Getting Stuck in to the Ruston Saved from Scrap! - The Locomotive Diaries Episode 2

Hello everyone,
Today is the long awaited return to having a look at Ruston 393303 and this episode is sponsored by the Bristol & Somerset Locomotive Company - help make 2157 steam again by helping here: gofund.me/6191b1e4
For more information, check out their website here: www.bristolsomersetlococompan...
Or their Facebook here:
/ andrewbarclay2157
Or their Instagram here:
bristolsome...
So sit down and see Lawrie and the Team start to investigate further and find out just how bigger mistake he's made with trying to save a locomotive from scrap.
For more information on the home of 303, the Whitwell and Reepham Railway, check out their website here: whitwellstation.com/
Support the restoration here: www.justgiving.com/crowdfundi...
A video featuring:
Lawrie - Presenter, Proud scrap owner
Charles - Cameraman, Getting involved and dirty,
Tom - Cameraman, Enjoying being on the loco
Alfie - Competent fixer, Providing solutions.
An Edit by Lawrie
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lawriesmechanicalmarvels.com/
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[@Retirement_Life]

Lawrie, having worked on the various rolling stock in that yard for the past couple of years, I really must recommend that your team wear eye protection when using an air line or really, when there is any chance of flying particles! You on,y lose your eyesight once!

[@lmm]

Yes that's wise

[@MrDeeej86]

I saw a safety squint ;)

[@mechanicalmoron2251]

and a gard on that angle grinder student be using it like that. also get the 1mm slitting disks cut thrue things faster just dont twist them. in other news dont get disheartened by the engine you dont know the condition if it fully until you take the heads off and clean it up. i have had mutch worse running. shame i coundent see when the working days where overwise i could of helped you with it.@@lmm

[@mattponcini3037]

I’ve had the misfortune of having a chunk of rust fly into my eye and had to drive 2 hours to get to a medical centre to get it out. With a very scratched eyeball causing a lot of pain and needing eye drops to numb my eye for a few days, I can agree with wearing goggles or at the least, safety glasses working on anything. I’m not sure if you have them over in the UK but in Australia we have a brand of glasses called safety style, they look like regular sun glasses but are actually polarised safety glasses. They also make them in clear lenses too. I’ve been wearing them now for 2 years and it’s a subconscious thing to just put them on now whenever I get out of the truck for work. It’s saved my eyes many times since. Would recommend investing in a stylish pair to suit your style.

[@callsignapollo_]

​@@mattponcini3037100% agree with the safety-stylish glasses. Have had prescription shades with a foam gasket for years and were always the go-to for a sunny day, riding, or some grinding work. Convinced me to get a non-tinted pair for on the job, and while they may not be the coolest looking, nothing sexier than staying safe lol

[@ptonpc]

For morale reasons, if you take a bit off and it looks okay (No major repairs) clean it up and paint it as soon as you reasonably can. Even if it's spray undercoat and topcoat. Mark it so you know where it comes from then store it. When you get too disheartened, you can look at the list of bits that are 'ready' to go back on.

[@bentullett6068]

Love the intro to this series. Laughed at the part when it said it was saved by someone with a serious problem. 😂

[@SteamboatWilley]

"I'm making it worse!" Early stage restoration in a nutshell.

[@DaiElsan]

Lawrie, if you have space, a total ground up strip and rebuild. With that amount of water and rust on the internals, having the engine and gearbox out will give better access both for the frame and mechanical components.

[@lmm]

Stay tuned!

[@davidhughes211]

Great to see these machines having a 2nd life with younger lads, keep up the good work also great to sponsor the Bristol team👍

[@kymvalleygardensdesign5350]

Nice update on Rusty, Hmm, having worked on plenty of rust buckets it might be advisable to take the whole thing apart including the engine and gearbox so that you can get to the frames etc. The heads really need to come off so that you can see if the rings are stuck in the pistons.

[@lmm]

Stay tuned!

[@Agsotro]

Been working on a BR Class 03 (11103) for a month now myself after watching your first video on this, went and volunteered at Mangapps, I can attest it’s the most fun and also most physically demanding mechanic work I’ve done. We just got all the body panels finished and on the loco she runs and drives but needs some electrical and Cab internal TLC. Plus some paint! Can’t wait to see more of this little chug box, well worth the dono.

