Letters from Switzerland to Swindon
Swindon sent Fitter-Erector Sidney Lewis from AE Shop to SLM’s works in Switzerland between May and October 1949 to view the erection of 18000 by Brown Boveri.
His letters back to Swindon’s chiefs, including F W Hawksworth who was Western Region’s mechanical and electrical engineer and the last GWR chief mechanical engineer, provide a mix of technical news about progress and his views of life in Switzerland.
He found digs in Arlesheim, near the works at Munchenstein, and he was sent with a supply of cash and travellers’ cheques to fund him.
May 28: “I have been just left to myself and no one knows or even asks what my training is supposed to consist of.”
June 5: “The main industry is cherry growing, from which they make a drink called Kirsch… The turbine is being dismantled and I understand that the diesel engine will arrive next week. Meanwhile, the electricians are very busy wiring the locomotive, and to see so many wires and cables reminds me of the same procedure on an aircraft.”
June 11: “Mr Mohr, who is the foreman here, seems to be very busy on the Belgian locomotive, and has not explained any details to me as yet… The bed plate of the turbine arrived here on Thursday, and they lost no time in putting it into position, but found that they had to lift it again in order to make and bend some of the light fuel oil tank connections.”
June 18: Lewis has had visitors from Swindon but because he starts all his letters ‘Dear Sir’ he gives no clue who they were. “I expect by now that the last breath of Swiss air is out of your lungs, and that you have forgotten what a nice steak looks like. Still, I can assure you they taste lovely, and only last evening I had a nice plate of ham and chips with a Kaffee Kirsch to round it off, and this being the cherry growing centre, they are most liberal with Kirsch…”
A second letter of the same date notes that Swiss tradesmen work across several areas. “The electricians, besides wiring, do welding and make and drill their own brackets for holding the cables.”
Lewis reckons this is useful to experimental work because it cuts waiting time, but he then says it’s a much slower process.
June 25: “I have received an advance copy of the instructions, together with the drawing, for dismantling the bogies… It will be necessary to have an outside the rail pit to remove the coil springs on the carrying wheels, as they have to be lowered below rail level… It is still very hot here, and I understand you are having similar weather in England.
“I had a nice day in Zurich last Sunday but there were so many people there, that the trains were running very late. My train to Basel was thirty minutes late, which I understand is very unusual.”
June 27: “I see by one of your letters that you expect the locomotive to arrive in England about the middle of August. I am rather doubtful, although of course it is rather difficult to estimate, as they may decide to put more labour on the job.”
July 2: “So little had been done that I asked Mr Mohr whether they were held up for any details, but he said that they only required the turbine, which is still at Baden.”
July 7: “Here is the report of last week’s working, but I am afraid it is not too cheerful from our point of view.” He goes on to explain that some problem was found with the combustion chamber and that it would need to be returned to Baden. Mr Mohr did not know the exact problem but suggested it was something to do with hole centres. July 16: Lewis reports on the visit of senior Railway Executive staff. He mentions Mr Cox, chief of the electrical staff, but this causes some confusion in Swindon.
Locomotive engineer E S Cox had visited Switzerland the year before so it might be him visiting again, however the chief electrical engineer is a Mr Cocks. With the visitors is Brown Boveri’s traction department assistant chief, Mr Whitwell.
Lewis writes: “Mr Whitwell is not too well acquainted with the working of the locomotive, and I do not think he created a very good impression, in fact he was unable to say which end the combustion chamber was positioned. Mr Cox was the most interested person and he climbed into the most difficult position to satisfy himself, while the others looked on.”
July 23: “The main generator was installed on Monday, dowelled and bolted down.
I noticed that the drive wheel of this does not line up with the drive wheel of the vacuum compressor motor by as much as 3/8 of an inch. I do not know what they intend to do about this as Mr Mohr is at present on holiday.”
July 26: “The erecting shop foreman came here today from Baden, and he thought that the locomotive would be finished at the end of August. I think this is rather speculative, but my own personal view is that the middle of September might be nearer the mark.”
July 30: “This has been a very quiet week as regards progress, as the labour consisted of three fitters only, and until the compressor, heat exchanger, combustion chamber, arrive from Baden, it is only possible to work on pipe runs and connections.”
August 6: Lewis is in Baden and tours the works. “I saw various parts of the turbine and was informed that they will be ready for dispatch to Munchenstein at the end of this week and should arrive on Monday. The combustion chamber was already in the packing department. So it is probable that we shall make some real progress next week.”
August 13: “The bottom housing of the turbine has been packed with asbestos lagging and sheet metal cowlings fitted around it. It was installed in the locomotive, but the cowling was fouling the bedplate in one or two places, and it was necessary to lift the housing to modify the cowling.
“This operation was completed twice, and it was then bolted down to the bedplate. Then it was discovered that a pipe should have been bolted before the housing was installed and it was therefore necessary to remove the housing once again.”
August 20: “The numbers (18000) have
been drilled and bolted to the sides of the locomotive but the figure 1 is out of position in two cases.”
August 22: “If there are no more setbacks on the locomotive, I think it will be finished about the end of September, and the trials will take most of October. No two people tell me the same story regarding the trials but I think the general layout is something like this. It will have roughly 10 days’ electrical tests at Munchenstein, then about 10 days at Baden for the combustion chamber test and finally 14 days for trial runs.”
August 27: “It took all day Thursday in tightening the joints of the chamber to the turbine housing, as the accessibility to the studs is very difficult.”
August 31: “I am enclosing a few snapshots of the locomotive, taken by one of the fitters here. When you have finished with them,
would you care to pass them on to my father in the AE shop, working under Mr Millard, as my wife would like to see them.” Hawksworth replied on September 6 to say that he would pass the snapshots on in a day or two.
September 3: “The compressor bottom housing is now installed, which has taken most of the week to complete. A roof girder also had to be removed for this operation, it is possible they will modify this, so as to make the future removal less complicated.”
September 10: “The turbine rotor has now arrived, and at the moment is being checked for clearance in the housing.”
September 14: “Many thanks for entertaining the wife and daughter at the film show, I will thank Mr Hawksworth when I write at the weekend.” September 17: “The compressor and turbine rotors were positioned, and checked for clearance of the blades. These were found to be in order and the two rotors were then coupled together.
I was rather surprised that with very little effort, how easy it was to turn the complete shaft by hand, considering the weight, and the many bearing points… There is still a considerable amount of work to be finished on the locomotive, and it will certainly not be completed this month.”
September 20: “Now that the pound has been devalued, I expect you are rather concerned, regarding my money… I had cashed £ 20 a week ago but on reading that Sir Stafford Cripps [Chancellor of the Exchequer] had called a press meeting for Monday the 19th, I decided to take no chances, but to cash the remaining £ 40 that I had. I did this on Saturday last, so that all my money is now in francs.”
Hawksworth replied on September 23: “I was very relieved to hear that you had cashed all your travellers’ cheques before devaluation was announced, and must compliment you on your foresight.”
September 22: “My personal opinion is that the locomotive should be completed around the 15th Oct, but of course this can vary according to the faults that may arise.”
September 23: “There was a further test of the control and lubricating oil system, with a much higher pressure than previously, and they were quite satisfied with the results.”
October 1: “There is now an all-out effort to finish the locomotive, ready for a trial test on the 10th October. The labour has been increased from the usual four men to about 15, and the problem is how to keep out of each other’s way, as it is very difficult to pass in the gangways.”