Editorial

Well what has been happening since my last jotting, well I think it is best described as progress, progress, progress.

Our visitors are still turning up in reasonable numbers on most of our open days, I personally think the numbers of passengers are about the same as last year.

From our visitors point of view one major difference is that now everybody can travel on the raised track regardless of age following modifications on the raised track passenger cars to make them safer. Additional safety guards have been installed on each passenger cars to keep little fingers getting to where they should not be able to get.

Following advice from several different sources we also introduced a 'conditions of carriage' policy for our customers, this spells out what Malden and District Society of Model Engineers Ltd. are responsible for and what we are not responsible for as well as passenger information including general safety advice. This conditions of carriage is handed out with every ticket purchased.

Permanent copies are also posted at the ticket office and nearby. Conditions of carriage spells out what one gets for one's money, i.e. 'Each passenger must have ticket to travel', it also specifies our refund policy, and complaints policy / process to name a couple of items. Our general safety advice covers several things, a couple of good example being, 'Everybody must be seated facing forward, Everybody must be sitting on the seats. If you want to know more look at the permanent notices, or contact Mike Evans or Martin Baker for a copy (address's at the front of this newsletter) We also took the opportunity to restructured our ticketing options and made minor adjusted to pricing slightly. It appears on our open days our family ticket is proving popular as this gives reasonable discounts for a family.

On the club membership front we have instigated a new membership class, allowing instant membership pending full approval at the next committee meeting.

This allows a person to join the club and become active and enjoy the facilities of the club as well as being covered for any activities they become involved in.

Previously this was proving a problems as sometimes it could take 5-6 weeks to become a member just because a committee meeting had just happened.

Willowbank station arrivals remodelling has now progressed very well with 3 new points and all the track including the middle siding have been reinstated. At long last all the concreting pipe work and re ballasting is nearly finished. A lot of hidden work under the ground has happened including signaling and point wires trying to get everything reconnected again to get us back to business as normal operation. All that remains now is one more facing point between the local line and the main line to be installed as well as several lengths of straight track amounting to 100ft. or so. I might add that a lot of people have been involved in this little project, I guess that the numbers are getting on for 12 or more people.

Right opposite Willowbank used to be the burnt out remains of the ice cream parlor, this has now been demolished ready for redevelopment. As we discussed at the last AGM a plan has been put forward and approved for a new smaller building to cater for ice cream & ticket sales. Current thinking is to incorporate the first aid facilities into this building as well. More news to follow when it becomes available.

Further down the line towards Angel road, yet more of the progress that I was eluding to. Show some of our regular guys a shovel present them with a very muddy river preferably over welly boot level and they will jump right in regardless of the water level! Next leave them in the water for several months, supply liberally with sand ballast & cement not forgetting the beer / biscuit's / cake and tea by the gallon not forgetting a large scrap pile of concrete, (which reduces the amount of concrete to be mixed) and what do you get - A new steel equipment signal location mounted on top of very strong concrete base right at the edge of the stream making the most use of our land. I might add that the concrete base is well down in the river bed, well below the bottom of the river bed so that the river can't wash away the ground below the base. All that is required here is a good coat of hammer right paint next on the metal location.

Moving back to Willowbank station, have you noticed the fine flowers in the gardens all along the track from the crossing to just beyond the signal box and the flower beds just seem to continue to grow, My thanks go to Jim and Susan who week in week out and sometimes in the week keep all this in order. Just as important is the Grass cutting done by Dave and John Wilkins throughout the year this is a great service which doesn't often get noticed as its done during the week. One downside is that Dave has decided that from next year somebody else is going to have to do the grass cutting as he feels its time for a rest form doing this tasks for the last 15 odd years. Any volunteers?

Now we move up the club house end of the site another six further fencing pane have appeared making a barrier between the mainline, maintenance shed and public viewing cum afternoon tea area, now the final shrinking pile of earth has been removed hopefully this will remain a cleared up area. Free for the public on track days and cars on non open days.

Passenger cars on the ground level track are in the process of having modifications to the vacuum brake piping, new automatic shutoff fittings are being installed into the tail pipes connections between the passenger cars, so that when a connection is disconnected, i.e. when a train is de-coupled the vacuum pipes automatically seal. Other modifications taking place is the provision of an emergency brake valve for the guard seat so that the guard can apply the brakes if there need arises.

