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m1ke_a | all galleries >> Galleries >> BLUEBELL RAILWAY, Sussex, England > 92 Squadron 34081. First run, Oct 2007 Giants of Steam
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21-OCT-2007

92 Squadron 34081. First run, Oct 2007 Giants of Steam

I'd hoped for a nice photogenic plume of steam in the freezing air. Unfortunately she was having problems. Please see John and Ian's comments below.


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Kingsley Harris 06-May-2016 21:20
I was on the plate that day and it was a cover problem
Very like an old Lodon smog but warmer
Kingsley Harris
92 Squadron
Jon Elphick 26-Oct-2007 09:46
As 92 Squadron’s fireman on the Saturday morning I can confirm that we were indeed having steaming problems. On that first trip up the line steam was leaking so badly that I could hardly see where we were going and was unable to assist the driver in sighting signals and keeping a lookout – luckily the view was far better from his side of the cab! After our second return trip to Kingscote there was an hour or so’s layover before we were due to double-head the 2.25pm departure with Wadebridge so we set about cleaning the fire, which appeared to be badly clinkered. In the course of trying to loosen the clinker with the dart we managed to break one of the elements of the rocking grate; the broken pieces fell through the hopper into the pit. It is enormously to the credit of our workshop staff, led by the experienced and resourceful Colin Turner, that a replacement grate element was installed – without dropping the fire! – so quickly and only one trip was missed. The engine took its place at the head of the 4.55pm service and Wadebridge was brought out to double-head, thereby giving photographers the opportunity to see the two unrebuilts together which they would otherwise have missed.
George 25-Oct-2007 09:38
Some really good photos you have here.

I'm a volenteer (TTI) at the North Norfolk Railway were 92 is based and i think its been leaking steam for while though not like that.
blissy 23-Oct-2007 22:22
looks more like the hogwarts express with that much steam....

Could I boldly suggest a stepladder next time in this location to get just an ickle bit more background landscape. great shots, really enjoy them, expecially the mono piston crank arms.
Ian Bowskill 22-Oct-2007 16:24
Hi,
Not boiler problems as such but a firebar did break which didn't help her steam raising capabilities on Saturday but that was soon replaced. The excessive steam you see in this pic is down to a suspected leaking r/h cylinder cover.
Rgds
Ian
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