Furness Railway 0-4-0 locomotive No. 20 successfully completed four days in service at the Ribble Steam Railway over Easter. Remarkably, Keith had never before driven FR 20 in service but was given the opportunity on Easter Saturday.
Since then the main focus has been on preparing FR 20 for its forthcoming trip to the Tanfield Railway. Gauge glass rubbers have been renewed on the right hand side following reports of some fizzing when the boiler was full.
More noticeable was the leak in the regulator gland which required another round of packing. Alan is seen reassembling the gland after the repair.
The left hand clack valve was also seen to be passing so, last Friday, the boiler water level was reduced allowing the valve to be dismantled. Some build up of scale was observed along with a small dimple in the lip of the valve, which was letting through unwanted water and steam. The scale was removed and Alan is seen lapping in the valve with grinding paste.
We think that John Dixon got the rough end of the stick in taking on board the retro fitting of FR 20’s spark arrestor. He spent many hours on his knees in the smokebox coaxing metal to fit. Well done, John!
FR 20 is due to depart Preston this Thursday afternoon and is scheduled to be in use at Tanfield for three days over the forthcoming Bank Holiday weekend and again on the Saturday and Sunday of the following weekend.
Work has also continued on Peckett 0-4-0ST Caliban where Ron Crowe and Duncan Sawyer are seen together machining a new piston head.