Moving on again yet more blocks have been cemented into place on the tunnel, so the walls are now about 5 feet out of the ground above rail level, and more soil has bee tipped to back fill the walls, current planning should allow for another major push during the closed season after our 7¼" open weekend.

Right stop right there, apply the train brakes, regulator closed, right now put the reverse in full 'Reverse', and open the regulator slightly, release the brakes & move up the 1 in 100 towards the Roundhouse, and keep going till you get back to the workshop rail access entrance in Willowbank station, and remember to open the level crossing gates before proceeding into the new workshop extension. Now careful not to run over the workshop crew, who will probably greet you with a bucket of concrete, probably liberally trowelled into the inside of you hat. Who I hear you ask, well yet again yet more progress, finally the workshop extension building is topped out, the roof is on and believe it of not the window frames are all in, and that's not all work is on hand to get ready for screeding the floor in the not to distant future. Also the gang are planning to render the outside to match the rest of the building. This time next year I reckon it will all be finished inside as well.. As they say watch this space.

Now were in the workshop what's this I see, hmmm a new steel boiler for a 7¼" loco, well actually its a new boiler for 'Tom Snoxell' our Romulus style 0-4-0 Tank engine which suffered a boiler failure a few weeks ago, this has only just been delivered, and was a good deal from the Gloucester Traction engine Co at Cheltenham, with only a 4 week lead time and a very good price, our thanks go to out two loco minders for doing all the legwork including visits to the factory..

So as you can see progress, progress, progress! is what I said at the top of the article and I think I've clearly demonstrated this in the above. Well I seem to be so close to the clubhouse it looks like time for a mug of tea and guess what I can smell the stuff in the club house so that's all for now.. cheers for now
Mark..

MAKING STEELS WHEELS
SOME TIME AGO I WENT TO THE CLUB ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND SAID THAT I WANTED TO BUILD ANOTHER LOCO. PETER LARKIN SUGGESTED THAT I BUILD AN 0-4-2-TANK ENGINE IN 7/14 GAUGE, BUT NOT BEING A LOVER OF' 7/14 GAUGE I SAID I WOULD PREFER 5 INCH GAUGE.

SO I LOOKED AROUND FOR A SET OF DRAWINGS FOR 5 INCH 0-4-2 TANK AND THE ONLY DRAWINGS I COULD FIND WERE FROM REEVES OF A ENGINE CALLED DIDCOT.

I THEN WENT DOWN TO THE CLUB TO DISCUS THIS FURTHER. IT WAS POINTED OUT BY BERT WOODFORD THAT IT HAD INSIDE CYLINDERS AND INSIDE VALVE GEAR AND ALL THE PROBLEMS THAT IT ENTAILED. MY REACTION WAS DO I NOT MAKE IT BECAUSE IT IS DIFFICULT OR DO I MAKE IT AS A CHALLENGE.

WELL I DECIDED TO MAKE IT (FOOL). I THEN LOOKED AROUND FOR MATERIALS AND OR CASTINGS, REEVES PROVIDED WITH A LIST OF CASTINGS AND STEEL. THE STEEL I FOUND LOCALLY AND THE CAST IRON FOR THE CYLINDERS FROM MAIDSTONE ENG. THE PROBLEM OF WHEELS AROSE A SET OF FOUR D AND C CASTINGS COST £82.00 PLUS DELIVERY FROM REEVES, WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY THOUGHTS WENT TO MAKING THEM OUT OF THE SOLID. WHEN I APPROACHED THE BRAINS AT THE CLUB I GOT REMARKS LIKE DIFFICULT, STUPID, TIME CONSUMING AND OTHER EQUAL REMARKS.

I REQUIRED FOUR WHEELS 5/8' THICK, 5-/78 OVER THE FLANGE, 5/12 OVER THE TREAD AND 16 SPOKES. I THEN CONTACTED A STEEL MERCHANT ON THE COST OF FOUR PIECES OF B.M.S LEADED 6 INCHES DIAMETER BY ¾ THICK. THE PRICE £28 00 INCLUDING V.A.T. A SAVING £54 00 .