[@lmm]

Oh that's awesome! Glad you've got involved. Good set up at Mangapps

[@Agsotro]

@@lmm it’s been a pleasure so far. it’s the place I used to go to when I was a kid, it’s all very friendly and a seperate group of engineers are also working on a tank engine out back that I don’t know the class or name of. They got the boiler back on the frame last week and it’s going pretty well by the sounds of things.

[@johnathanedwards9054]

Speaking from experience here; if you want to free the valves up, you can take a brass mallet and tap on the side of the rockers with the valves. Doing so will help to break up the rust and make it easier to turn over later. Best of luck to you 😊😊😊

[@IliaChakarovGaming]

Absolutely love the Rusty Ruston Restoration project

[@guppybob]

Don't think I've ever clicked on a video so quickly; great to see progress. Cheers!

[@lmm]

Significantly more progress coming up in the next episodes

[@Tom-Lahaye]

That engine is really in a dire condition, we may hope that everything frees up and that critical surfaces are not too damaged by rust. It did look like this engine has a tunnel crank case, and is very substantial built for something delivering 48hp. Surely high torque at very low rpm.

[@otm646]

I've found electrolysis invaluable for these types of jobs. Your only limiting factor is how big of a tank you can find or make. I've done everything from little buttons to full on machine tools. Plus the process itself is all but free.

[@caramelldansen2204]

Interesting proposal!! 😊

[@otm646]

@@caramelldansen2204 They can literally fill the block, install an anode which is electrically isolated from the block itself and de-rust the entire internals of the engine. Some areas that are shadowed aren't going to be perfect, but you'll get the vast majority. You would have to fully degrease the engine first, they went the wrong way spraying oil but that's not impossible.

[@caramelldansen2204]

@@otm646 You sound almost like you've done it before!

[@ARandomEngineerMain]

I love watching this series i hope you can get it running again i live halfway across the globe in America but stuff like this makes me wanna go to the Uk

[@larx4074]

Amazing that the engine is such good condition after decades out in the wilderness..............

[@lmm]

Some bits are. Some are less... But you'll see

[@mcgherkinstudios]

Great to see an update on the Rustin’! It amazes me that you look at an engine in that condition and think ‘yeah, I can get that running!’… I’d look at an engine like that and think it fully beyond repair. More power to you, can’t wait to see this thing roar back into life.

[@lmm]

It'll go again!

[@peytonmac1131]

It's incredible how bad an engine can look, but you can still get it going again. Some TLC and patience, and it'll come back to life.

[@ElliottVeares]

About time for ep2....

[@notmuch_23]

Any way you cut it, that engine and transmission/gearbox will _need_ to be lifted out and completely torn down for service and restoration.

[@lmm]

Stay tuned!

[@VintageRenewed]

I definitely feel for you guys. You’re dealing with some of the same problems I had with my speeder. It was so rusted that nothing moved. Actually some of the bolts were so rusted that they fused to the aluminum bearing blocks. The bolt heads ended up braking off instead of freeing from the aluminum.

[@Ensign_Redshirt]

I've been looking forward to see the progress that has been made

[@stevesalvage1089]

Excellent, it would as expected after that time in the scrapyard, all going the right way , remove water ,fill oil , can't wait for next update !

[@lmm]

Lots happens next time

[@TheDaf95xf]

This is what preservation of old locomotives is all about 👍🏻 Pull it to bits and rebuild it as water will be in every crevice 😮

[@digbymodelrailway2929]

This is for the Ruston, can’t wait to hear her purr.

[@lmm]

Thank you very much

[@user-cn4rg2bs4p]

thanks Lawrie. glad you continuing to try and get her going again

[@lmm]

It'll be sound!

[@markpowell5654]

Just as a side note at all times please make sure all the people are using eye protection when working on or by the project as grit and sparks can go a good distance and a dust mask i also ware a bump cap as it saved me a couple of times from a headache,especially after we put the buffers on the Nielsen and getting out of the pit.

[@traumgeist]

Send the rusted bits out for an oxcelic acid dip. Might be cheaper to source a replacement engine. You will for sure need new pistons, since the aluminum has been acting as a sacrificial anode for the steel and iron.

[@wilkybarkid]

As Lawrie said "Im making it worse" i feel there will be alot of this before progress can trully be made. Take it apart down to the frames, and build up again

[@citricamoeba]

Can't wait to hear more about one of our favourite diesels! Well done Lawrie and team!

[@WISDOMDUCK69]

Yesss the ruston are back thank you so much

[@pennsyrailfan]

The first episode finally arrives! Good to see the hard work you've all been doing.

