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New safety systems operational on No.4
TPWS (Train Protection and Warning System) is now a mandatory requirement following recent government safety legislation. Put very simply, it is designed to prevent trains running past red signals.
The
older Automatic Warning System, which the TPWS supplements, had the
disadvantage that the driver could acknowledge a caution signal and
then simply proceed on past the following red signal.
The TPWS
system prevents a driver accidentally passing a red signal - he now has
to make deliberate adjustments to his controls to do so.
On Easter Monday, No.4 ran for the first time with the TPWS operational.
Thanks to all those who have responded to our appeal to pay for this and other new safety systems. |
One
difference between Great Britain and Ireland is that steam
locomotives in Ireland were never fitted with AWS, while on BR the AWS system was in widespread use from the 1950s onwards.
The AWS/TPWS equipment on No.4 has been constructed from scratch, based on the arrangement applied to the NIR
GM locos, so our drivers are already
familiar with the system.
Apart from compliance with the legislation, the
object is to increase the operating speed for No.4 and it is hoped that
this can now be progressed.
Here
driver Noel Playfair holds the brake application handle. In the
background various pieces of new equipment may be seen - the yellow AWS
acknowledge button, the roof mounted combined speedometer, TPWS and AWS
displays, the strobe which supplements the AWS warning horn, and
various conduits.
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As No.4 is a tank locomotive, and
as such capable of running in reverse at line speed, the displays and
controls for the safety systems have been duplicated on the bunker
front.
Mark McClements, electrical and electronic
engineer, seems happy with his installation work on the locomotive, as
Gary Moore prepares for departure to Central.
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At Central station
the locomotive ran round its train and then departed for Whitehead. At
each yellow signal the driver acknowledged a warning hoot from the AWS,
while at each green signal a reassuring ping would reinforce the visual
confirmation that the road ahead was clear. The TPWS equipment was
vigilant for overspeeding and running past red signals.
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No.85 lifted from wheels
Another
milestone was reached on Tuesday 6th April, when No.85 "Merlin" was
lifted off its wheels using the gantry cranes. This is to allow a
thorough investigation and repair of the wheelsets and frames before
reassembly of the locomotive can commence. |
| No.4 was still warm
from the day before so was used for the shunt. Here Adam shunts the
locomotive towards the rolling frames of No.85, which has had the cab,
boiler, rods and much else removed for inspection and overhaul. |
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| The frames were brought to the heavy lift gantries, from where our photographer took this spectacular shot. |
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| The heavy lift
gantries are a great asset. Many other preservation groups would have
to hire in road cranes for work such as this. Here they have lifted the
frames inch by inch off the wheelsets. All three GNR 4-4-0s tend to
hide just how enormous their driving wheels are until lifted from them,
here No.85's 6'7" diameter driving wheels tower over the leading bogie.
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| The crank
axle on the driving wheels can clearly be seen in this shot. A good
deal of degreasing and cleaning is required before an in depth
examination of the condition of these components can be made! |
 | | As
the evening drew on the shunting crew became glad of the longer spring
evenings. Here Nathan guides No.85's frames, mounted on works bogies,
away from the heavy lift area. In the background, Ben keeps a careful
eye on proceedings. |
 | And
now a mystery our website visitors may be able to solve for us - these
critters were found happily living in No.4's water tanks during a
recent sieve cleaning duty. They live in tubes that seem to be built out of bits of rust and weed - but what are they?
The
creatures (we reckon they aren't insects) were rehomed to a less
precarious location where they were unlikely to be propelled into a
boiler by jets of steam! |
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None of these things would happen without
the hard work of a small number of volunteers. You have seen the
achievements of volunteer machinists, fitters, painters and helpers; volunteer drivers, firemen
and shunters; volunteer steam raisers.
All dedicated amateurs who nonetheless
succeed in running - an efficient, safe, professional
operation, while having a lot of fun along the way!
Whatever your interests,
talents, abilities or qualifications, you could make a big difference and
Be
a part of something special!
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on the RPSI logo (above) to go to the RPSI Homepage
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