- 22 hours ago
Francis Bourgeois and Chris Harris: We Saved A Train - Season 1 - Episode 04: The Missing Wheel
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00:02When you're spotting, you can't do it without hot tea.
00:05No.
00:06Ooh!
00:07Do you want one?
00:08I think we could probably share that one.
00:10I don't usually get the ones these big, really.
00:14I used to have a python that could distend his jaw and eat like that.
00:19You had a python?
00:20I was a keen herpetologist.
00:22Ooh, look.
00:23Ooh!
00:27Do you know what's hilarious?
00:30There are probably pork pies in this train.
00:35God, I'm cold.
00:47I'm Francis Bourgeois, and I love trains.
00:50Oh, my God!
00:51Oh, God, that's soot in my mouth.
00:53I've roped in my petrol head pal, Chris Harris, for an epic project.
00:58That's impressive.
00:59Rescuing a dilapidated locomotive.
01:01This isn't a quick fix.
01:03No shit, Sherlock.
01:04Look at the size of it.
01:05Francis hooked me with engineering.
01:07That is the coolest speedometer ever fitted to a machine.
01:10Look at that.
01:11Then blew me away with weapons-grade enthusiasm.
01:15Nice one, Danny.
01:18And I'm all in for a restoration race against time.
01:22She just rolls beautifully.
01:24Yeah, seven tons.
01:25We've just six months to fix this loco to replace her failing sister.
01:30We have to get this locomotive ready for when she needs to come off.
01:33It's a race against time.
01:36Yeah!
01:37This is British industry!
01:39My dream is to see her back on the railway.
01:42Feel like an infant reattaching to its mother's teat.
01:45Mine...
01:46I can live vicariously through you.
01:48...is to witness that moment.
01:52Brilliant.
01:53Absolutely brilliant.
02:07Today, the project to restore 37025 hangs in the balance.
02:14Right.
02:15So, the wheelset that has caused this hiccup is in here.
02:20And we should see, hopefully, the damage.
02:25And much like our project, the damaged wheel hangs in the balance, too,
02:29in the South Devon work shed.
02:34It might actually just be something very slight,
02:37but it can end up being a bit catastrophic.
02:40Before I join Chris and the team in Scotland,
02:43I'm checking in with wheel specialist Nick.
02:45Morning.
02:46How are you?
02:47Good to see you again.
02:48And you?
02:48To discover the extent of the problem.
02:52Right, so this is the problem wheel pan.
02:55Is this the damage?
02:56That's the damage.
02:58Let me bring it right up so you can see it a bit better.
03:04The thing is, it looks so insignificant.
03:06Yes.
03:07Hidden by the tyre, it wouldn't be seen.
03:09But all of the weight of the loco is being transmitted through these wheel pans.
03:15So even though it's just a slight chink in the armour, this could end up being catastrophic.
03:19Very much so.
03:21Very much so.
03:22Nick fears that the gouge is just the visible part of a wider area of damage.
03:28The outside edge, you can just see a crack.
03:32If it was left, it could go into the wheel pan.
03:35And that was a big no-no in the railway world.
03:38What you're saying is this crack could propagate throughout the whole wheel pan?
03:42Yeah, yeah.
03:44If you get a crack that goes all the way across, you get the wheel starts to wobble.
03:47And then it only has to hit a set of points, and the wheel's in the wrong direction, and you
03:52have your catastrophe.
03:54The MPI will reveal more background information you can't see by naked eye.
04:00What does MPI stand for?
04:02Magnetic Partial Inspection.
04:04Small iron filings in a fluid.
04:08First, Nick adds a spot of white paint, then sprays on some iron filings in a liquid solution.
04:15Applying a magnetic field through the metal wheel, the tiny black filings cling on to any defects in the surface.
04:23Oh, I can see it.
04:25Yeah.
04:25Just coming along the top there.
04:27Yeah, yeah. You see, there we have a crack.
04:29Heading into the wheel pan.
04:30Yeah.
04:31Now we go round the other side.
04:33Well, you see it right away underneath.
04:35That's a crack.
04:36Yeah.
04:37Means we can't use this, right?
04:39We recommend you don't use it.
04:40OK.
04:41So it's...
04:42We're going to need a new wheel pan.
04:45Yes.
04:46Unfortunately.
04:47But another wheel pan coming down doesn't guarantee it's going to fit that axle.
04:51So even if we've put it on a lorry, we don't know until we get here?
04:56We don't know until it comes apart.
04:58With no guarantees that a new wheel will actually fit our axle,
05:02I'm also worried about the added costs of moving heavy pieces of metal from Scotland to Devon.
05:09I'm hearing money.
05:11Yes.
05:11And coins.
05:12And slightly worried about our sort of financial situation.
05:16Also causing a knock-on effect time-wise.
05:18This is going to be another probably upwards of ten grand now, isn't it?
05:24Oh, yes.
05:24It probably is.
05:29Hello.
05:30Guy speaking.
05:31Hi, Guy.
05:31Francis here.
05:32How's it going?
05:33It's time to break the bad news to Guy back at the workshop in Bowness.
05:39It's basically being suggested that it should be scrapped.
05:42Yeah, got it, yeah.
05:43Got it, yeah.