HAVING LOOKED AT THESE FOUR BLANKS, I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION DO I MAKE EACH ONE SEPARATELY OR DO I MASS PRODUCE THEM, I CHOSE THE LATTER. I PUT THE BLANK IN THE THREE JAW 6 INCH CHUCK ) AND SKIMMED THE FACE, AND CENTRE IT. FROM THIS CENTRE I MEASURED THE CRANK PIN CENTRE AND CENTRE POPPED BOTH. I THEN TURNED THE O.D. AT 5.875 THOU AND THE TREAD AT 5.500 TO DEPTH OF 532 THOU. THE DIMENSION FROM THE CENTRE TO THE OUTER EDGE OF THE SPOKE 2.5 INCHES, I BORED THE AXLE HOLE 5/8 RIGHT THROUGH AND TURNED THE FACE 3/16 DEEP 1'0 THE DIMENSION TO THE TOP OF THE SPOKE. I REVERSED THE BLANK IN THE CHUCK AND GRIPPING ON THE TREAD PUSHING IT TIGHT AGAINST THE CHUCK JAWS. I TURNED THE FACE TO FINISHED THICKNESS OF 5/8. USING THE SAME DIMENSION TO THE TOP THE SPOKE THEN TURNED THE RECESS 3/16 DEEP. BUT LEFT A 1/32 BOSS IN THE CENTRE.

THE NEXT IS TO MAKE A JIG TO HOLD THE WHEEL ON THE ROTARY TABLE THIS CONSISTED OF A PIECE OF 1/8 STEEL x 4 INCHES. FIND THE CENTRE 3 AND CENTRE POP AND MEASURE AND MARK THE CENTRE OF THE CRANK PIN TO FIX THE JIG TO THE ROTARY TABLE YOU NEED A TAPPED HOLE IN THE CENTRE OF THE TABLE. MAKE A BUSH 5/8 DIAMETER O.D. WITH A CENTRE HOLE TO TAKE THE BOLT TO SCREW DOWN THE JIG TO THE ROTARY TABLE. DRILL A HOLE FOR THE CRANK PIN AND MAKE A TEE BOLT TO FIT SLOT IN THE ROTARY TABLE, AND THE TOP OF THE BOLT TO FIT THE CRANK PIN HOLE. GREAT CARE MUST BE TAKEN WITH THIS JIG AS IT WILL BE USED A LOT OF TIMES AND IT WILL NEED TO BE ACCURATE AT ALL TIMES.

BOLT THE ROTARY TABLE TO THE MILLING TABLE AND PLACE THE JIG ON THE CENTRE OF THE TABLE. NOW THE WHEEL ON THE JIG AND TIGHTEN THE CENTRE BOLT MAKING SURE THE CRANK PIN BOLT IS IN POSITION.

THE NEXT JOB IS TO MAKE THE OVAL BOSSES FOR THE FRONT OF THE WHEEL IN THIS INSTANCE ARE 2 ¼ LONG BY 1 ½ WIDE AND 7/32 THICK AND CUT TO SHAPE AND DRILLED FOR THE AXLE AND CRANK PIN HOLES. TO FIX THESE TO THE WHEEL YOU NEED TWO PLUGS ONE FOR THE AXLE AND ONE FOR THE CRANK PIN

HOLES. DRILL FOUR 1/16 HOLES FOR RIVET'S, AND COAT THE BACK WITH ISOPON OR SIMILAR AND RIVET THEM IN POSITION.

