The End of The Line

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dougrail
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The End of The Line

Post by dougrail » Tue Jan 31, 2017 12:14 pm

So the time has come.

It focuses around a little engine that was picked up at the tail end of the queue, in Leicester, at STIA in Feb 2015. As you know she was rebuilt, lined and upgraded, becoming named "Lady of The Lake". After Elsecar and a cylinder failure, she received a front-end rebuild - new cylinders, new extended bufferbeam, tank tops drilled for rather exquisite tanktop doors and a brass chimney cap.

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These were the "final works photos" taken, as always in tradition before an engine is shipped on.

Just prior to these, I visited Butterley last Wednesday for a midweek session as it was my rest day off work. I was able to get 'LoTL' working and managed to get her running about. The video I took, as I had also done down the Severn Valley last autumn, were proof of running / working. This was her last steaming under my ownership - and my last steaming of a Mamod / Janet.



Having now being proven a runner, she was afterwards tweaked - the cylinder port faces were lapped until mirror smooth using the old 'Swordbreaker standard' of four grades of sandpaper on a glass surface, each time the surfaces being wiped to remove any carbonisation, and also being rubbed against paper to pick up any remaining grit/carbon.  The gas burner frame-bracers were also loosened slightly and the chassis found to roll better.

With that, she was put up for sale. Less than 24hours later a buyer stepped forward and the deal was signed Friday morning. Delivery was agreed to done in person to minimise time, save costs and ensure security as well as allow the buyer to scrutinise her personally before making final payment.

With this agreed, it was time for an afternoon's trip out....back to Leicester of all places. A small world that - the little red engine I'd bought was at STIA 2015 and only a week under two years later, she was being taken back to Leicester to go to a new home.

So the engine was duly delivered to "The Parcel Yard" pub - former goods and transfer shed of Leicester station. Somewhat appropriate, given.

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The engine was looked over and approved, with payment being made and received over our phones, with a drink to celebrate.
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With the deal done and monies paid over, the last of the old 'Dougstar Works' engine was moved on with no more to do save to dispose of the remaining of the spare parts. After six and a half years, there are now zero Mamods / oscillators on the books. The end of what has been an interesting experience, with a good number of friends having been made - a trip with its disappointments and frustrations, but also with its triumphs and pleasures.

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He looked about that cold misty January afternoon, all about him in the rundown, mossgrown yard. Ahead stood the small running shed, steaming yard and to the side, the old carriage shed in a woebegone state. No more would they hear the hiss of steam or the rattling of antique carriage stock bravely being moved on yet another hire engagement.

The late 1950s had been a turbulent time - the announcement of the closure of the Works, his appointment as the Executor, the scaling down of the old company's operations and the few surprises such as the whole old engine plus a raft of spare parts useable found in the back of the foreshed - apparently "it had been in the queue" and was indeed a leqal acquisition of the Works - so duty had demanded that, as Executor, that he steer the old Works to finish the engine and dispose of the assets to the best of its remaining ability.

The demolition of the old main Workshop itself had been a blow but for the few remaining staff, the 'Lady of the Lake's rebirth had, bravely been conducted in the rundown foreshed.  It had been a subdued occasion when she had trundled out of it in her smart new livery and had ran up and down the overgrown yard, steam rising into the grimy air of the Black Country backstreets. Cheers had mingled with wistful smiles as she pottered back and forth over the rusted rails with the realisation that it was the end of an era and that they were now in the closing act.


A few weeks later the last legacy of the Dougstar Works had found a buyer - a small narrow gauge sewage pump and general contractor railway owned by the council in Leicestershire had come forward. Agreement had been made, and the documents had been signed in a small public house while the engine had sat outside on the old low loader, which in turn had attracted the attention of a small crowd stood outside the pub.But now it was over after so many years. When they had exited the pub, the low loader had turned right to deliver the little locomotive and its tender to the new railway further into Leicester and the Executor had taken his car, driven leftward back towards the West Midlands to perform the late rites of the old 'Dougstar Works'.

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photo credit: Dan Quine

The shed doors on the Dougstar Works had closed now, for good and all. The Executor walked, alone down the yard having bade farewell to the last two employees of the operations earlier that afternoon.

He walked away from the rickety old sheds, run down and almost begging to be demolished out of their misery. The rails - rusted, loose and held in places only by the carpet of moss and long grass would see no more wheels upon them.  Soon these last worn sheds would be demolished, the rails lifted and the land cleared - what was it the council had said? For new houses to be built - new homes to fuel the booming economy of the coming 1960s, he had been told. This small industrial niche in the old heartlands would become subsumed into a larger patchwork of housing estates and homebuilding, without a trace of recognition behind.

He came to the gate on the south side of the yard and carefully padlocked it. With that final turn of the key, he closed the door on the Dougstar Works and thus closed the old firm for good, watching it pass away into nothing more but a memory.

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Post by Big Jim » Tue Jan 31, 2017 1:53 pm

Nice looking engine and a very nice, if slightly emotional write up.

Whats the next plan then Doug?
If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer!

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dougrail
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Post by dougrail » Tue Jan 31, 2017 2:19 pm

Thanks Jim. I've decided to go for a nice little Roundhouse from new for my "small engine" roster. The proceeds from the sale of no.10, my spare and junk parts sales and a refund from a cancelled event will be financing it.

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