05:44Not good.
05:45At the end of the day, we're going to have to send another set of wheels down
05:49and we'll try and organise something as quickly as possible.
05:52OK.
05:52Thanks, Francis.
05:53See you, bye.
05:55We weren't expecting this to be easy.
06:00With something like this happening, it's actually bringing me closer to
06:06the jeopardy of the project.
06:08I don't want Guy to associate this negative situation with me
06:14and my involvement.
06:18So I need to rekindle some of that positive energy.
06:34The team in Bowness move fast.
06:38They select a replacement wheelset from the yard
06:41and send it off on its long journey to Devon.
06:48I wasn't really expecting this.
06:50I expected to come back full of joy,
06:52bouncing around like Tigger, saying how great it's going to be.
06:54Yeah.
06:55I didn't expect you to say it was going to cost £10,000 extra.
06:57For that little tiny ding.
07:00It sort of stops things.
07:01Moments like these are just part and parcel of railway restoration.
07:06There were going to be setbacks, weren't there?
07:07Yeah.
07:08That's not to say that we can't continue and try and make headway in other areas.
07:12Let's seize the day.
07:13I'll get a sweet treat en route.
07:15I'll catch you at the depot.
07:17All right.
07:18What am I in charge of?
07:19Haggis buns.
07:27These Doc Martins, I keep on tripping up.
07:31Oh, I've got a tap shop here.
07:33Look at these.
07:34I have some of them.
07:35Hello.
07:36Good morning.
07:36Good morning.
07:38Oh, it smells lovely in here.
07:42Hello.
07:42Hello.
07:43Ham and cheese toastie, please.
07:46Do you have any pork pies?
07:47Yes.
07:48I'm going fruit loaf, please.
07:52And gingerbread man, please.
07:54Gingerbread man.
08:06The ground is bloody freezing.
08:09Come on.
08:11Get your rags on.
08:13It's really cold.
08:15Why do you have such a heavy insole?
08:18Because I have collapsed arches.
08:20Oh, do you?
08:20Yeah.
08:20If I don't give myself the right arch support, then my knees go like that, and then my hips go
08:26like that, and then it messes up your back.
08:28So that saves everything?
08:30Technically.
08:31Despite the ongoing delays, we're still hopeful that we can make ourselves useful to the volunteers at the depot.
08:38Morning, gents.
08:39Howdy, Guy.
08:40Howdy, Guy.
08:40We're just doing insoles at the moment, Guy.
08:42Excellent.
08:43Well, I would hold your horses.
08:45What's up?
08:46Because we've got no wheels at the moment, we've effectively got nothing for you to do it.
08:49So, we are somewhat stuck at this moment in time.
08:53So, yeah, sorry about that.
08:57In which case, cup of tea.
09:00And on that bombshell, there's no better place to chew the fat than in our surrogate home, the Bothy.
09:09The wheelset has a dependency that's causing a whole backup.
09:14Okay.
09:15And...
09:16So, in gastric terms, we're sort of...
09:18We're constipated.
09:20Yeah.
09:20I thought you might say that.
09:27I have to say, and I say this with a massive grin on my face, he did an interesting colour.
09:33Well, I mean, I feel like that's a relatively well done gingerbread.
09:38It looks like Mr Blobby's been lying in the sun too long.
09:42That's not a button either, that man.
09:47Look, you clag...
09:48It's not our tool.
09:50You can't do that.
09:52Come on.
09:53How's he supposed to walk around now?
09:56Despite being absolutely delicious, the gingerbread man struggles to keep our money worries at bay.
10:03The only solution is to throw more of their money and their labour at the problem.
10:07Doesn't seem entirely fair.
10:11Like all organisations dedicated to the preservation of railway history,
10:17Bowness is a charity, so funding can be challenging.
10:22We could potentially accommodate some kind of fundraising function.
10:27Okay. Good.
10:28Yeah.
10:29And actually sitting here talking about it, we're wasting time.
10:32Come on, and get this moving.
10:33We're here to make money.
10:50Really, this is a bit of a treasure trove.
10:52It is.
10:53Francis and I have taken it upon ourselves to raise money
10:56to cover the costs of transporting a new wheelset to Devon.
11:01And it seems that revenue sources are lying all about us.
11:06Is that not the solution to all of our problems?
11:08Francis?
11:10Francis?
11:11Yeah?
11:11Aren't these very valuable?
11:12Yes, these are the name plates.
11:14Would be a good, probably four grand, five grand.
11:17Each?
11:18Each.
11:19And that gives Francis and me an idea, which is going to require Guy's approval.
11:26Chris and I have realised that there may be an opportunity for kind of raising money
11:32in potentially auctioning off items of relevance to 025.
11:38Say, for example, the old name plates.
11:41So the plan is you will sell our crown jewels on our behalf?
11:47And, of course, all revenue going back to the locomotive.
11:51Bit awkward.
11:51OK.
11:53Just slightly.
11:54This is like a sort of slightly oily dragon's den.
11:57And right now, three dragons are out.
12:00You've got one left in the room.
12:02What's your next move?
12:03I'm going to leverage nostalgia.
12:05Yes, good.
12:06Do you remember back in the day when you might have someone who would go door-to-door collecting scrap?
