Even during the winter months, work continues at Whitehead. On the weekend of 19th and 20th of January 2008. the small band of volunteers were hard at work as ever, working on carriages, locomotives and the site.
 The
site department's trusty JCB turned 40 this January - AIJ 3035 was first
registered in January 1968. To celebrate his machine reaching this remarkable
age, site officer Dermot Mackie arranged for twenty tons of spoil to be
delivered to fill holes in the laneway leading into the site. After its
annual change of oil and filters, the JCB took the first bucketful of stone.
The site gang stand ready with their rakes and shovels to pack the stone
into the laneway.
Photo by M S Walsh |
 At
lunchtime a birthday cake was produced, complete with the JCB logo on top.
After posing with the machine, the Whitehead workforce got stuck into the
cake.Photo by M S Walsh |
 Apparently
the cake shop thought they were making a birthday cake for a 40 year old
JCB driver! Explanations that the cake was for a 40 year old JCB were initially
not believed! 2008 also marks the JCB's 30th year in RPSI service. It was
bought in 1978 after a successful film contract, and has been perhaps the
most active piece of RPSI "rolling stock" ever since.
Photo by M S Walsh |
 Our
smallest steam engine, 0-4-0ST "Guinness",
was also being worked on. Every year a working steam engine must be inspected
by an insurance company's qualified boiler inspector. He will check for
leaks and corrosion inside and outside the boiler, and will complete a
boiler certificate, stating that the boiler is safe to use for another
year. Before the boiler inspector can see inside the boiler, however, a
year's worth of mud and scale must be washed out from its innards. Seemingly
enjoying this unpleasant task are James and Adam. The red staining on the
ground is in fact dissolved clay and mud washed out from the boiler.
Photo by M S Walsh |
 The
washout plugs were removed to allow water to flush out the salts and solids
left behind after water has been boiled to make steam. Here the water is
flowing out cleanly from the back of the firebox, indicating that most
of the mud has been removed.
Photo by M S Walsh |
 James
peers into the boiler barrel through a washout hole to see it any build
up of mud has been missed, using a lighted rag on the end of a wire. This
allows much better illumination of the enclosed spaces than any modern
torch.
Photo by M S Walsh |
 In
the workshop, overhaul work continues on 2-6-0 No.461.
The locomotive is now back on its wheels and has had its refurbished coupling
rods refitted. Here Gordon applys corrosion inhibitors to the rods so that
they won't rust after being cleaned up with emery paper.
Photo by C P Friel |
 461
was found to have a rather badly deteriorated firebox, so a large part
of it has been replaced. As well as a new backhead, throatplate and sides,
the inner firebox is having its bottom half completely replaced. Here a
new bottom section is being set up in a jig to be welded to the undamaged
tubeplate.
Photo by C P Friel |
 New
safety regulations mean that our train must have central door locking.
Here dining car No.547 is having electromagnetic locks trial fitted. When
complete, all doors in the train will be locked before departure by the
guard from a remote control panel.
Photo by M S Walsh |
 Back
in the workshop, overhaul work on CDRJC 2-6-4T No.5 "Drumboe"
is ongoing. The engine has been stripped back to the frames which now sit
on stands in the workshop. The pony truck and trailing bogie have already
been overhauled and can be seen to the left.
Photo by C P Friel |
 Two
new return cranks, made "in house" await fitting to the refurbished wheelsets.
Photo by C P Friel |
 One
of Drumboe's wheelsets is having its crankpins machined in this horizontal
boring machine. The wheelset is secured down in a jig made especially for
machining crankpins.
Photo by C P Friel |
 In
the carriage shed, the youth project to restore GNR(I) brake van No.81
is continuing. Watch the photonews pages for further updates on the RPSI's
way to encourage the youth of today to become involved with Railway Preservation.
Photo by C P Friel |
