Internal Fire Museum of Power

there is still something at rampisham, lots of aerials etc but not quite sure what it is, thats probably either the Greyhound, right next to the clock or the George just over the road

World Service I think

P

You are right about the Greyhound I rememeber now you have said it. I seem to also remember the clock going off all night. I just wondereed if Rampisham was still working after our efforts 30 yrs ago. Not been to Bridport since. I remember the towers always to seem to be in the clouds.
Cheers
Ewan

It landed yesterday. Apart from the greaser internals, for which I have spares, it is all there. I have the broken bits of the Calibrater bracket. It will need a regrind and new big end. I've already sorted the Calibrater, sprayer, and head. The starter tube seats were badly eroded and needed machining. It took longer to re-tram the universal table than to do the job.
The bodgery of the governor key may be tricky to resolve, I suspect its last user also had trouble with the flywheel key and the sides of the keyway had been hammered to keep the key in! However there is no evidence of fretting. Initial tests of the dynamo suggest it will be OK though I'm not looking forward to lifing the armature onto the lathe for skimming.
Interesting to see that the driving eccentric for the Calibrater is machined into the flywheel boss rather than being separate.

Pics here:
http://www.petternut.co.uk/VS6_207023b.jpg
http://www.petternut.co.uk/VS6_207023c.jpg
http://www.petternut.co.uk/VS6_207023d.jpg
http://www.petternut.co.uk/VS6_207023a.jpg

regards
Roland

Well you certainly dont hang about Roland. You are lucky that governor key didnt crack the boss the way its been hammered in.
Very nice and will no doubt sound nice when its done
Best of luck with skimming the comm.

Mark

Looks nice -I want one
p.s dont forget to undercut the micas if you skim the comm.
ttfn
Ewan

Ewan
Thanks for the reminder I have several chisel and hook tools made from hacksaw blades but I loathe the job. I will be skimming the comm. and replacing the brushes. As so often the set has been run near to death.

cheers
Roland

Thought I'd share this in case its useful to others. I welded a new head to the mutilated key. As usual it just tore the key. Drilled the key through and then, because I find pullers prone to cause damage, I used the the drag and drop technique.
I bored and counterbored a length of bar whose diameter was less than the keyway depth on the crank. Slipped over the stud and then a nut within the counterbore. The whole assembly was repeatedly lifted and dropped onto a thick concrete slab. I've done it this way for years and never done any damage apart from to my back. The inertia of the governor/flywheel and the main bearing do most of the work. Care is needed if the main has an external flange and I don't commend this technique with spoked flywheels.

The interior of the engine is painted yellow so I suspect the set had a post WW2 rebuild. It has however been horribly bodged since!
The Calibrater bracket is irrepairable and the pump bracket is both broken and badly brazed. Fortunately I was gifted just these parts about ten years ago. Thanks Mike R

The governor was mis-assembled, as usual, but came apart with no problems.

Next I shall dismantle the dynamo so its all indoors before the post-24/5 interregnum.

ttfn
Roland

The dynamo came apart today and seems in good condition. The main casing has been home for Dormice and the exhaust pot for another family. The rotor is heavy and was obviously designed to just fit a Colchester Student. Its now skimmed. Bearings and shafts are sound.
I was surprised to discover that the dynamo is compound wound so the set was presumably designed for direct lighting.
Pics here: http://www.petternut.co.uk/VS6_207023e.jpg
and here: http://www.petternut.co.uk/VS6_207023f.jpg
The winding bundles have lost some of their binding but I suspect leaving them alone is the safest option?

regards
Roland

That is a fair old lump in the lathe! What's the purpose in skimming the armature? Is it for electrical connectivity?

Chris

Essentially yes. It had worn into two curves and unevenly.
When I reassemble I shall re-bed the brushes with sand-paper.

cheers
Roland

Roland,
How do you know specifically they were Dormice??

E

The majority of the Hazel nuts had a neat hole about 1/4" OD. Larger rodents and squirrels make larger and or untidier holes.

cheers
Roland

Correct! Full marks.
E

I diddunt no it wor a test....