12:11Yes.
12:12Usually on a bicycle.
12:14I don't know where I'm going with this, Chris.
12:16Also, how much scrap can you get on a bicycle?
12:18Let's have a look at it and then see if we think there's got some value on it.
12:22He has just let you off the hook.
12:24He's given you a lovely out.
12:25Take it.
12:25Don't say another word.
12:26Take it.
12:27Take the out.
12:27Let's go.
12:28Clearly I did.
12:29I'm not sure Guy's convinced.
12:33Nor am I with Francis' next choice of revenue stream.
12:37I'm not Del Boy, but I'm not seeing vast amount of value in a second-hand light bulb.
12:42Definitely not.
12:43No, but picture this.
12:44Someone has bought a light bulb that has been in the headcode box of 025 and they light their bedroom
12:50with it.
12:51For a month or so.
12:53Yes.
12:54Also, what happens if you've got screw fit, not bayonet fit in your bedroom?
12:58Well, it would just be specified in the listing.
13:02I didn't think it would come to this.
13:04Right.
13:04We were trying to flog second-hand light bulb.
13:06It just says we're getting a bit desperate.
13:09Fluff.
13:10We're going to sell fluff now.
13:12That's your holy grail.
13:14I know exactly what we need.
13:16That's what you want.
13:18It's not a poisonous snake.
13:20Come on.
13:21So, this here.
13:22Chop it up into bits.
13:24Key rings.
13:25Yes.
13:26What they're called is flame cuts.
13:28Are they?
13:29Yeah.
13:29So maybe £5 a pop.
13:31You can get loads out of that.
13:33Wouldn't people really pay that much for a bit of rusty metal?
13:35Yeah, just put it on your key ring.
13:37Sand down the edges.
13:38I like that more than light bulbs.
13:40Okay.
13:42These old seats might do well in an auction.
13:44We'll have those.
13:45They're called a unit, isn't it?
13:46Right, I've got it.
13:47I've got it.
13:48Remember this.
13:49And Guy thinks Francis' fascinating list of Class 37s is valuable too.
13:55And like a dog with a bone.
13:57And I will, even though it was poo-pooed massively, the bulbs, if that's okay.
14:04We're still going with a light bulb moment then, aren't we?
14:05Okay.
14:06Yes.
14:06Okay.
14:07We do still need a nameplate for the real thing.
14:11But yes.
14:13Sounds like a plan.
14:14Okay.
14:15With all our valuable items collected, it's time to contact the auction house.
14:21Hello.
14:22Hi.
14:23Francis.
14:23With three annual auctions and up to 1,500 bidders a time, Simon Turner's GW Railwayana is the biggest railway
14:33memorabilia auction site in the world.
14:35We have flame cuts from 37025's kind of body side.
14:43These aren't in the best condition, but I wondered what your thoughts are.
14:47It's just...
14:49A piece of metal.
14:51It's just blue.
14:52It's not really going to set the world alight with the collectors, unfortunately.
14:56Okay.
14:58We have the driver's seat.
15:02Yeah.
15:03Yeah.
15:03I mean, we've sold one or two.
15:05I would say some of around about 200.
15:07Do you want to demonstrate the dust?
15:09No.
15:10No.
15:10There's a lot of DNA in these, which probably needs to stay in them, I think.
15:15Yeah.
15:15200 each.
15:17Not bad.
15:18But surely this will go for thousands.
15:22Good sign, but if you flick it over, that's what a lot of other collectors look for.
15:27We want to see that it's actually been carried on a logo, so it's really important that that
15:33corrosion stays on there, because that gives it a lot of prominence.
15:37Okay.
15:38I would say it's going to be anywhere between 1,500 to 2,000 plus, maybe.
15:44Three to four grand for the pair is a bit less than we'd hoped.
15:48But we've got more up our sleeve.
15:51So, this is something I've created myself.
15:56Not too...
15:57Yeah.
15:59Have you signed it?
16:01Erm...
16:02He will.
16:02He will do.
16:03That would probably help.
16:05He's signing it right now, actually.
16:07Now, this is a man who's got three and a half million followers on Instagram.
16:12I mean, this...
16:13Two and a half.
16:14Sorry, two and a half mil...
16:16Soon will be three million followers on Instagram.
16:18I mean, this must be worth thousands of pounds.
16:21Bit of a curveball for me, but...
16:23Give it a go.
16:25I'm sure Simon's response to my light bulb will be glowing.
16:30Was it from Woolworths?
16:32No.
16:33It's the thought that someone can light up their room with 37025's bulb.
16:40It's a 60 watt.
16:41It's not those...
16:42You know when you used to go to the cupboard and get the 40 watt out, and you couldn't see...
16:46And you'd always end up weighing on the carpet.
16:48It's not...
16:48It's a 60 watt.
16:50It's gonna be your...
16:50This is gonna be your new niche.
16:52Sadly, on that one, I don't think that's going to be a warm and fuzzy item.
16:56Right.
16:56Erm...
16:56Well, thank you, Simon.
16:58Yes, maybe one for you to market, I think.
17:00Thank you very much, Simon.
17:01Yes.
17:02Brilliant.
17:03Take care.
17:03Have a good day.
