Extract from the Rugby MES Newsletter.
The month started with the trial steaming of locomotive ‘Mount Kilimanjaro’, which is on loan to us by owners PNP Railways – the makers of various plastic products for miniature railways such as the rail clips for our track and vacuum cylinders for our coach brakes. The video of this is on our website but here is what Edward has to say:
It was a lovely sunny day and the first steam trials for the East African Railways 59 Class Garratt No.5928 “Mount Kilimanjaro” that is staying with us. This marks the completion of the major works that were carried out in order for the boiler to pass its hydraulic and steam tests. The engine has been completed almost exactly as it was last running, and came with some ‘health issues’! We knew about these before we agreed to have “MK” on loan at RMES, and we knew we’d have some work to do, which will take us a little time, it’s nothing we can’t handle with the club's skills, and will be a very interesting trip into the science of steam locomotives. Today’s steaming was all about finding out what the performance of the engine was as it arrived, setting a benchmark, and from that, we can build. The ‘health issues’ were very evident and we had some issues with steaming, as we had already predicted, but we know now what we need to do.
I couldn’t have completed the work on my own and the help of the engineering department has been invaluable. I don’t make a habit of naming names in case I miss anyone out, but you know who you are!”
Many thanks to Rugby MES for the update and images.