ;D ;D ;D )

[nonort]

When you consider that most of the model engineering fraternity cant agree on what colour an engine should be let alone were the rivets go and how many? I don't think there is much chance of a world wide system. However there must be room for a British system to prevail. Sorry I don't know if British is PC or whether it should be European since we seem to do every thing else they want?

[fostergp6nhp]

While they seemingly ignore what they want to ignore.

[heronsgate]

Comments similar to those of ejparrot (don't know his proper name of course) are partly why we converted from many years supporting the S/Fed to become affiliated to NAMES. It seems that they, the S/Fed are losing their way in many subjects not least of all this latest exercise in implementing a revised book. With NAMES no more paying for something such as boiler paperwork, no more paying for all those committee meetings held in London, very (in fact extremely) quick answers to any questions relating to whatever topic, and if needed a direct line to the man at Walker Midgely, who will almost always answer your question, if by telephone while you are on the line, or if by 'e' mail within a matter of a couple of hours. I did hear the S/Fed AGM was almost all a waste of time with various topics being thrown at them and they in return being unable to give any positive answers. NAMES every time from here on in!!

[kwil]

So for Northern Federation.....we should read National Federation.........?

[heronsgate]

Could well be...sooner rather than later!!

[peterseager]

At our club meeting last night the boiler inspector was upset by the requirement to include the superheaters in the hydraulic retest. He quite rightly commented that it would not be easy to blank off the superheater outlets of an existing loco. Future locos will have to be made with this in mind.

Looking up the requirement, para 10.9, it seems some leeway is allowed.

If practical, the superheater should be included in the hydraulic repeat pressure test. This requires a blank to be fitted on the outlet of the superheater. It shall be removed on completion of the test and the pipe reconnected.

But then blows it with a mandatory shall without any qualifier:

The regulator shall be in the ‘Open’ position for the test.

So you have to blank off before the superheater instead. Just as big a problem.

It then finishes with:

For superheaters the Boiler Inspector shall assess the testing requirement on an individual basis and annotate the Written Scheme of Examination accordingly.

A bit of Requirements Management this time round would have been helpful.

Peter

[GeorgeRay]

At a recent meeting with some members of the Southern Federation it was stated that where the requirements couldn't be carried out fully then the certificate needs to be amended accordingly. What the last statement of 10.9 means is if you cant blank it off it cant be tested and this needs to be stated on the test certificate as well as writing that it can't be done on the WSE. Para 10.9 does after all start 'If practical', if it isn't than you can't do it.
Apparently all clubs and societies were asked to comment on the old blue book requirements before this new document was drawn up. However only the Northern Association canvassed their members views as the new document was drawn up. It would appear that the members of the Northern Association didn't see this as a problem. The Southern Federation just ploughed on because that's what PSR 2000 says.

[ejparrott]

Oh balls.....

[Alan]

We have all our paperwork and have done a few tests.
What an awful test form to fill out. Im sure their will be loads of errors. I would have thought it would have been a food time to Include what was needed, but simplify the form. IE make each test/requirement obvious and to completely seperate the hydrolic test and the steam test into different areas of the form.
Im used to filling out rubbish forms, it doesnt take much to make a simpler one(in my experience)
Also, it is less of an effort for the 'reluctant' boiler testers. Some clubs have difficulties in getting people to stand and do boiler testing.

[Deleted]

Has anybody noticed that the certificate has spaces at the top to enter 'bar-litres' and 'capacity' (in litres) but not the working pressure? Before you can fill in the bar-litres you have to consult the WSE to get the woking pressure, where it's stated in pounds per square inch! Sheesh, to think it took over a year to devise this nonsense!

[pault]

what you say is true superseven, however the WP is on every other line on the kin cert

[ejparrott]

Mar 22, 2013 13:36:28 GMT Alan said:

We have all our paperwork and have done a few tests.
What an awful test form to fill out. Im sure their will be loads of errors.

Yup...messed up both I've done so far...


...and STILL no paperwork from Southern Fed.....

[houstonceng]

My Society is in the S'Fed and we got our Paperwork weeks ago.