[@andybmodelrailways]

Great to get an update on the Ruston, looking forward to the next one.

[@derekp2674]

Thanks Lawrie and gang, I greatly enjoyed this episode. It certainly does look like 393303 will need a bit more than an oil and filter change before she runs again. I have just acquired two books about the history of Ruston locomotives. I'm sure there are a lot of Ruston enthusiasts out there who will be able to help one way or another. Today I also learned that April 13th 2024 will be a Diesel Day at the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. So the collection of heritage diesels there will be hauling some passenger trains that day. Normally, they are only used for engineering trains, so only staff and volunteers get to ride behind them.

[@lmm]

The diesel day was great last year. We went and filmed a couple of videos!

[@andyday4535]

I wouldn't recommend using a cutting disk without a shroud between myself and the disc. I know it's a long shot but if the disc bursts you could end up in a bit of trouble.

[@Ragnar8504]

Worst thing I've ever seen (by two people independently even) was a 230 mm disc on a 125 mm grinder. Yikes!

[@lmm]

Normally I won't use without a guard. However, couldn't get it in with it on.

[@Jettaheizer]

So what are you complaining about? Even it´s name says it, so it´s clear there´s Ruston every single part. (irony off) Great work so far, I hope it will come back to life one day!

[@lmm]

It'll run again!

[@Beaglington]

Fantastic work lads!

[@ethanruckert3871]

Just found your channel the quality on this is amazing I'm excited to keep watching the series

[@RustyInventions-wz6ir]

Very interesting. Nice video

[@lewismeyer4452]

Can not wait for next episode

[@j490tgm]

One criticism mate…,.,, the video isn’t long enough🤣🤣 love this mate keep it up. Can’t wait to see it progress

[@lmm]

Next one will be significantly longer - it just wouldn't cut with this

[@tamarmolerick3814]

Been looking forward to this one. Any chance of lifting the engine out and getting it under cover?

[@lmm]

It'll happen!

[@Sir_Rheilffordd]

Finally, thats by far my favourite series. Btw. Thank you Lawrie for the reply to my Email

[@forrestrobin2712]

This Channel just gets better and better Lawrie 👍

[@lmm]

Thank you very much

[@AeromatterWorkshop]

Cool opening montage, feels like we're all about to embark on the journey with you!

[@lmm]

It is quite the adventure so far!

[@drewbarker8504]

One piece at a time! It’s definitely a journey of sweat, cursing, and discovery with projects like this when you have that much rust. But still, one more step forward on 303!

[@steve1315]

Good work👍👍

[@jayvernon2575]

Cant wait for episode 3 now 😛

[@casualyconfusedlive6931]

Fambridge is currently stored at being restored at the Swindon and criklade railway, the same place general steam navigation is under restoration

[@TheGramophoneGirl]

Oddly I enjoyed this. More updates please.

[@shimesu443]

If a group of college students can fix up Pere Marquette 1225, then I think you gents can handle this little lady. Have faith, Lawrie, I'm sure she knows you're trying to save her. You'll get her running soon enough. :)

[@lmm]

I hope so!

[@markpowell5654]

Take it all apart down to the frames ,engine and gearbox apart then reassemble I see this as the only way forward.Haveing come from many years of 7 1/4 now helping out on full size a Nielsen (1882) steam loco and 2 Rusty Rustons and have learnt an awful lot from some very passionate people all the best with your project.

[@lmm]

Stay tuned!

[@_PJW_]

Having grown up on a rail yard in my early years this is like looking at paradise. Have you considered offering teenage volunteers a beautiful chance to learn on the job? Just sidekicks, handing over tools, pouring over manuals, and administrating parts? Excellent voice over btw.

[@lmm]

Yep! We've had some youngsters come along

[@_PJW_]

@@lmm Lucky b@stards!

[@Gtl_driver_tom]

hi lawrie by the looks of it u can attack the rust on the freds by getting an angel grinder with a wirewheel and just grind away ive done it withwas shutters

[@petersmith4455]

hi Lawrie, great video. you might like to take the air cleaner off and clean and repaint it and put new oil in it, same one that goes on an early Ferguson tractor, good luck !

[@Mr.Neil1]

FINALLY!!

[@SiaVids]

It looks like that poor locomotive put the rust into Ruston. It is good to see progress being made.

[@Arkay315]

I can't wait to see your second rustin run again, is it going to get a name like sir William Mcalpine?