NOW PLACE THE WHEEL ON THE JIG ON THE ROTARY TABLE AND MAKE SURE IT IS FIRM WITH THE OVAL ON THE TOP. COVER THE RECESSED SURFACE WITH BLUE MARKER. AND GRIND UP A PIECE OF ¼ SILVER STEEL, POINT TO MAKE A SCRIBER. PLACE THIS IN THE CHUCK IN THE VERTICAL MILL AND LINE IT, UP TO THE CENTRE OF THE ROTARY TABLE AND LOCK THE MILLING TABLE. DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT' THE FIRST SPOKE AND SCRIBE A LINE FROM THE CENTRE TO THE TOP OF THE SPOKES. AS I NEEDED 16 SPOKES IT WAS 22.5 DEGREES, NOW RAISE THE DRILLING HEAD OF THE MACHINE AND WIND ON '22.5 DEGREES AND MARK ANOTHER LINE, DO THIS UNTIL YOU HAVE 16 LINES. ALL AT EQUAL SPACES. FROM THE LAST LINE UNLOCK THE MILLING TABLE AND WIND ON 125 THOU LOCK UP THE MILLING TABLE AND MARK ANOTHER 16 LINES, 125 THOU FROM THE CENTRE LINE. NOW WIND BACK THE MILLING TABLE 250 THOU AND MARK ANOTHER 16 LINES THIS TIME MARKING OUT THE SIZE OF THE SPOKES. YOU NOW NEED A CENTRE LINE BETWEEN THE SPOKES FOR DRILLING AWAY THE METAL DRILL THREE HOLES ALONG THIS LINE OF APPROPRIATE SIZE LEAVING ENOUGH METAL FOR CLEANING UP. CHANGE THE LAST DRILL FOR AN END MILL AND MILL A SLOT BETWEEN THE HOLES LIFT UP THE MILLING HEAD AND WIND ON 22.5 DEGREES AND MILI, ALL, SLOTS BETWEEN THE HOLES, NOW COMES THE TRICKY BIT CHANGE THE END MILL FOR A 3/16 END MILL AND WIND THE TABLE SO THAT THE END MILL LINES UP WITH THE SPOKE LINE AND MILL AWAY THE WASTE, LIFT UP THE CUTTER AND WIND ON 22 1./2 DEGREES AND MILL AWAY 'THE NEXT ONE AND SO ON UNTIL ALL 16 HAVE BEEN DONE, ON ALL THE WHEELS. YOU NOW HAVE SQUARE SPOKES SO YOU HAVE TO ROUND THE EDGES, I GROUND UP A TOOL TO A SHAPE AND MACHINED ALL, OF THE EDGES AND THE RIM. IF YOU WANT TO DO BOTH SIDES THEN REVERSE THE WHEEL. THAT'S ABOUT IT, IF YOU WANT A STRONG STEEL WHEEL THIS IS IT, BUT IF YOU WANT EXACT REPLICA OF THE REAL ONE THEN FORGET IT AND SPEND £82.00 PLUS DELIVER.
DICK VINCE

Washed it through at least three times afterwards. Initially yellow, Fernox contains an indicator and came out quite a deep blue – it had had plenty to do. Collected it in a bucket for disposal. Washing through produced great clouds of little flakes of scale, and I tried to direct the water jet to get the most of the out. For this purpose more and larger washout plugs or blowdowns would be a help. The present blowdown has a bore of just 1/8" which is fine for steam and stuff, but not so good for scale. Dismantled and de-scaled one of the safety valves – so as not to muddle the parts.

Come the July track day as usual I hoped to run.

Problems! First lighting, Timmy helped, and the fire went out because I had spared the paraffin. Second lighting: no steam blower. Decided it wasn't because of leakage as no steam was coming from the sleeve joint under the running board. So it must be blocked. Pricking didn't help. So it must be scale down the pipe. Removed both sections of the blower pipe from valve to smoke box and washed them through with the hose – narrowly missing first Peter then the public. Also blew the valve through with residual boiler pressure. Reassembled. Third lighting – I don't remember the blower ever being as powerful as this before.

Safety valves lifted. Re-adjusted to "80"PSI as indicated on my gauge (= 100 PSI per the large gauge in the clubhouse). Then, both valves blew simultaneously as the boiler was rather full, priming vigorously. It looked spectacular….only one of them didn't shut. I dropped the fire. Undoing the valve top-plate a couple of turns cured it. Peter remarked on the noise, and I realised I might have done it in steam (maybe, only there was a lot of steam). The plunger that normally presses on the ball had moved sideways and lodged on the step in the body that causes the valve to pop. This had happened once in the past as an isolated incident, so I thought no more of it – except that it was now: fourth lighting.

