Week Two Work on 4253 this week included making new studs for the blow down valve and trial fitting them (they have to come out again or the front of the firebox cannot clear a frame stretcher when the boiler is lowered back into the frames). The machining of the banjo assembly for the blowdown valve itself was also finished … Read More
Final Week This week started with shunting both 4253 and 4270 out of the shed to make room for the road-railer to get in there to pick up and remove the P class driving axle. Once they were both back inside again, the sections of crinoline round 4253’s boiler that occupy the position where the lifting strops will need to … Read More
Final Week (30th) This week it was the turn of 4253 to have all the boiler cladding removed starting at the firebox end and moving forward until it was all off, marked up and stacked in the boiler house. This enabled the holes to be drilled for the injector pipe holding brackets plus the final bits of trimming back that … Read More
Week Four The stripping down of 4270 continued this week with the superheater header getting the one remaining sealing ring removed after a bit of a fight followed by cleaning it up and then giving it a coat of heat-resistant paint. After that it was a case of checking the studs and running a die nut down them all to clean … Read More
Final Week The last bit of welding up of 4253’s steam pipe covers that could be done with them bolted in place was finished after which they were taken down, the final bits that couldn’t be reached were welded and then it was all dressed back and, later in the week, refitted once again. The Lobo platforms round the loco … Read More
Week Four On 4253’s front end, the brackets that hold the plate sitting above the superheater header were modified as we need to lower the plate to avoid it arguing with the steam pipes from the regulator box and the external steam pipe covers had various lugs welded on to support the gland rings, holes drilled and then assembled on … Read More
Week 4 This week’s main job was riveting the floor plate to the outer angle on the 5164 bunker and then turning it upright so the rear ducket could be lifted into position and bolted to its brackets ready for final welding. After that, it was given another spray coat of undercoat. Meanwhile, another team was continuing with the fettling … Read More
Final Week Main task this week was removing the tanks from 4253 so we can get on with making the ‘elephant’s ears’ cladding between the boiler barrel and the front of the firebox. After most of the backhead fittings, pipework and cladding had been removed, the loco was pulled out into the yard, the cab was lifted off, followed by the … Read More