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Jonathan was in again on Saturday recovering carriage plug and lead covers, from the out of use carriages on carriage siding one, adjacent to the carriage & wagon workshop.

On Sunday i was joined by Jonathan, Len, Clive and John we all had a brew before deciding what was going to be the order of the day.
Jonathan and Len went off to The Trackside and BBS to do the usual checks on the fire alarm call points, everything worked satisfactory and their findings were recorded in the log books.

Len then answered our workshop phone a took a request from the bobby to visit Townsend Fold signal box and investigate an electrical problem. Jonathan and Len caught the next train up to Rawtenstall and then walked back to Townsend Fold signal box to investigate the problem, it turned out to be a fault on the electric kettle which was causing a circuit breaker in the consumer unit to trip out when the kettle was switched on.
The offending kettle was removed to be replaced by a spare kettle from our stock, this was wrapped up in corrugated paper to give it some protection, it was then given to the guard on the next train up to Rawtenstall for him to gently throw it out of the guards van for the bobby at Townsend Fold to collect.

The rest of us carried on with "The Witches Cauldron" project, for the Halloween event, John had during the week a bright idea of using a twelve volt DC car radiator fan for the updraught we need for the cauldron. He managed to obtain two different fans from a friend who has a breakers yard, when we tried them on the bench the ribbons blew up great, but when the strongest one was placed inside the cauldron the aerodynamics must be altered as it does not give the same updraught when tested on the bench.
Much head scratching was going on and various modifications were tried with not much success.
Clive had brought some brass bayonet light fittings to go inside the cauldron to try to give a flame effect by using coloured lights, we wired them up to be fitted later, once we have mastered producing enough updraught to lift the ribbons in the air.

Jonathan and Len returned from their visit to Townsend Fold, then we all had lunch outside our workshop in the lovely bright sunshine.

It was then back to the cauldron project for some more experimentation.

Later on John and myself stripped years of paint off the carriage plug covers which Jonathan had removed on Saturday, these will be painted black later.
The workshop was then swept up and the workbench brushed down, before we had a final brew and left for home.

Next week John and myself will be on the Thomas train at BBS, for The Day out with Thomas weekend.

[quote="asbibby"]

when we tried them on the bench the ribbons blew up great, but when the strongest one was placed inside the cauldron the aerodynamics must be altered as it does not give the same updraught when tested on the bench.
Much head scratching was going on and various modifications were tried with not much success.


Suggest making holes in the bottom of the cauldron to replace the air blown out of the top - should work I think (hope!).

Hi Richard, We already have made a hole in the bottom of the cauldron, approx. eight inches in diameter, Clive is experimenting at this moment with a 24v DC fan, more to follow, will it be ready for Halloween night, we hope so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It appears that when the fans which normally operate vertically and are then placed in the cauldron they are then in a horizontal position and it effects the aerodynamics of the fan and the fan blades.

Alan

Have you tried using silk as the material? It's much lighter than most others.

XTMike wrote:Alan

Have you tried using silk as the material? It's much lighter than most others.

Yes Mike, we are using a silk material which is very light, Clive is experimenting at home with various other techniques, i will keep you posted on the developments.

P.S. John and myself will be helping out on Sunday as per usual.