17:03See you, guys.
17:04Bye-bye.
17:05I feel a bit disheartened.
17:07Yeah.
17:08You wanted the signs.
17:09Nothing else.
17:10Time for a tot-up.
17:13You love your whiteboard sessions, don't you?
17:15Yes.
17:15Have you got these all around your flat?
17:17I do.
17:17I have my to-do list board.
17:19Do you?
17:20And it's just a reminder of how domestically incompetent I am.
17:25Cut toenails.
17:26Eat.
17:26Put laundry into the washing machine.
17:29So, Simon estimated the nameplates to be £1,500 to £2,000 each.
17:36That's well below what you told me these things were worth.
17:40What we're going to make at auction doesn't look as if it's going to make that £10,000 target.
17:45Time for some creative thinking.
17:48Look, we have to look to our strengths here.
17:50Got to use our resources.
17:52Set up an OnlyFans account and have you wearing different garments holding the plates.
17:58Budgie smugglers.
18:00You'd make £20,000.
18:03Are you suggesting that as a prop?
18:05I think it would work.
18:06Can you imagine you, soft lit but oiled up?
18:09I'm seeing you really oiled up.
18:11I have Transport for London budgie smugglers.
18:14Do you?
18:15I once ran into the sea in Florida wearing said budgie smugglers.
18:24Bloody hell.
18:26A good opportunity to show my holiday photos.
18:29But I'm not really keen on Chris's OnlyFans idea.
18:32And there is another problem to factor in which might cost us yet more money.
18:38There's one thing that I forgot to mention, Chris.
18:41Yeah?
18:42Of course, if we're selling the nameplates, we need to make new ones.
18:45Oh, yeah.
18:46That's fancy, isn't it?
18:58Good night, mate.
19:01Brown, please.
19:02Brown, sir.
19:03For me, thanks.
19:05We're in Yorkshire, preparing for a day at a local foundry, forging new nameplates for 025.
19:12How did you sleep, Chris?
19:14Not too bad.
19:15Tired yesterday, Francis.
19:16My toes were pointing out the end of the bed.
19:18You're long, aren't you?
19:19You're long.
19:20Yeah.
19:20Now, where would you go first with this?
19:23Well, you work your way around.
19:24Do you?
19:24Do you start at the 12 and go around?
19:27No.
19:27Well, I'd probably start with a bit of bacon.
19:30Would you?
19:31Yeah.
19:31What, is that because it's looking appetizing or because bacon isn't something to start with?
19:35Bacon.
19:36OK.
19:36Right.
19:36I'm going to follow your...
19:40Today, Chris and I will be assisting a true master of old school British engineering.
19:47The level ride of the Jaguar.
19:50Do you feel it?
19:51Yeah, yeah.
19:52Just gliding.
19:53The weight just compresses.
19:57What a way to travel.
19:59Grace, pace and space.
20:07Right.
20:09Here we are.
20:11Good to see you again.
20:13Since the privatization of the railways in the 1990s, Procast have been the main foundry
20:19casting nameplates for vintage and modern British locomotives.
20:24Foundry master Jim's technology is straight out of the 19th century.
20:30How pure does it have to be?
20:31We will be using aluminium for our nameplate.
20:34Although, for some locomotives, it's historically accurate to use harder metals.
20:38Feel that?
20:40Especially if...
20:40That's brass, is that?
20:42Good lord.
20:43Feel that.
20:43It's about three times heavier than aluminium.
20:46But this brass is...
20:47Ooh!
20:48Okay.
20:49This brass is used for the southern region's steam locomotive nameplates.
20:53The southern stuff's gunmetal.
20:55Oh, it's gunmetal?
20:55Yeah.
20:56Let me just get you a gunmetal.
20:57He's done you there.
20:59He has done me.
21:00That's superior knowledge.
21:01I don't often see that, but he did you kindly.
21:05He didn't go, oh, it's gunmetal.
21:07He went, oh, that's gunmetal.
21:08Which he's now going to produce.
21:09Watch this.
21:10That's gunmetal.
21:11Again, only slightly heavier than brass.
21:14Bloody hell.
21:15Let's see.
21:17Crikey.
21:18I'd say this is about going back to my gym days.
21:23That's...
21:24My elbow's locked.
21:26It's locked.
21:27Ah!
21:29Going back to my gym days.
21:32With my elbow unlocked, thankfully, we start the pattern-forming process in Jim's storeroom.
21:39I recognise that's Royal Highland Fusilier.
21:42Yeah.
21:44Nothing beats a picture with a nameplate.
21:48It's all about composition.
21:51And timing.
21:56Jim's nameplates are the stuff of legends.
21:59Francis, what's that?
22:00And there's one that I'd like to show Chris.
22:03Dick Mabbott.
22:06Well, that's the place.
22:07Chief Electrical Engineer at Brush Traction.
22:11Instrumental in the Class 73-9 conversion programme.
22:16Well, that's on the side of a train?
22:17Yep.
22:18Dick Mabbott.
22:19It's speechless.
22:22It's speechless.
22:23V-E-R-N.
22:25First task?
22:26Putting together the words Inverness TMD that will be the basis of our mould.
22:32I use these pins on my model railway.
