Category Archives: Trailing Truck Transformers

Engineering Update, Trailing Truck Transformers

Trailing Truck – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Since, the last trailing truck update, and arriving at the North Norfolk Railway (NNR) the truck has been fully dismantled, a detailed examination and testing undertaken.

News on the truck can perhaps be broken into 3 sections, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” (the film being sequel/prequel to “A Fistful of Dollars”, which we need to get the project completed).

The Good
The axle & wheelset are in excellent condition. Visual and Non Destructive Testing (NDT) of the axle showed no defects. One end of the axle has some pitting, but the majority of the axle is at its original size. NNR are awaiting confirmation from Ricardo, our certification body, that we can appoint our preferred subcontractor for the tyre turning/profiling to be done.

The new set of springs that we purchased as part of an order with our friends the 35006 Locomotive Society are excellent and all have the same deflection under load, so setting up the height of the Trailing Truck will be easier.

The Bad
The Left Hand axlebox has visible cracks in three places, one of which extends at least two inches down the side and would need grinding out to near the top of the arch before attempting a welding fix, that being gunmetal could be difficult to demonstrate that it’s been adequately done. The Right Hand axlebox however has no visible cracks. The bottom of both axleboxes are bent, probably from the truck being jacked up at some stage. The LH is far worse than the RH and may well fracture if we try to return it to shape, the RH might be OK to be returned to shape. The plan is to use penetrative dye on both axleboxes to look for further cracks, but there is a good chance we will have to replace the LH axlebox.

There is a pattern available for the axleboxes, and these are the same as for the tender, so if we do decide to replace it, we may well consider ordering all eight to reduce costs (including the RH axlebox).

The Ugly
The swan necks at the front of the truck are in poor condition, especially the Right Hand one. We are recommending that they are cut out completely and replaced as the best long-term solution. We can then be certain the frame remains true, and ensure the strength & rigidity of the final frame. It will also enable NNR to examine the rear of the frame and it’s condition around where the necks are connected.

There is a small crack in the right rear of the frame, close to where the swan neck ends, but it should be repairable. We have instructed NNR to arrange for NDT around the crack, the location on the LHS of the frame and also around all the other weld areas as well, to determine how much material is there and how sound all the welds are.

Next steps
NNR are creating a full CAD of the Trailing Truck, partially to understand how the truck went together originally, as well as for replacement parts. NNR will advise us of the likely costs of the testing and the manufacture and installation of the new swan necks the replacement swan necks . We knew that only once it was fully disassembled, examined and tested that a complete picture of the work required would be obtained.

The original cast trailing truck on top verse the later fabricated style.

The support of the members of the Trailing Truck Transformer Fund Club has enabled the substantial amount of progress to date to be achieved. It is likely that the overall cost will exceed the initial estimate for the fund club, even once all ‘Lots’ are allocated and therefore further funding from other sources, such as Company shares will be required. Once again we thank the members for thieir continued support, as mentioned above we do still have further ‘lots’ available in the fund club or alternatively the General Steam Navigation C.I.C. offers all our supporters the opportunity to purchase shares in the locomotive.

The members of the Trailing Truck Transformers  group are key to funding this key component back to working order and you can help by joining our group here.

The momentum being generated by our engineering team means 2022 is going to be a very important year for the project with some big goals in mind. To achieve this we will need your help, you are able to support us in many ways if you are not already a Society member you can sign up for membership for currently only £15 per year here, or donate to the Society here or even better become a shareholder here.

Crank Axle, Engineering Update, Other News, Trailing Truck Transformers

General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society awards contract for Trailing Truck restoration and confirm the grade of steel for new crank axle.

At the Annual General Meetings of the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society (GSNLRS) and General Steam Navigation CIC we were delighted to announce that following the removal of the trailing truck from the frames in October 2020 and months of preparatory work by their hard working volunteers, that the restoration contract for the trailing truck has been awarded after a tender process to North Norfolk Railway Engineering.

Located at Weybourne Engineering works, North Norfolk Railway Engineering presented a strong bid for the work, with a high level of engineering detail, that respects the historical merit of the unique in preservation fabricated Merchant Navy trailing truck.

Originally fitted to a series 3 Merchant Navy, our fabricated trailing truck is the last survivor of its kind. Lighter than the cast truck fitted to the other preserved Merchant Navy locomotives, longer than a Light Pacific’s truck, the GSNLRS are having this unique piece of Bulleid locomotive design restored to mainline standard, a crucial step towards GSNLRS’s vision of an original Merchant Navy with original air smoothed casing and Bulleid’s patented chain driven valve gear.

Funding for the Trailing Truck restoration has been via our Trailing Truck Transformers Fund Club and ‘Lots’ being available for purchase to join the club. Membership of our Trailing Truck Transformer Fund Club is still available, for details click here.

For more information on the North Norfolk Railway go to: www.nnrailway.co.uk

Crank Axle Steel Selection

Since 1966, 35011 has been without it’s central crank axle. Alongside the missing valve gear, this has been the driving force behind the decision to return to original design condition, due to the cost of replacement to either design being similar.
After many years of behind-the-scenes research in the BPLA collection & National Archive in Kew, and recent detailed Finite Element Analysis conducted at the University of Birmingham, under the supervision of Professor Karl Dearn, has demonstrated that A4T steel is of a suitable grade for the correct balanced crank axle design for 35011 in original design condition.