[@TheSynthnut]

For removing rust with zero risk of etching away any metal here's my suggestion: Buy, beg or borrow the biggest plastic water tank you can. Fill it with (deionised if possible) water and dissolve 5-10g/l of tetrasodium EDTA into it. Using citric acid and pH test strips, buffer the solution to a neutral pH. Degrease items and remove loose rust then leave in the tank for a few days/weeks. Iron/steel will come out factory fresh! Dewater thoroughly and oil/paint immediately. Alternatively, contact Ed China who has a few thousand litres of EvapoRust, which works in the same way. He used paddling pool to derust a whole chassis and you could similarly with the frame. The joy of this process is that it will reach internal, inaccessible areas an only reacts with the rust and not the metal itself.

[@axelrajr]

Im rooting for you Lawrie, but wow this is a project.

[@laurencecorr7255]

I was just thinking about this today

[@jrooke1990]

You sure just get a big plastic box to dunk the full engine into oil/diesel and leave it to have a great big soaking init for a couple of weeks to soak through all the nuts and crannies on the engine and gearbox with a small electric heater to keep the oil warm around the engine and gearbox

[@musiqtee]

I’m just 8:04 in, but can’t see an alternative to ripping the engine and gearbox out entirely. Way more work, but not doing so will convert work into labour…? All the best to the whole team from 🇳🇴…! 👍

[@lmm]

Stay tuned!

[@haydnwheeler583]

The Adela and Mitchell’s name was purchased by Simpson Boats who were originally in Sharpness but moved to brimscombe. They built a few boats under this name until their untimely demise. At the time an old A&M boat was known to be still operating on lake Tititaka ? Which was shipped in parts and carried to the lake by donkeys and mules.

[@ProjektAgnetha]

I'll bet that engine's a runner. The A-series in my Allegro looked far worse inside. Slightly different scale though...

[@vanlifeislife5318]

Walnut blast everything. Simples 😂

[@lmm]

Might need something more aggressive

[@bjrnfrederiksson2505]

Dang, so we have to wait a month for the next episose.... So sad but thats how it is. I enjoyed the short video every second of it.

[@lmm]

But better than still being in a scrap yard!

[@bluehairedgirlstudio]

Great to see progress but can I ask into the wagon you saved?

[@bow-tiedengineer4453]

Clearly it isn't broken beyond help, because you're helping it. "generally buggered" is a much more apt description of it's state.

[@lmm]

I'll get the board updated

[@KibuFox]

I'm not sure how true it would be for the UK, or if it even is true, but I remember hearing from an old scrap yard owner, that it was rather common for companies who sold old locomotives to be scrapped... for them to damage the internals of the locomotive in such a way that at a glance it would seem fine, but if worked at all, it would cause the locomotive to seize up. The reasoning he claimed being that companies didn't want to give a perfectly working locomotive over to a scrap yard, out of fear that their former property would be sold at a profit to another company, or to prevent the scrapyard for effectively 'getting something for free'. So it's entirely plausible that some of the damage to the internals you're seeing, may have happened at the company who sold the engine for scrap.

[@LordPhobos6502]

You're opening narrator is wrong, it wasn't alone. It had a tree growing through it 🤣

[@TheHylianBatman]

I believe in fixing it!! It can and will happen!!!

[@lmm]

Here's hoping!

[@WISDOMDUCK69]

Lorry it's a rust on of course it has rust

[@crazyfvck]

One bit at a time :)

[@lordsjaak]

i do lover the intro of the episode. so do the credits to that maker of it

[@warrior3456_]

6:37 the forbidden kool aid

[@pietersnackaert]

I love the project, but i'd like more updates on it even tho i understand theres other things to do aswell.

[@MokesEnd]

Try ATF with acetone next time. Also meant to tell you there's a Ruston engine for sale on marketplace - air cooled, unfortunately

[@Mr_wally]

Turn it off then back on again that will get it going as good as new

[@Captain_Char]

I think you guys might need access to a sandblaster or a giant ultrasonic cleaner, lol

[@Taggart00]

I must be in Ep3

[@StaxRail]

Out of interest, do you know anywhere that has or might have a comprehensive set of drawings for a Ruston 48 Lawrie? I'm almost convinced that myself and a few of my friends have the facilities to build one from new...

[@danielstickney2400]

Do you have access to a torch or an induction heater? You can unscrew just about anything with enough heat.

[@lmm]

Stay tuned!