22:35Yeah.
22:35They're good, aren't they?
22:37Gimp pins.
22:39Is this whole show just a wind-up?
22:43Do you know, we filmed something last week and he turned around to me with a straight face and he
22:46said there's not enough flesh on that flange.
22:49Maybe a smidgen over.
22:51Like that.
22:52Perfect.
22:55I'd say that's pretty spot on.
22:57Yes.
22:58Looks good.
22:59Downstairs we'll get it moulded up.
23:00Right.
23:00Let's go.
23:01Chopped a good one.
23:02With a perfect pattern ready to go.
23:04Get a good covering on it.
23:05So it covers all the letters.
23:07Right.
23:08It's time to play with sand and create the mould.
23:11Come on, put your back into it.
23:13Look at that grip.
23:14You've got the grip of a panther.
23:15Oh, God.
23:16Sorry, can we do it for you?
23:18I'll hold it.
23:19You can do some of that shimmy.
23:20Come on.
23:20He's got a strong old grip, this lad, isn't he, old gentleman?
23:22I know.
23:23Look at his hands.
23:24He's a monster.
23:25I mean, look at those things.
23:28But my hands really come into their own when they're used for the sand scattering.
23:34You'd better jostle.
23:34Go on.
23:36Don't be frightened of it.
23:37All right.
23:38It looks like the hand off the monsters.
23:41That's it.
23:43So we'll plug that into the airline and just see.
23:44Looks like a prosthetic limb.
23:46To compact the sand, something a little more mechanical.
24:01It looks like you're milking a really aggressive male cow.
24:05Milking a male cow?
24:07Work that one out.
24:10Compacting the sand firmly ensures that the mould takes on every detail of the pattern.
24:18I mean, your posture's interesting.
24:20I hope it's back-breaking, that does.
24:23We've successfully created one half of the mould.
24:27What, the hips interplay?
24:29We've not seen the hips yet.
24:30No.
24:31So it's the same again to create the second half of the mould sandwich.
24:36And our pattern is the filling in the middle.
24:39So this is where the metal's going in.
24:43Oh.
24:43Bravo.
24:45Look at that.
24:47Then on its side, twist it.
24:49Now, to see if our pattern has been successfully compressed into the sand.
24:54Oh.
24:56Wow.
24:58That is beautiful.
25:00It's ready.
25:01Mm.
25:03Time to melt the aluminium.
25:06Am I right in thinking this aluminium's come from booths in Rotherham?
25:10Yeah.
25:10Yeah, booths in Rotherham.
25:11If you remember in Derby, the cab outside, that was scrapped at Rotherham Booths.
25:18There could be a little bit of that locomotive that we're going to be melting down and creating our nameplate
25:24with.
25:25Yeah.
25:25But it's like, there's railway DNA in the metal that we're using.
25:28I like the sound of that.
25:29So then, let's fire it up.
25:32Yeah.
25:32Let's get warm.
25:34And with a flick of a switch, Gandalf Jim heats up his cauldron to 800 degrees centigrade.
25:41Oh, ho, ho, ho.
25:42Oh, yeah.
25:43You can really feel that in your chest now.
25:50This is British industry.
25:56After 30 minutes of wizardry, the aluminium has liquefied.
26:01Wow.
26:01Fantastic.
26:02It's Macbeth, isn't it?
26:04Sweet.
26:05You can hold it a bit further back if you want.
26:06And because I'm the sensible one, I help Jim pour it into our mould.
26:11You ready?
26:11Yep.
26:14That's fabulous.
26:17Yep.
26:17Oh, the smell.
26:19Railway's all about smells, aren't they?
26:20It's a sweeter smell.
26:21Dare I say it?
26:23Marshmallow-y?
26:24Yeah.
26:25In the time it takes to drink a brew, the molten aluminium is all set.
26:29Tip it forward.
26:31Here we go.
26:32Do we have a nameplate?
26:34That is fabulous.
26:36Isn't that great?
26:38We'll leave Jim to make a second plate so that both sides of 025 are adorned.
26:44The total cost?
26:46£1,000.
26:48Let's hope we can get a lot more for the originals at the auction.
26:52We're all in there.
26:53After a quick selfie for the team at Bowness, it's time for me to bid my farewells.
26:59Boys, I've got to go. I've got to get an aeroplane.
27:02Thank you so much.
27:03Really, really enjoyed that.
27:05I do like it.
27:13While we've been pouring molten metal, the wheelset that will provide a replacement for our broken wheel
27:19has arrived in Devon from Bowness.
27:24Overseeing the replacement is this man, Tony.
27:29He may be an expert, but even he can't guarantee our replacement wheel will fit on our axle.
27:38Tony, how's it going?
27:40Hello, Francis. How are you doing?
27:40Good to see you again.
27:41Good to see you as well.
27:42Right, so this is our Saviour wheel set.
27:45Yes, it's the donor wheel that we've got for your other axle.
27:48Fingers crossed, yeah.
27:50Once we have this wheel off, we can then assess whether it can actually fit onto the axle that we
27:58have already.
27:59And if that isn't a match, I really, really don't want to be the one who tells Guy.
28:07The first task is to apply some pressure.
