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At eight o'clock No.186 was raising
steam in Lisburn yard. James is seen here cleaning off the last of the
dirt before the day's journey.
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As the railway from Bleach Green -
Larne has been relaid recently, the opportunity was taken to check clearances
between RPSI coaches and every platform on the route. Here No.186 and her
train coast into Whitehead (NIR) Station.
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Once the train stopped, a NIR civil
engineer checked the clearances between the platform edge and the train's
footboards. Here his assistant positions the measuring square.
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186 steams along the North Antrim
coast between Whitehead and Downshire stations. The coaches were looking
particularly well after going through the carriage wash at York Road that
morning.
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Meanwhile work went on in the workshop
at Whitehead. Some of the parts for the 114 year old 6 wheeled coach, No.
62M, have been painted with an under coat.
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These are the coach's axleboxes. The
bearings have been overhauled and they await refitting to 62M's chassis.
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No.461's front axle was in the wheelathe
having its journals polished. Brian is keeping a close eye on the process.
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No.461's ashpan was being overhauled
prior to refitting to the locomotive's boiler.
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The workshop sometimes does contract
jobs to cover some of its costs. A pair of gates have been constructed
for a customer...
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...the pair of drop bolts that go
into the ground to hold the gates in position were being made. Part of
this involved creating a taper on two steel bars like this one.
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The first part of the process involved
heating the end of the bar. It is heated with a gas torch over a bed of
coke which retains more of the heat, meaning a smaller flame can be used
to save fuel.
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Next Peter used the huge Blacksmith's
Hammer, operated by Brian, to shape the bar. This process involved a cycle
of heating then shaping then more heating.
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After many cycles, the tapered ends
of the two bars were complete.
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Out in the Yard a shunt was taking
place in preperation for 186 and the carriges returning to Whitehead. This
view shows the position of some of the items inside the site gates. From
left to right - No.3
"Guinness" in the carriage shed, a Mark 2 coach awaiting restoration,
No.3
"R H Smyth" under the heavy lifting legs, No.102
"Falcon" coupled to spares coach 4112.
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Meanwhile, work is continuing on the
society's preserved carriages. Members were removing various parts from
spares coach 4112 for use on some of the other carriges currently under
restoration. From left to right - Eddie, Gordon and Dennis.
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One of NIR's Tamper units was based
in our yard during the Larne Line Relay, and was waiting to be handed back
to NIR.
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Looking towards Belfast from the carriage
shed, GNR(I) brake coach No.114 can be seen. This coach has been
out of use for some time. James, one of the shunters, is checking the points
are in the correct position for the next shunting movement.
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Home at last! No.186 arrives back
to the Yard with the five Mk2 carriges after a successful session of gauging
runs.
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Within a couple of hours all was safely
locked away, and the RPSI's stay in Lisburn was over.
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