Refitting parts to the chassis and a boiler update

Following many months of cleaning and painting we have finally reached the point where parts are starting to go back on the re-wheeled frames. Below is a selction of the work carried out during early November.

Having had new end bushes made for the weighbar shaft time came to make a final clean of the ends of the shaft and carry out a final check on the dimensions.

Meanwhile in the cab the screw reverser has been refitted following its overhaul.

We are now into cleaning, and overhauling all the smaller fittings. Above is a selection,

Meanwhile up north the boiler continues to progress. It now looks like a boiler again with all the new platework fitted and riveted in place. Drilling and tapping for the stays is progressing well.

Soon after refitting the screw reverser the bridal rod is back in place with its new roller and treated to a final top coat of gloss black.

The first stage of overhauling all the fittings is to clean them up so they can be easily

 inspected for wear and damage.

Good news on the drain cocks, after cleaning, inspection revealed only one new piston required with the other five only needing a light fettle and lapping to make them ready for refitting.

Final tweaks to the new weighbar shaft bearings to ensure the grease gets distributed along the bearing surface once fitted.

The merry band hard at work.

Work over the last 6 weeks

The cladding is progressing well which will make the refitting a much cleaner and simpler job.

The new tender has not been forgotten. The new tank is being painted as it is easier to reach at ground level as opposed to being up in the air on the frames.

One of the bigger components still to be attacked. The old smokebox is life expired and due to wasteage will not see another 10 years service, A new one is now on order.

Somebody really needs to decide if we are going works grey or final top coat.!!!

The cab side getting a rub down ready for undercoat and some new top coat.

Even the many oil pots are getting the full overhaul treatment.

Vacuum cylinder out for cleaning painting and replacement IR band and seals. Access is a lot easier with the boiler out and we do not want to see it for another 10 years once the boiler returns.

The other bit of the cylinder in the initial cleaning stage.

Every nook and cranny needs attention from the painters leading some less than comfortable postures.

Bogie wheel sets with freshly turned tyres. Axle boxes being fitted leaving only top coat paint before reassembly.

More attention lavished on the cab before we start to bolt bits back in place and make access far harder.

Vacuum pipe work being cleaned and inspected.

Frame progress

The axle boxes from the bogie have now all been cleaned and checked ready to put back on the wheel sets.

The vacuum reservoir cleaned checked and ready for top coat prior to reinstallation.

Bogie springs after cleaning and checking are painted in preparation for the bogie reassembly.

Whilst the Vacuum cylinder is out for over haul chsnce to clean and paint the last areas between the frames.

Scraping off the old paint from the front running plate.

The vacuum cylinder stripped and inspected, fortunately nothing a new seal and IR band will not put right for the next ten years.

Cleaning and painting the main bogie frame stretchers.

Lastlly a quick shot of the frames as the stood at Tyseley in August.

New GWR Drawhook progress

As you are probably aware Dinmore Manor Loco Ltd are having a batch of new GWR drawhooks manufactured. As part of the manufacturing process to ensure that the batch is certified and therfore suitable for use on both preserved lines and the mainline a smaple drawhook had to be tested. Below are some pictures of the first drawhook on the test rig. If anybody needs a new drawhook or two please get in touch as we have a few which are still available from the first batch. A second batch may be some years away as making individual hooks is cost prohibitive so enquire now if you feel your drawhook may wear out in the next few years.

The new drawhook in the test rig ready for being pulled to and beyond its elastic limit.

A overall shot of the test rig; The machine is about 40 feet long and was bought by the current owners second hand in 1890. According to the current calibration certificate it is still within 1% tolerance!

A long overdue update...

Despite no updates for several weeks work has not stopped in fact you could say we have been so busy working on the engine it has left no time for pictures and words to be uploaded. So below is a summary of all that has been going on to get 7820 back into steam.

The completly overhauled reverser reday for mounting back into the cab. A lot less play now all the components have been refurbished and renewed where necessary. Hope fully this should give a nice quiet ride in the cab.

Line boring the new bushes in the brake pull rods.

Bogie frame stripped cleaned and painted, all thats needed now is the overhauled wheel sets and axle boxes and it can start to go back together.

Just in case you though cleaning and painting had been completed the seemingly limitless supply of parts continues to be processed.

Bogie wheel sets receiving attention, just like the driving wheels only on a smaller scale.

With the bogie out the last bit of the main frames under the cylinder block  has been cleaned and painted.

Complete set of overhauiled fitted bolts for the weighbar shaft bearings and the bridle rod roller.

A busy working day

New bushes and pins made and fitted to the brake gear. Whilst bushing that from 7820 we are also working on the set to go under the second tender meaning that project is also progressing in the background.

A freshly painted replacement piece of cladding.

Cleaning the years of crud from the bogie components.

Cleaning the springs ready for oiling and refitting.

Apparently somebody said if you join the two blue wires together it will go.......

Progress on 7820

Two new springs for 7820 this means we now have spares for the loco so that when she is running a broken spring will not stop us earning whilst a replacement is obtained.

Cleaning and painting the break gear compensators

 with the remains of GWR 2-6-2 4115 and Sir Lamiel in the background.

Cleaned and painted bogie underframe.

Progress on the cladding

Replacement splasher being fabricated. What the photo doesn't show is the pin holes in the lower section of the old one. The curved section of the old splasher is missing because it was not corroded and has already been recycled to repair another piece of cladding.

Dressing the weld between new and existing pieces of cladding.

After rubbing down and painting the cladding is ready for fitting to the boiler. Final painting will be done on the loco.

Meanwhile manufacture of more drawgear cups to house the compression rubbers continues. These will be kept in stock for the second tender or to replace any on the working locos when overhaul or replacement of coupling hooks with one of the new batch of GWR hooks we are manufacturing and supplying to other groups becomes necessary.