28:13Now, Francis, we're going to take the plug out and we're going to inject oil into it to help float
28:18the wheel off.
28:18Right.
28:19I've always wondered what that is.
28:21Yeah.
28:21I've asked people before, they haven't really had a clear answer before.
28:25So there is a channel on the inside of the wheel, which is like a groove.
28:31It goes all the way around the inside.
28:32And that fills with oil and acts like a cushion to it.
28:35Then it's like it should slide the wheel off.
28:38The wheel grips the axle thanks to an extremely tight interference fit.
28:43To get the wheel off, high pressure oil flows to the interface between the wheel and the axle and forces
28:50expansion until the grip is loosened.
28:53That goes up to 50,000 PSI.
28:5550,000 PSI.
28:56Yeah.
28:57We've never gone up that high.
28:59But even so, 10,000...
29:01No, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near that if I...
29:04Yeah.
29:04But what we're going to do now is connect the foot pump.
29:07So off you go with your foot then.
29:09Go on then.
29:10Keep going.
29:12Oh, wow.
29:14And that'll do.
29:16So the oil pressure's in there now.
29:17The oil pressure's in there now.
29:19So we just want to have a look around here.
29:21I can't...
29:22Oh, yeah.
29:23Just coming out.
29:23See it coming out there?
29:25Yeah.
29:25That's good.
29:26Fingers crossed we should get that off pretty clean.
29:28The bubbles confirm that the oil pressure inside the hub is holding and expanding the metal.
29:34A good sign.
29:37That axle and wheel have been married for over 60 years.
29:41So it's going to take more than just a bit of oil to separate them.
29:47To help the divorce, the wheel is attached to a massive ram that will push the axle through and release
29:53the wheel.
29:55There used to be a loud bang with this.
29:57Normally because they've been on there so long they've actually just rusted in position and you're breaking the rust away.
30:01Oh, right.
30:02Okay.
30:02So if there's no bang, it's good.
30:05Okay.
30:07And if there is a bang it isn't good?
30:09It could be or it couldn't be.
30:10That's the thing.
30:12It could be or it couldn't be.
30:13Okay.
30:15Let's go then.
30:16Try and get it up between 20 and 30.
30:19That'll do.
30:20So what we'll do now then is we'll bring a ram out to the wheel.
30:24Okay.
30:24Let's do it.
30:26Hey, we'll just keep an eye on the pressure.
30:29I'll keep the emergency stop.
30:35It's not moving yet, is it?
30:37Just when it looks like it's not coming off.
30:40Here we go.
30:40It's gone.
30:41Really?
30:41Yeah.
30:42The wheel starts sliding over the axle.
30:46So I'll go faster.
30:46You watch it.
30:48That's done.
30:49That took nothing to get it off.
30:50Hey.
30:51Yeah.
30:52Fab.
30:53Wow.
30:53That's that.
30:54Done.
30:55And on the wave of success from the wheel removal, an exciting nugget of news from the
31:00model railway world.
31:02Acura scale have just announced they're doing class 73-9 locomotives.
31:07Okay.
31:08I'm not sure which ones they're doing, but that should include dick my butt.
31:13Dick my butt?
31:14You're not saying butt, are you?
31:16No, I am.
31:17You are.
31:17Dick my butt.
31:18No.
31:19They didn't call the train that.
31:21Is it?
31:21Oh, no.
31:26The replacement wheel may look good.
31:29That's the axle.
31:30But it's only going to help us get out of this situation if it will fit our axle.
31:36Go on.
31:37Look.
31:39Just doing some...
31:41Go on.
31:41He's praying to the wall.
31:43He's praying, isn't he?
31:44Yeah, yeah.
31:44Sadly, the railway gods won't decide this.
31:47Yeah.
31:47Okay.
31:48But what will is a bore micrometer, a measuring tool accurate to a thousandth of an inch.
31:56That's about it there.
31:57So, 7.754.
31:59Just keep a note of that.
32:01If the diameter is too narrow to fit on the axle, it can be widened.
32:06But if it's too wide, it's all over.
32:12Okay.
32:17I can almost hear a pin drop.
32:19Right.
32:21We have got a 7.62.
32:23Okay.
32:24So...
32:24Go on then.
32:26That's a difference of seven fail.
32:28Yeah.
32:28We're in the money.
32:29We're in.
32:29We're done.
32:30We can put the wheel back on.
32:33Yeah.
32:33We can get it on.
32:34That's good.
32:35Really good.
32:37Time to share the good news with the team.
32:40It looks like we're going to have a golden wheel set heading back up to Bowness.
32:45Excellent.
32:47Chris.
32:48And Mr Harris, who's racing Porsches in Kenya.
32:52Yes!
32:53Every cloud has a silver lining.
32:55Okay.
32:55Keep me updated.
32:56Send my love to the crew and tell them that Kenya is awesome.
32:59We're P11 overnight, four seconds behind P10.
33:03Our aim was to compete top ten with Ferdy on his first full rally.
33:07He's driving like a demon.
33:08Oh, well done.
33:09Well done.
33:10I'll speak to you on when I get back, alright?
33:12Right.
33:12Take care, brother.
33:12Cheers, boss.
33:13Cheers.
33:14I'm probably closer to this locomotive than I have ever felt with any other mechanical thing.