After a trip to the clubhouse for one of Stella's cakes and a cuppa, all was well. Got the loco on the track. Drove round to the station. In an impeccably timed manoeuvre, Ken dropped the third coach from Peter's train and Darren and Philip coupled it up behind the Minx. (Ken told me afterwards he'd dropped the coach because a slight shower had made the track slippery, and I had just happened along at that particular moment.) The coach filled with passengers. The fire was burning nicely, I was looking forward to the rest of the afternoon when – the safety valve blew – and didn't shut. I bit my lip, informed the excited passengers that this loco wouldn't be running this afternoon so they'd better rejoin the queue, stuffed a rag down the chimney, and legged it after Ken round to the steaming bays, pushing the loco.

Because the safety valve was blowing off, there wasn't as much blower steam coming back into the firebox as I would have liked to extinguish the fire. It was still red, so I was in a hurry. In retrospect, I suppose I might have tried shoveling it out, or even adding more coal though both would have taken time. Once on the bays I have never had the grate out so quickly! I then had an opportunity to reflect that earlier in the morning whilst preparing the loco I had taken the opportunity to check the clearance of the safety valve spindle in the top-disc of the valve. It had seemed very tight, and sticky – almost to the point of overcoming the spring-pressure. Running the drill through that had made the hole did not seem to improve matters – so I went one number drill larger. Mistake! Previously, the plunger went up and down almost axially to the valve and was prevented from moving off-course sideways by the top-disc. Now, with the larger hole, it could settle anywhere it liked with ease – and had twice chosen to sit on the pop step – as I had discovered.

Now – to hopefully remedy this – have machined the pop step to a 45° angle. I don't expect this to do anything for the pop action, which used to be rather pleasing. These safety valves were the first I made - in about 1995. The springs are tinned music-wire, and I did no calculations about the valve closing. Consequently they have about a 20psi pressure differential – too much – and whilst running I have tended to close them by hand. Shall take the loco down on Families Day – this Saturday 8th July - and test it then. Timmy has asked for a lift.

On Families Day 8th July steamed the Minx in the morning before our visitors from Colchester arrived. One of the safety valves now has a very narrow pressure differential – about 2psi - which is brilliant, but unfortunately it now also makes a very rude noise! The other opens a bit late and seems not to close without help till the pressure has fallen to 50psi. Ran the loco for some time, and had no problems with safety valves jamming open. Clearly it's OK to run again, and I can investigate why the valves behave so differently when I find a moment of leisure….
William Goffe

The Old Kiln Light Railway - at the Rural Life Center, Tilford, Surrey

The two foot narrow gauge Old Kiln Light Railway has existed on this site since January 1982. Previously the railway existed in a much smaller form around a disused pumping station in Farnham, and was then known as the Wey Valley Light Railway.

This had originally been founded in the early 1970s using narrow gauge railway equipment from local industrial lines. When the Wey Valley site was acquired for redevelopment in 1982 the railway was moved lock, stock and barrel to form Elouise at the Old Kiln Railway the nucleus of the Old Kiln Light Railway and has now very much outgrown its humble beginnings.

The railway is wholly independent of the main museum. It is run, owned and funded by a small group of enthusiasts and is entirely self financing. Income comes from the individual members and from train fares and public donations. The railway runs on Sundays throughout the summer and on occasional Saturdays and bank holidays. There is currently approximately a quarter mile of running track together with associated sidings, workshops and sheds.

Rolling stock consists of various forms of motive power including both steam and internal combustion locomotives. Restoration of both is undertaken on and off site, and there is always work going on in the busy workshops. Passengers are catered for in replica examples of rolling stock used on Welsh narrow gauge lines. You could travel in the enclosed 'Glyn Valley Tramway' coach or brave the elements in the open 'Penrhyn Quarryman's' coach.

There are also numerous examples of narrow gauge wagons to be found around the works yard, some have been modified to perform a new function amongst the engineering equipment on the line. There is continual change going on around the railway and regular visitors will be aware of the steady improvements that have occurred over the years. In September 1994 the railway was awarded a conservation plaque by the Surrey Industrial History Group for its contribution to preserving local industrial equipment. We are always pleased to welcome new visitors

Elouise at the station

In 1969/70 she was brought over to Britain where, after several changes of ownership, she ended up on the Old Kiln Light Railway in 1986. After some minor repair work she soon entered traffic, but was subsequently withdrawn with boiler problems.

Elouise has now had her boiler repaired and should now see service on certain Sundays (subject to availability).

