ABOUT ME

I live in a camper van with a West Highland Terrier for company.
My passion is creating images but it is a work in progress.
I am always willing to share what knowledge I have and can be contacted through the comments on this post or e-mail ADRIAN
ALL IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WITH A LEFT CLICK

Saturday 30 March 2013

THE GOOD AND THE BAD. (30/03/13)

I’ll start with the bad. On Thursday there was a terrible fire in the L’all Ratty Workshop. It is destroyed. They had as far as I can gather two or three locos in the building. The River Esk and the River Irt where pulled to safety. All their machinery is, I suspect, beyond redemption. The boilers for the two narrow gauge locomotives were already away for a rebuild. The boiler ancillaries are buried in the roof collapse.

_V0G6005_edited-1  I hope it is insured. This is the third fire in as many years so should they have another I doubt it will be.

The good news is that they are running a full service as you can see from the carpark.

More good news………………………………………..

_V0G6004_edited-1  My axles are back….all sparkling bright and with no droopy bits. Wish I could say the same for myself! We are fitting them on Wednesday and I should be away to Darlington for a full service and a new throttle cable and a bit of exhaust pipe on Friday.

I am looking forward to moving on but not looking forward to shifting these buggers into the chassis. I’ve organised Gordon and just hope he turns up with a couple of big bottle jacks and a tub of grease. I will have new wheel bearings, I hope, but there is a language problem round here. Great folk for doing and making do they are. Near enough is good enough…..not……visa versa!

This is a bit of a gloomy post so I’ll leave you with this……………

_V0G5995_edited-1       And remember Jesus had it a whole lot worse.

Eat chocolate tomorrow or pray the choice is yours. I will be messing with a tripod head for a perfect spherical stitch.

Have fun. I’m away to the pub.

28 comments:

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  2. Great news re the axles......are you sure you will remember how to drive after all this time ?.... thats a cracking photo too.


    peter

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    1. Cheers Peter it's not hard to forget what one never knew.

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  4. I hope they are not as bad as Lincolnshire folk - always willing to give a hand but they never say which year they will turn up.

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    1. John, much the same I suspect but he was round Friday to fit them. I'm too old to be raunching with these. I did say that a trolley jack isn't the best way and to get a pair of hydraulic bottle jacks. Like in Lincolnshire they knows best. You knows.

      They are fitters but tend towards relying on fitness. I'll supervise....No worries unless the truck drops on him.

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  5. That's such a shame about the fire.

    Have a fine Easter, Adrian. Chocolate for sure. ;)

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    1. It is Hilary.
      No Chocolate for me....one of the few bad habits I don't have.

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  6. GB and I had a close encounter with a railway enthusiast when we were up north, he will possibly post about it soon. I can imagaine the gloom of those involved with those lovely engines. Happy Easter to you, Adrian and happy axle fitting, too.

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    1. Pauline, so i see. You had a grand loco to admire.

      I'm dreading doing the axles. It about crippled me helping unload them.

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  7. Happy Easter to You Adrian.
    The axles look very substantial ...like they could work for a tank. It amazes me that you take these off and on and you're not in a shop.

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    1. Red. as long as we get a hydraulic jack or two it should be manageable.

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  8. Three fires in three years sounds either suspicious or bad safety or both? Sorry for those who have to start over. My dad was a railway enthusiast so I know something about how much energy they usually put into it...

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    1. Yes Monica.....it doesn't look good but i have heard nothing untoward.
      I think the main damage was to fixtures and fittings on the two locomotives that were undergoing boiler repairs.

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  9. Them axles look heavy and awkward hope fitting them goes smoothly

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    1. Douglas, they do and they are. It will not go smoothly. Things rarely do if I have anything to do with it.

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  10. Who did it, a bright spark I think, lol. Good for you, the new axles has arrived, about time. Have a happy easter with your tripod and everything.

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    1. A very bright spark Bob.

      Yes we should be rolling along soon.

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  11. On the basis that what comes off must go back on.....but I'm glad it's not me doing it. It's a few years since I spent serious time under a car.

    Loved the daffodils and your Glad Game: yes JC had it a whole lot worse.

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    1. Graham, gravity was on our side taking off. I seem to have spent a few hours under the van this year...and last year thinking back.

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  12. I'm so sorry for the fire, hope they can get everything straightened out. Hey, that's a beautiful card!

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    1. They will get it sorted Maria. Glad you like the card.

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  13. Good luck with the rebuild Adrian.

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