33:21It's making my desire to make this work even stronger.
33:26Yeah, I really want this to happen.
33:40Ah!
33:41Chris!
33:43How are you?
33:44Good.
33:44Good to see you.
33:45Welcome back to sunny old Bowness.
33:48Yeah, I'm glad to be back, actually.
33:49Got a lot to catch up on.
33:51Fill me in.
33:52The wheel set is done.
33:54It's on its way.
33:55Is it?
33:56It should be arriving tomorrow.
33:57Nameplate.
33:58That's where I left you.
34:00Ta-da.
34:01There she is.
34:02Just like Mr. Simon said, the back shows its provenance.
34:08Yeah.
34:08Whilst you've been gone, I've been thinking about fundraising.
34:11Yeah.
34:12Actually, do something that interacts more with the local community.
34:16Remember the bakery?
34:17I think maybe we could get a special Class 37 fundraising biscuit in their shop window.
34:25Sorry, just stop there.
34:25You're going to earn £10,000 out of a biscuit?
34:28Well, no, but it will be a component of the fundraising.
34:31OK.
34:32So, I'm probably going to try and activate that today.
34:35Just testing the water a bit.
34:37I'm liking your language.
34:38It's very...
34:38That is very apprentice.
34:40Activate.
34:41Hmm.
34:44A gingerbread train could be an option.
34:47Hello again.
34:48Good job.
34:49Indeed.
34:49But I have my eye on a biscuit that mirrors the sturdy qualities of a Class 37.
34:55After sampling one of your gingerbread men...
34:58Yes.
34:59Don't want to be too forward, but I have a proposal, if you will.
35:02All right.
35:02Perhaps we could do a collaboration where we do fundraising biscuits.
35:07Perfect.
35:08Yeah.
35:08Great for the town.
35:09Yeah.
35:10With maybe even a resemblance of 37025.
35:14All right.
35:14Yeah, yeah.
35:14We'd be up for that, yep.
35:16Great.
35:16I suppose it would be good to try an Empire biscuit, just to see if that could be a good
35:21basis for the biscuit fundraiser.
35:23For the biscuit, uh-huh.
35:24Indeed.
35:24That would be fine.
35:26I'll get you a nice big one.
35:27Oh, a nice big one, yes.
35:29Who does the biscuit making here?
35:32Cairn.
35:33And that has our mobile phone number.
35:35So, you'll get a contact with her.
35:37Right, well, take care.
35:38Lovely to see you again.
35:39Thank you for the biscuit.
35:41Okay.
35:42Cheerio.
35:42Bye-bye.
35:43Bye, everyone.
35:44Bye.
35:45Bye.
35:46Everyone here seems to know about the railway and seems to enjoy the railway, so I think
35:51it's nice to have a fundraiser railway-related biscuit in the local butcher slash baker.
36:02Time to put the plan into action.
36:06Why have we come to an estate for biscuits?
36:10I don't understand at all.
36:11Come on, you can still make biscuits in your kitchen.
36:13Yeah, but biscuits for ten people.
36:15We're making more than that, aren't we?
36:18Hello.
36:19Hello.
36:19Ken runs a bakery business from her home.
36:22Come on in.
36:23That's a tremendous doggy.
36:24It's a big dog, yes.
36:25With her help, we're going to test drive a few ideas.
36:29Let's make some biscuits.
36:32Something's so naughty about doing such big quantities of stuff.
36:35How often did you get to lob an entire pat of butter or something?
36:38I like this.
36:39With industrial quantities for biscuit-making ingredients.
36:43That's beautiful.
36:45Perfect.
36:45Mixing begins.
36:47Look at that.
36:48And Francis dazzles with his repartee.
36:52The Class 37 is known for making beautiful noises.
36:56So would there be a biscuit that might have a particular crunch that you would say is beautiful?
37:02He's picking it up now.
37:05I think biscuits are quite quiet.
37:07Quiet?
37:08Yay.
37:13Just give it a wee wiggle.
37:15With our dough rolled, we can start cutting our biscuits.
37:20The resourceful can provides a loco-style cookie cutter.
37:25We'll get these in the oven and then we'll ace them.
37:28Coffee?
37:28Ah, tea, please.
37:30Tea, fab.
37:30And in the twitch of a dog's whisker, they're baked and cooled.
37:35Great.
37:36Let's get some icing done.
37:37Time to get creative.
37:38Time to get creative.
37:40I'm tapping into a mental state of total calm.
37:45That looks good.
37:48It just looks like two stick-macks.
37:50It doesn't look like the British Royal logo at all.
37:52I've got this in colours.
37:55Right then.
37:57Fabulous.
37:57So imagine you're at the platform at Bowness Station.
38:02Uh-huh.
38:02It's like I'm there.
38:04And in the spirit of an empire biscuit, jam in the middle.
38:09That looks awesome.
38:10Can I do the honours?
38:11Yes, you can.
38:13Yes, you can.
38:18Tasting notes.
38:19To use a railway term.
38:20Uh-huh.
38:21That was proper thrash.
38:23Okay.
38:24Is that good?
38:25Yeah.
38:25High fives.
38:28High fives.
38:28Well done guys.
