Progress February 2025

Week Three

This week’s work has mainly revolved around the pipework for 4253’s backhead fittings with various pieces of copper pipe being heated 

and then bent into the required shapes.

Once correct, the pipes have the end connections silver soldered into place 

and are then trial fitted before being taken down again to be polished.

Also, once the position of the pipework has been finalised, for some we then have to make retaining brackets which involves more heating and bending of steel strip 

and further trial fitting and tweaking to get correct.

We also did some more of the vacuum pipework which is in steel and involved welding a number of 45elbows together at various angles with each one tacked into position, trial fitted for the next one to be marked for position and then tacking that one into place.  Once it all fitted comfortably, the pipe was removed again to be fully welded up.

Other work included more crinoline fabrication (just for a change), a start made on cutting out all the sections for the middle cladding on the backhead 

which first involved cutting a plywood template from which to work.

We have also continued with the work on Gervase with various panels getting steam cleaned to remove years of crud, the gauge plinths being given a couple of coats of varnish and the vacuum brake, which was very rusty, being removed and dismantled for cleaning up.

Week Two

This week, the final little jobs were completed on the 541 tender tank so it just needs cleaning out and our temporary lights removed from the interior and then it’s ready to go.  With that done, we made a start on the reassembly of Gervase after its 10 year overhaul 

by cleaning and rubbing down the cab paintwork and rusty pipework.

A coat of primer was then applied 

after which the wooden gauge plinths were removed, cleaned and sanded back ready for varnishing next week.

On 4253, the ever-continuing crinoline work did indeed continue,

the oiled superheater elements were transferred to our container pending fitting 

and the last of the joining pieces were made and trial fitted to the top backhead cladding sections.

The hydrostatic lubricator had its mounting bosses welded to the backhead and was then fitted 

and another round of pipework shaping began.  Plates were brazed onto the open ends, 

the pipes filled with sand followed by heating and bending and then offering up for fit.

Also, the parts for the bracket that attaches the jockey valve quadrant to the regulator boss were finished, welding together, dressed back 

and trial fitted.

Week One

On Tuesday it was our late Christmas lunch held at The Star, Rolvenden which was excellent but meant we only did half a day’s work.  

That work mainly involved the superheater elements that were delivered first thing in the pouring rain and had to be carried into the shed to be dried off and then given a coating of protective oil.

On Friday, it was back to the crinolines with bits being welded together, 

the curves tweaked in the press 

and then trial fitted.  Many shiny bits were bought out of storage to make sure we have everything we need to get on with making the pipework.

Then, the warming valve for the lubricator was fitted to the blower valve and then the valve was bolted back onto the backhead.  We started with bending the steam feed pipes to the jockey valve from the manifold shut offs, silver soldered the ends and trial fitted them.

On Sunday, the final bits of welding were done on the 541 tender tank to tidy up the corners of the beading joins, 

a couple of the superheater elements were trial fitted, 

one on the top row and one on the bottom to double check we have the header in the correct position.

The pipe that comes off the bottom of the brake ejector was heated and bent to provide the  correct off-set to ensure it missed the flare plate after which it was trimmed to length and then welded onto the machined connecting pipework that came with the ejector.

The various backhead cladding pieces had countless more joining holes drilled

and we needed to fabricate a mounting bracket that fits to the regulator boss and supports the linkage to the jockey valve.  For this, we borrowed the one on 6619 to give us a template (shown held below) and cut, bent and drilled the various parts which now just need to be welded together