Pamela
Built in 1906 (Works No. 920) by the Hunslet Engine Company of Leeds for the Penrhyn Slate Quarry in North Wales. When rail operations ceased in 1962 the locomotive was sold into preservation to a private railway in Leicestershire.

In 1984 she was sold and moved to her present location at Tilford. Subsequently she has been totally stripped down for a complete rebuild and is now slowly going back together as time and finances permit.

The Internal Combustion Engines
Motor Rails of Bedford
MR.5713 "Eagle" was built in 1936 and worked at various brick and pipe works in the Derbyshire area. This was one of the original locomotives at the old Kiln site and has served us well over the years despite its notorious difficulty in starting up!

MR.8981 supplied new to the Midhurst Whites Brick Company in 1946 and spent its working life at their Midhurst works. Originally two foot 6 inch gauge, the loco was purchased in 1986 from the company and has subsequently been re gauged and completely rebuilt. It is now one of the main passenger locos at Tilford.

MR.6035 was another engine from the Midhurst works. Supplied new to the company in 1937, and purchased for preservation in 1986 along with MR.8981. This locomotive is powered by an Austin 12 petrol engine and is currently undergoing a total restoration to its original condition, including the much cut down cab and seat on the floor!

MR.5297 "Fido" built in 1931, is our other petrol engine Motor Rail, although this one is powered by a Dorman engine. This locomotive is of local interest as it worked at the Weydon Lane sand pits in Farnham.

MR.8887 "Phoebe" was built in 1944 for the War Department and is today in ex-military condition. This engine is long overdue for some minor workshop attention, but as she is regularly used on works, and occasionally on passenger, trains, there never seems to be time for the spruce up she deserves.

Ruston & Hornsby of Lincoln
RH.392117 built in 1956, this is the biggest internal combustion locomotive on the line. It was supplied new to a contractor for building the additional tunnels at Hadley Wood for British Railways when the East Coast main Line from Kings Cross was quadrupled. The locomotive subsequently worked at the Norden clay mines near Corfe Castle in Dorset before passing into preservation at the "Hampshire Narrow Gauge Group". In December of 1992 the loco was purchased for use on the Old Kiln Light Railway and has proved a very useful addition to the fleet, especially with its electric starting.

RH.181820 "Red Dwarf" built in 1936, this loco worked for most of its industrial life for the Severn Trent Water Authority, and was used in connection with the upkeep of the tidal defenses on the Severn Estuary in the Gloucester area. The locomotive was purchased in January 1994 from a private preservation site in Wales and has since been fitted with a replica cab built to an original Ruston design.

RH.177639 "Sandrock" This locomotive was delivered new, in 1936, to the County Borough of Derby to work in connection with the construction of a by-pass at Spondon. It was later moved to a sewage works nearby where it stayed until it was preserved in 1979. She spent many years at various preservation sites in the Manchester are until 1994 when she was moved to her new home at Tilford.

F. Hibberd of Park Royal, London
FH.2528 "Neptune" was built in 1941 and delivered new to the War Department. It is believed to have worked for most of its life at the Ministry of Defense depot at Liphook, before being sold to Streeter's, a contractor's yard in Godalming. The locomotive was once the mainstay of the Old Kiln fleet during our early years, but is currently out of traffic undergoing a complete engine rebuild.

Hunslet of Leeds
HE.1944 "Stinker" Built in 1939 this locomotive worked at a steel rolling mill in Enfield. More recently the loco was used on the various railways in connection with the restoration of the Basingstoke Canal. After almost ten years in store the loco was moved via a private site to Tilford. This locomotive is now the oldest wrking example of this type.

Wickams of Ware, Herts.
Works Nos. 3031 and 2981. Originally built in 1941 as unmanned powered target trolleys for military use. They have now been converted into two very different locomotives.

"Liz" is a locomotive of conventional lines powered by a Petter single cylinder petrol engine. She see's very little service on the line as it is somewhat underpowered or most trains. However she is used regularly on a portable railway at local fetes and shows.

"Sue" is a rails type machine powered by a Reliant car engine and with four forward gears is capable of quite a turn of speed. She is occasionally used on quiet weekends and can carry up to four passengers for what can be an enlightening ride.

http://www.shepheard.plus.com/rlc/oklr/index.html