

18 hours ago
Its that time of year 4 days a week money raising for 4253 at the Santa specials and loco work .
Tuesday we started to get ready to fit the tops to the oil pots on the new side and connecting rods .
The jobs to get them ready starting with tapping a thread in the top plate for a plug in the connecting rods lids. Cleaning up the all the lids .
We removed both connecting rods to give access for fitting the lids as the little ends were laying in the cross heads .
We continued with the pipework for the vacuum system as well as repairing the broken shed door along with cutting tubes for holding the heaters for the sales stand. We took the opportunity to fit the last oil pad in the driver’s side little end .
The removal of rust from the back of the front buffer beam was done.
Thursday the new vacuum tank arrived this had the seam welded that afternoon .
Friday the tank was ready for the hole to be cut and the flange marked and drilled, the flange had mastic applied and then bolted on ready for riveting to the tank. The vac tank from 5668 was moved to be painted and put in store until needed.
The new tarpaulin arrived, and we covered the tanks from 4253 just as the first snow shower started. Saturday & Sunday the sales team were in action at Tenterden with our Tombola and boiler tube products to delight the passengers .
Sunday with lots going on everywhere the common denominator it was raining all day. The sales stall team watched people getting wet and going home after their train ride to see Santa and not much else all day .
The team at Rolvenden riveted the boss on the new vacuum tank and tacked the ends in place .
The tank was lowered in place for the holding brackets to be tacked on .
The connecting rods had their oil pot tops fitted and then rod fitted back on the loco, all the gradient pins were tightened, all the taper pins were stamped for identification.
Thanks to everyone who helped the project in any way this week .
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1 week ago
The week was a very varied 3 days for the team .
We started the week by removing the holding brackets from the old leaky vacuum tank .
The team then loaded the sales trailer for the Santa Specials and transported it to Tenterden .
We put the trailer in position and unloaded the gazebo, as the Wednesday working group constructed a floor then erected the gazebo .
The floor is to stop the sales team getting trench foot from the water that flows freely where we have our stall .
Then back to work on the loco continuing with the work testing all the pipework for the vacuum brake system. After testing one section we found the more we looked the worse it got so we chopped a section out and replaced it .
The rest of the pipework was stripped out blanked off and tested .
Friday we carried on with testing pipework and repainting where it was needed, making new gaskets for reassembly of the vacuum system .
Some of the team went and started running the electrics to our Santa’s sales stand and assembling the tables and prize table for the Tombola .
Then back to refitting all the vac pipework under 4253 by the end of play we had 80% of it all refitted. The team even had time to help with bending some steam heat pipes for the yank tank .
Sunday the team carried on with the pipework we started last week for the vacuum system .
We made new holding brackets for the pipes which were missing from being plundered in Barry years ago.
The back axle box cover that we found bent was straightened out and re- bolted down without too much swearing .
The final taper pins were fitted to the side rods they are all fitted now .
We had a productive day. Thanks to one and all who helped this week getting things done .
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Products
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4253 Mug £6.00 – £9.00
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Plugs (Sponsor) £45.00
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Set of 3 Stays (Sponsor) £99.00
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Pen & Torch Gift Set £6.00
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PRESSURE GAUGE CLOCKS £27.50 – £30.50
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4253 Pen £2.00
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Boiler Appeal Share £250.00
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Make a donation £5.00 – £500.00
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BOILER TUBE EGG TIMERS £15.00 – £18.00