The stress report of the balanced design maximum stress reduced by 23%

This means the GSNLRS can proceed to final design of the central axle & balancing of the motion, and the order placement for the steel in the coming months and moving the project further forwards to a functioning original Merchant Navy once more.
For more information on the University of Birmingham FEA Project outcomes  click  here:

These two announcements are major steps forward for the General Steam Navigation Restoration Society, for more information on how you can help support  the project click here.

Engineering Update, Monthly updates, Trailing Truck Transformers

February 2021 Update

February 2021 Update

Whilst Covid19 has been affecting both our financial and engineering efforts, the Society is delighted to report that new parts continue to be constructed. Recently the front bogie spring beams were delivered by Ashbrook Engineering Ltd; the Society is extremely grateful to Mr Alan Dixon who sponsored their construction. Along with the efforts of Mr Tony Simmonds who is machining the spring hangers for the Society, work on the bogie is progressing at a good pace.

Work continues with converting the BPLA drawings of the frames & valve gear into CAD to allow us to have replacement parts manufactured. This is a lengthy process, but one that is vital for our goal of reengineering the existing frames to a condition where they can accommodate the original chain-driven valve gear and replacing the middle cylinder. In time we will also have the drawings of the smokebox and air-smoothed casing transferred to CAD for the same reason.

The Trailing Truck Transformers funding group continues to be our primary fundraising campaign with its objective of funding the restoration of GSNs trailing truck. The Society is pleased with the initial number of members who have signed up for blocks but are under no illusions that its still along way from being funded. We are offering a maximum of 30 members the opportunity to purchase a ‘Lot’ for £500. Members are welcome to purchase as many ‘Lots’ as they wish up to the maximum target amount.

Members of the Fund Group would receive a number of benefits including:

  • Certificate of membership of the ‘Trailing Truck Transformers’
  • Name engraved on a suitable brass plaque attached to the refurbished Trailing Truck
  • Regular updates on the refurbishment of the Trailing Truck
  • An invitation to a VIP day at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway to see the completed Trailing Truck once it is returned to the railway.

For details on how to become a Trailing Truck Transformer click here.

We understand that £500 is a lot of money and for people who wish to support the trailing truck but are unable to join the Trailing Truck Transformers club you can help us by donating to our Wheel Set appeal on our JustGiving page here.

Alternatively you can make a donation however large or small into our newly launched Putting Funds into the Frames campaign here…

The 35011 Twenty Twenty Club winners have been drawn for January.

Congratulations go to:

1st Prize – David Oborn, 2nd Prize – Simon Shutt, 3rd Prize Allan Bott

The Twenty Twenty Club is a great way to help raise funds for the locomotive and at the same time have a little bit of fun. We still have the last few places remaining find out how to join here.

2021 is shaping up to be a very important year for the project with some big goals in mind. You can help support us in many ways if you are not already a Society member you can sign up for membership for currently only £12 per year here, or donate to the Society here or even better become a shareholder here.

Finally some of our trustees will be making a guest appearance on the “Railwaymania” podcast and will be answering questions from members and the general public.  If you have any questions you’d like answering please send them to us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or through our website and we’ll ensure as are answered on the podcast as possible.

As always thank you for your continued support.

#OnThisDay, Campaigns, Putting Funds into the Frames, Trailing Truck Transformers

Become a Trailing Truck Transformer

#OnThisDay in 1955 General Steam Navigation entered the Eastleigh works for a heavy intermediate overhaul. It was during these works when her cast trailing truck she was built was changed for the fabricated design she still has. The fabricated design was fitted to the final ten Merchant Navy’s with the first being 35021 New Zealand Line with 35011s being the last remaining example with all fellow surviving Merchant Navy’s having the earlier cast design. The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society aims to restore this unique component in 2021.

This is your chance to be part of an exclusive club and aid the overall restoration of General Steam Navigation by becoming a Trailing Truck Transformer.

The Trailing Truck was removed from the frames at the same time as the successful boiler lift on 2nd October. The estimate for the full refurbishment and overhaul of the Trailing Truck by specialist contractors is £15,000.

We are offering a maximum of 30 members the opportunity to purchase a ‘Lot’ for £500. Members are welcome to purchase as many ‘Lots’ as they wish up to the maximum target amount.

Benefits

Members of the Fund Group would receive a number of benefits including:

  • Certificate of membership of the ‘Trailing Truck Transformers’
  • Name engraved on a suitable brass plaque attached to the refurbished Trailing Truck
  • Regular updates on the refurbishment of the Trailing Truck
  • An invitation to a VIP day at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway to see the completed Trailing Truck once it is returned to the railway.

The work

With the trailing truck now removed from GSN, we have undertaken an assessment of the work that will be required to restore it to mainline running standards. This will involve a full strip down to allow us to understand the condition of the frame metal work, which is likely to require non-destructive testing to determine the soundness of the existing material.

The axle will also require removing, but depending on which contractors we decide to use for the overall work we may need to remove this at Blunsdon to enable it to be sent separately for repair with the wheels being re-profiled; whilst the axle bearings will also need assessing and possibly refurbishing.

The frames will also require sandblasting to remove all the old flaking material and paint, with the corroded sections of the framework and rear platform being cut out and replaced with new material. Finally the framework, axle and wheels will need to be primed, undercoated and painted prior to being re-assembled.

To become a Trailing Truck Transformer see our dedicated page here…

We understand that £500 is a lot of money and for people who wish to support the trailing truck but are unable to join the Trailing Truck Transformers club you can help us by donating to our Wheel Set appeal on our JustGiving page here.

Alternatively you can make a donation however large or small into our newly launched Putting Funds into the Frames campaign here…

Any and all donations would be gratefully appreciated.