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Bulleid converted ‘westcountry’ Braunton heads the English Riviera to Kingswear tomorrow (Sat’ 17th of May)! Crossing Dawlish sea wall (On ‘You Tube’) just before Mid day (give or take 10 mins or so for pathing? I was amazed how many Bulleids were saved from scrapping! All the Merchant navy ones (35s) were converted, Plus a lot of the lighter (34s) West-country, Fighter squadrons sorts would come back to my Exmth jct shed minus their streamlining and with Walshaert valve gear that needed oiling! We called it ‘underneaths’ back in the day! Late fifties and i would walk hot clinker of the main pits to climb up out the pits to wheel level and then up in under the converted ones to unscrew and remove the corks, Fill with hot oil, Displace oil with my finger so corks went back no pressure plus a couple of threaded turns? Corks good, And firm! Every thing around you is spinning fast when over 100 mile n hour back to Salisbury / London! And i mentioned before that the drivers side (left) big end be at 10 past twelve if engine drive wheel were a clock face! You can climb over the axle counter balances easier so not too close to the boiler for room! That’s all M Navy’s, and likes of Taw, Eddystone, Frederick Pile, loads of them? You couldn’t expect the driver to do it! We cleaners / fireman would starch our overalls? Some other engines were more difficult to oil underneath’s, with inner rods like a mincing machine!
