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A 5305LA working party had an Away Day to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway at Haworth on Saturday to repair 30777 Sir Lamiel. This repair was necessary because of the failure of the engine at Cononley with a bent reversing rod whilst hauling the KWVR 40th Anniversary Gala "beer train" from Keighley to Blea Moor on the 28th June.
The bent reversing rod had already been straightened by an engineering firm in Birmingham and returned to Haworth. A new and much chunkier bracket in which the reverser sits had been machined at Loughborough. This was to replace the one that broke when the reversing rod bent It had already been ascertained that there was no damage whatsoever to the valves and valve gear in the incident and so the working party could immediately get on with the work of cleaning the valve heads and rings and replacing the valves. Good progress was made and the valve replacement and putting up of the valve gear was completed in good time. The new bracket was fitted and the reversing rod lifted up and placed in position. It was found that a little more machining was needed on the bracket and so that was returned to Loughborough for finishing. 
Newly made bracket on the bench at Loughborough prior to the working party at Haworth.
One further trip to Haworth in the next few days will see the job completed, including the fitting of a new copper delivery pipe to replace the one bent by coming into contact with the reversing rod during the incident at Cononley. This pipe is already at Loughborough and will be shaped in the next couple of days.
Sir Lamiel should be ready by next weekend and is expected to move to Carnforth to take up its booked work on the Kingfisher Dalesman trains from Hellifield to Carlisle.
By Info | Monday, July 14, 2008 | Tags : 30777