Due to the inevitable summer holidays, visits to steam galas, a need for skills elsewhere on the railway and of course our own open day, this latest engineering report may seem shorter than previous ones. However progress is progress and every piece of work done on Urie S15 499 moves her forward to the day when 499 steams again… a day that Will happen!
But before we list the work undertaken lets take a moment to talk about the latest member of the Urie Society rolling stock.
We were ecstatic to hear that our bid was successful and ownership of the Lowmac is to be transferred to the Urie Society.
Earlier in the year, the Science Museum Group issued a list of items to be released from the NRM national collection. Lots of smaller items up for grabs but the list included two vehicles, one of which held significance to the ULS. 1921 Eastleigh-built Lowmac machine carrying wagon No. DS563024 was deemed no longer required in the collection. So, built in the same works as 499 and 506, whilst R W Urie was still in post, we had to submit a bid!
After much waiting, as is tradition with this kind of thing, we were ecstatic to hear that our bid was successful and ownership of the Lowmac is to be transferred to the Urie Society.
Lowmacs were constructed for the movement of all types of machinery, both in the works and around the country. Our intention is to preserve DS563024 and use it for its intended purpose. So watch out for some interesting loads being moved around the railway, However its first duty will be to carry 499’s front bogie once finished!
And now onto the aforementioned engineering works. The following has been undertaken since our last report:
- Bogie compensating beams – methodology identified for true’ing up the spring hanger holes
- Underplates for front bogie spring hangers fettled
- Front bogie buckle bearers refitted
- Replacement section of bogie top plate on rear tender chassis section fettled and primed
- Patch needle-gunning and primer applied to areas of rear tender chassis
- Planning discussion for copper repair prep’n to firebox
- Front bogie pivot plate removed for access
- Start made to ream the rivet holes for the front bogie cross stretcher outer brackets.
The society is charitable organisation based at the Mid-Hants Railway, Watercress Line running between Alton and Alresford and relies on the work of volunteers and membership support to finance our restorations.