Saturday 16th February 2013

New boiler cladding being cut for the area around the safety valve, the heavily corroded old section being used as a template for the new sheet.

    In the machine shop, work continues on the machining of new bushes for the brake beams

Also in the machine shop, the pivot points at the top and bottom of the brake hangers are being fit with grease nipples to improve the lubrication regime when the locomotive re-enters service. The brake gear operates in a hostile environment and regular greasing should assist in preventing the ingress of water and cast iron dust from the brake blocks.

The brake beams are having the life expired wear pads removed in readiness for new pads to be welded in place.

Saturday 2nd February 2013

The connecting rods are cleaned and initial polishing work is undertaken. Shortly the bushes will be pressed out for re-metalling and the thrust faces built up on the rod faces.

Some serious work is undertaken on refurbishing the thread on one of the trailing wheelset spring hanger bolts

Three refurbished spring hangers bolts are reunited with the rocker plates and bell housings containing the rubber pads and stainless steel support washers

With the lubrication pipes refitted, insulation material has been cut and applied to the cylinder casting

                                      Finally the cylinder cladding is refitted to the casting

The hand pump and pressure gauge have been made ready for some pressure testing of live steam components

The two live steam injectors are tested by blanking all the flanged connections and then pumping pressurised water into the injector to a final test pressure of 300 pounds per square inch. Both injectors passed the test.

Dinmore Manors return to steam.

You may have heard or seen rumours that Dinmore Manor has been signed up by a UK Heritage Railway. DMLL are presently in discussion with a number of interested parties and are following up options for the hire of  7820 from the Summer of 2013 onwards.  As soon as we have any agreements in place we shall tell our shareholders and the media via our own newsletter and websites.

Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited 30 Jan 2013