4253 Locomotive Company Limited

5 days ago

Moved inside the shed to keep warm working on the loco this winter so the heater breaks down, sods law.Tuesday, we have been concentrating on the front end of 4253 drilling the smokebox to bolt up the holding brackets for the superheater header, this was achieved.We can now measure off the header for reference for the other holding brackets that need holes drilling for fixing inside the smokebox.The crinoline team got their other Lobo built on the driver’s side of the loco to give them safe access to the top of the fire box from both sides of the loco to fit the crinolines.The crinoline team were fitting the horizontal strips that tie all the bits together along the boiler barrel.A small daft team went on Wednesday to Tenterden and braved the artic conditions and took down the sales gazebo packed it away and returned it back to Rolvenden for inspection and repair.Friday more work in the freezing shed helping the shed staff to move the yank bits out the way to allow 2 locos in the shed to be worked on probably warmer outside.The crinoline team were hard at making joining bits to attach the boiler bands to the horizontal supports.With lots of drilling and countersinking of the new bits and now a good percentage has been joined together on the boiler barrel it’s starting to look good indeed.Work continued on the back head with the jockey valve bracket fitted to the valve and then put on the regulator boss we now need to adjust a little to allow access to the wash out plug for when it needs removing.The new brake ejector studs arrived along with the main steam pipe ends from Martin at the RH&D who made them.Sunday a pleasant minus 6 to start the day we turned on the shed heater to full then opened the shutter doors to let some heat into the shed to keep us on our toes.The day consisted of drilling the smokebox to fit the next set of brackets these for the spark arrester.We rolled some more crinolines for the loco up to fit 4253 boiler lots of measuring took place getting them ready to fit them on.Other work was adjusting the jockey valve holding bracket by cutting it in half and removing a strip then welding it back together to allow ease of access to a washout plug the jockey valve was then fitted back.The more we get into sorting out the pipework runs on the back head the more we need to fit more bits so we can avoid them. The firehole doors were re-fitted after a trip to our storage container to retrieve them but they weren’t there we returned to the loco and found them in the bunker must be the cold.Work continued on the tender for 541 assembling the water gauge system.A good cold day’s work done by the team.Just a quick reminder 4253 AGM next Sat 18th January at 2pm at Tenterden Town Station Buffet.Thanks to all the cold mortals who donated the heat from their bodies to a good cause . ... See MoreSee Less

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4253 Locomotive Company

2 weeks ago

A slow start after Christmas, we now need to get the momentum moving forward again .We are now back to the 3 days working each week on the projects as usual.On Tuesday a small team started getting things moving forward, getting the toilet seat ready to go back up on the boiler .All the newly painted crinolines were inspected and got ready to be refitted to the boiler .We inspected the brake ejector studs and found one bent, so we removed it, and it will be replaced before the brake unit is refitted permanently. So, we can get the position of the pipework correct .Friday we turned up and found everything frozen, so tea was a little late .The skill of the team overcame the problem ,the kettle switch was turned on and the ice melted so tea was made, and life returned to normal.A full team returned to work and started erecting a Lobo platform around the fire box to give us safe access to fit the firebox crinolines .While this was going on other members of the team refitted the toilet seat back on the boiler.Then the crinolines have been started to be refitted on the boiler barrel .The holding angles had the extra plates welded on that the firebox crinolines attach to ,then they were re bolted back on to the fire box sides. Strips were cut that join the crinolines together horizontally on the boiler barrel they were marked out for ready for drilling .A new stud was fitted to the brake ejector pad and the unit was trial fitted, it still needs some more work to complete the job.Sunday the team started moving bits about after finding the equipment to do so .The super heater header was moved down the shed and hoisted up into the smoke box .The fixing brackets were attached then it was lifted up onto bits of 3x3 timber inserted into two of the superheater flues to make a levelling platform .The header was levelled, and the fixing holes were marked out on the smokebox sides the header was then lowered down to the floor .The hole centres were marked and pilot holes drilled they will be opened up on Tuesday .Work continued on the tender for 541 with the water gauge being put together with various parts being made as well .The manifold was put up on the boiler we can now start getting the pipework for the back head put together .We put up the brake ejector as well temp on 2 studs after finding we need to replace the 4 studs .This is so we can progress with the pipework for the brake ejector .The cab back head sheet construction is coming on well with various bits completed .Thanks to one and all who came along this week to help keep things moving . ... See MoreSee Less

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LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY LIMITED

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