[SEL] good day !!

[Jim French]

Hi All
Well this morning bright and early me and Dolly drove over to the
internal fire museum run by Paul and Hazel Evans about a 200 mile run
each way but what a day!!
The drive through the Welsh country side and down the coastline to the
museum in full sun and blue sky was truly beautiful
Only about two weeks ago me and Arnie spent the day with Paul and I was
looking forward to see the engines (Hazel and Paul also)
On arrival we met Hazel, and see Paul in front of the museum unloading
two road rollers off a truck. With this done,  Dolly and Hazel went off
to work on an embroidery project and Paul began to run engines . The
amount of work that has been completed in just 18 months is trully mind
boggling,when you start looking around at the concrete engine plinths
the pipework for compressed air, fuel and cooling in TWO display
buildings and all the safety rails all done with the help of just a
couple of helpers who are very committed. To watch Paul go through the
different procedures for each engine, about ten ranging from starting
handles to baring big flywheels over into starting position for air
starts and man handling a 6'6'' flywheel up to speed and dropping the
decompression for an impressive start of the "baby" Ruston. As the day
flew past and people arrived we got to see Paul re start engines for
various parties
Once when talking to Hazel I could hear the Bellis and Morcambe running
and thought it had been shut down  I went into the engine area and see
Paul at the "run wheel " nursing the engine at an incredibly slow speed
showing some people the control of it!!
If anyone is lucky enough to get to the UK (Wales) or is reading this
here in the UK I would strongly recommend a visit to the museum.  I
can't wait to get back there and take Andy, my brother, to see it all
(good an excuse as any!).  I'd like to get involved on a practical side
too, but for the moment all I've been able to do is loan a speed
indicator which Paul thought would go better with one of the engines on
display than be an extra dust collecter here at home!!
Great day.

Jim
--
Jim French
fbi at insulate.co.uk
http://www.insulate.co.uk