2012 Blog

December 2012

  • Rear drag box cleaned and painted
  • Needle gunned rear inside of frames
  • Final bunker components manufactured – water valve bosses
  • Bunker tool boxes fabricated and painted
  • Front and rear of cab manufactured and painted
  • Cylinder cover studs refurbished

November 2012

  • The rebuilt upper intermediate stretcher riveted to frames
  • Removal and rebuilding of lower intermediate stretcher
  • Rear buffer beam reassembled and riveted
  • Ducket on bunker installed
  • Handbrake assembly housing fabricated
  • Strip down and painting of all component parts of bunker prior to final riveting

October 2012

  • Wheels cleaned and painted
  • Preparations made for surgery on rear frame plates including strengthening the frames with cross members
  • New cab floor supports fabricated
  • Remaining inside motion removed, cleaned and stored
  • Upper curved back on bunker installed, drilled and bolted

September 2012

  • Rear buffer beam removed and cleaned
  • Rivets removed in rear of frame
  • Remaining cab floor removed
  • Axle boxes removed, cleaned and stored

August 2012

  • Smokebox needle gunned and painted
  • Regulator and rod removed from boiler
  • Leading truck disassembled
  • Cylinder covers and pistons removed
  • Bunker construction: Back corners installed

July 2012

  • Boiler needle gunned and painted
  • Superheater head removed from boiler
  • Wastage areas on frames welded
  • Top intermediate stretcher reinstated
  • Brake hangers overhauled and rebushed
  • Bunker construction: Preparation for water baffles and coal floor

June 2012

  • Needle gunning and painting frames continues
  • Top intermediate stretcher rebuilt
  • Bunker construction: Trail fit of bunker components. Await delivery of back corners

May 2012

  • Needle gunning and painting frames continues
  • Remaining brake hangers removed
  • Bunker construction progressing. Sides, front and lower back sheets drilled and prepared

April 2012

  • Needle gunning and painting frames continues
  • Reinstated/riveted in front buffer beam
  • Bunker construction commences. Floor and bottom sheets have been drilled ready for riveting (drilled literally means hundreds of holes!). Splashers for rear wheels in water space fabricated

March 2012

  • Fabricated and installed new drag box
  • Reinstated/riveted in front gussets
  • Drill new front buffer beam
  • Needle gunning and painting frames continues
  • Thickness measurements on frame between firebox and cylinders reveal that despite wastage there is more than sufficient steel to ensure full strength integrity However stretchers will need replacing along with some rivets. Area behind firebox (under cab floor) has not yet been investigated although we do know serious remedial surgery will be required

February 2012

  • Pony truck damper mechanism removed from frame and overhauled
  • Front sand boxes removed
  • Needle gunning and painting frames between the firebox and cylinder block

January 2012

  • Tent erected on top of loco frames
  • Horns cleaned and greased. Horn ties replaced
  • Horn oilers removed
  • Front buffer beam removed
  • Front drag box removed
  • Front gussets removed and straightened