38:29With our test run complete, the plan is for Cairn to produce 100 a week for sale in the
38:35butcher slash baker shop and other Bowness outlets.
38:39At £2.50 each, that should bring in a handsome amount for the fun.
38:51It's a new day, and something special has pulled up around the corner from our B&B.
38:57Here we are.
38:59Look at that.
39:01There you go.
39:02New metal.
39:02New metal.
39:03Doesn't look like one and a half tons, does it?
39:06Oh.
39:08The wheel set from Devon is finally repaired, and the driver has kindly agreed to give us
39:14a lift to the yard.
39:16I really admire this.
39:18Look how nice this strapping work is.
39:20And the strap has a twist to it, so it doesn't flap.
39:25Yeah.
39:25Very, very good strapping.
39:27Really nicely done.
39:27Very good.
39:28Hiya.
39:29Driver Kev's strapping isn't the only impressive aspect of his truck.
39:34Mallard.
39:35Potentially a reflection of how speedy the transportation processes can be with your company.
39:40Possibly.
39:41Possibly, yeah.
39:42Now, I've spotted a problem here.
39:45He's only got one passenger seat.
39:48Right.
39:49He's sat on his knee.
39:51We can't do that.
39:52We can't do that.
39:53But I really want to go in this.
39:54It's a Volvo.
39:55It's got an amazing automatic gearbox.
39:57They're so smooth, these things.
39:58I'd love to have a go.
40:00Please.
40:02While Francis goes and gawps at the other side, me and the biscuits make ourselves at home.
40:08Kev keeps a clean truck in here.
40:11So you have a black five on one side and Mallard on the other.
40:14Really?
40:14Yeah, yeah.
40:14This is made for you, wasn't it?
40:16I can appreciate it from the exterior.
40:18Yeah.
40:18And you have tartan curtains.
40:20It's obviously...
40:22Kettle.
40:23Very good.
40:23It's like being in a train.
40:25Right, well...
40:26Obviously, it's lovely in here.
40:27I'll see you at the depot then, I suppose.
40:29Yeah.
40:34As Kev and I wend our way to the yard, we're left wondering how Francis is going to get there.
40:40There's a train guy.
40:42There he is at the sea.
40:44He's running there, mate.
40:45I don't quite know what he's doing, but...
40:50I know this doesn't look very normal, but...
40:52He's committed, is what he is.
40:54He's committed.
40:55This is a lovely truck.
41:02Look at the suspension on this chair.
41:05Lovely.
41:06Oh, joyous.
41:08The gear change is butter-smooth, aren't they?
41:12Lovely.
41:13It's such a refined engine as well.
41:17Can we get you a taxi?
41:19It's all right.
41:21See, what I told you, it is not normal.
41:23Oh, no.
41:23It's two degrees and he's running by the side of you wearing Dr Martens and corduroy trousers.
41:28That's authentic.
41:31It's been an interesting few months for me.
41:33Can you understand that?
41:34Yeah, I can see that, yeah.
41:35Yeah.
41:37A mile and a half later, we're at the workshop and Guy and the team are here to greet us.
41:44Good to see you.
41:44Well done, you made it.
41:46This is special.
41:47We have the treasured wheel set.
41:48Yeah, well done, guys.
41:51You know, this has been a kind of critical part to us getting this wheel back for us.
41:55Yeah, yeah.
41:55It has somewhat held us up.
41:58Is it always this complicated?
41:59Does it always go this wrong?
42:01Unfortunately, yes.
42:02You don't know where the problem's going to be, but you know this ain't going to be plain sailing.
42:06Now this is the domino that we can now knock to proceed with the dominoes.
42:12I like it.
42:14One and a half tonnes, that.
42:16That's a Mark V Golf GTI.
42:18I've just realised, I think they're going to plunk it on the railhead.
42:23Yep.
42:23The plan is to lay the wheels on the rails.
42:27That is awesome, isn't it?
42:28Is that not...
42:28Look at the accuracy.
42:30And it's up to us to push them into the yard.
42:34Except Francis isn't dressed for the occasion.
42:38Now that is premium Missoni that I'm not looking to get dirty.
42:44Ready?
42:45From Devon to Bowness.
42:47Look at this.
42:48See, look, once you overcome the...
42:50Do you feel how lacking in friction that is?
42:52Yeah.
42:52Contact surface is about the size of a 5p.
42:56It's getting a bit cruddy now, isn't it?
42:58Chris's attire isn't up to this either.
43:00Not on the Air Max.
43:02Yeah, my coat's covering it now as well.
43:05It doesn't matter.
43:06We have got the problem wheels into the yard.
43:11That's a triumph.
43:12Shake my hand.
43:13I didn't think it would actually happen.
43:15No.
43:16Yep.
43:17Well, let's go inside.
43:18We're making progress.
43:21Go back to our surrogate home.
43:22How much do you love the bossy in here?
43:23You love it, don't you?
43:24I love the bossy.
43:25Let's go in there.
43:26I've got a slightly drippy nose.
43:27Let's go.
43:28Let's go.
43:29Let's go.
43:40Let's go.
43:45Let's go.
43:48Let's go.
43:50Hey!
43:54We're going to go.
43:55Let's go.
43:56You
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