[@axelraver]

18:58 do any of you guys ever heard about oxyacetylene ? ....😅 why not heat to unbolt or heat to get stuck parts unstuck ? At the point where you are there's not much you can ruin ...

[@MrBnsftrain]

How much work will you do to the engine and gearbox before you need to lift them out?

[@lmm]

Disconnect and remove the extra bits basically

[@zippy5131]

Feed pipes a bit of the brazing and bob's now your auntie mabel. Was wondering how the old girl was getting along.

[@user-kx3yv9ll4i]

Trainzzzzz

[@samk4128]

What's the situation with your first Ruston? Has it received it's replacement wheelsets? Have i missed a video?

[@BrooksMoses]

Have a listen at 12:55 -- those are going to be the replacement wheelsets for it. (The plan is that the wheels from this Ruston, which don't need rework, are going to go on the running Ruston. And then the ones from the running Ruston are going to go on this one, where the fact that they need reworking isn't going to matter for a while.)

[@samk4128]

@@BrooksMoses Yes, I know the plan is to swap the wheelsets but I wondered if that had been done or if not, why?

[@aliciashepherd8912]

When do you think it will be ready to run

[@lmm]

I'd hope to have it complete in three years

[@aliciashepherd8912]

Sweet

[@philipstreechon4523]

Use 2-stroke oil works best

[@lmm]

Will give it a bash

[@ThomasTenma]

If i was a rail tuber (or whatever rail way/road youtubers are called) or a Thomas fan series creator I would love to have you as a narrator or one of the crew characters in a video

[@caramelldansen2204]

I hate to say it, but... all Thomas narrators _must_ be Scouse!! 😤

[@carl-oscarbjorkman8923]

I know it's probably a bit too early, but have you thought of a name for this Ruston for when it starts being finished.

[@lmm]

There is a long list the community have suggested

[@carl-oscarbjorkman8923]

@lmm I don't know if somebody has put forward to name it after Lady Mcalpine. And maybe paint it red.

[@SaltimusMaximus]

To be fair, given the way it has stood in the open to the elements for so many years, it could have been far worse

[@solarusthelonghaulerrailfa3226]

Well lawrie might be a good idea to just completely disassemble the whole thing and give everything a look over and then see what’s next

[@SurvivingTheApocalypse]

Are you saying ‘huve’?

[@lmm]

No

[@richiep7812]

I’m sure one of these is a Thomas character now?

[@stewart4711]

Id pull the pan plug solvent spray first

[@jbhtrams]

I take it that that's not the one you put the starter motor on?

[@lmm]

No, that's the other.

[@jbhtrams]

@@lmm I really love thst scrapyard. In our area there are only rows and rows of cars! If I was younger, I'd want to buy everything in there!!!

[@lmm]

@@jbhtrams I would if it was cheaper

[@jbhtrams]

@@lmm 🤣🤣🤣

[@captaindonut9075]

Waited so long. For an episode so short.

[@lmm]

The next eipsode is a lot longer, but it didn't cut in with this.

[@captaindonut9075]

@@lmm i guess it just so pulling its sad we dont see more of the scrap heap ruston and his big bro borking ruston.

[@thomaswilson5966]

That's what She ! said !! 😂🤣🙏

[@kentishman5179]

That 1ltr of diesel was paid for by my £50 donation 😂

[@Transit_Biker]

While I am full in with you on the spirit of restoring old machines and learning mechanical skills and such, I do have to say that the lack of personal protective equipment is extremely concerning and something that should be taken seriously at all times. Proper eye protection and gloves, as well as overalls to keep diesel which is in fact carcinogenic off of your skin and rust, which can contain who knows what kind of microbes off of your skin and out of your face is monumentally important. I do hope you’ll see this comment and purchase the appropriate protective equipment and use it going forward. All of that said I do believe this locomotive can be saved, but it will take a lot of work. You may end up having to media blast most of the block and and wire brush much of the rest to free up all of the seized pieces. Also, I would recommend not using WD-40, but instead using a proper penetrating oil as WD-40 is not a lubricant, but a water displacement substance. Cheers.

[@BrooksMoses]

Strongly agreed on most of that, but note that this is "WD-40 brand rust remover", which is a different thing from actual WD-40, and is in fact a penetrating oil and rust remover. Basically, the WD-40 company decided that, if people were going to use their stuff for a penetrating oil, they might as well make a good one.

[@stewart4711]

air hose solvent sprayer gun the valve train first