Final Week

During the week we did a bit more drilling and bolting up of bits for future riveting, cleaning up some of the welding done the previous week

before applying an undercoat to the outer side.

Threads were tapped into flange plates to take studs.

The water gauge bracket fabrication was finished off, the machining of the rod bushes is almost completed and some time was spent on general repair work such as replacing worn/damaged cables and renewing some of the booth sheeting before winter arrives.  Sunday involved boring out the holes in the top bosses and then putting threads in them

After which they were riveted into place.

Many other bits were riveted on including the first section of edge beading at the top of the front panel.

At HBSS, the boiler’s palm stays have now been bolted into place ready for riveting.

Week Four

Tuesday was spent cleaning the scale off all the new rivets prior to giving them a coat of paint and then tidying up the entire structure ready for the next bits to be attached.

The machining and trial fitting of the rod bushes was also progressed

and the production of clock bodies continued.

Friday ended up being a bit wasted as the bits we were waiting on to progress things turned up late afternoon instead of in the morning as we’d been promised.  However, that did allow us to finish all the rail clamps for the Permanent Way Dept. plus overhaul our Heath Robinson air tool manifold where a hose connection had been giving trouble the previous week,

On Sunday it was mainly drilling holes in a large number of components that had us using just about every drill available.

On top of that bits were made, welded, ground so that, by day’s end, we had attached a large number of parts all ready for riveting into place next week.

At HBSS, the palm stays are being trial fitted and, in this shot, you can see the extensive (not to mention expensive) copper welding that had to be done around the firebox stay holes.

Also, the lap seams have all been dressed in readiness for the patch screws.

Week Three

Tuesday saw the team fitting further bits to be riveted at the next session and this involved de-burring holes, coating joint faces with mastic, bolting parts together and then reaming through holes.

Others were involved in another job we’d taken on which was refurbishing a large pile of long abandoned rail clamps for the Permanent Way guys and, without exception, they required a huge amount of effort just to free up and take apart.  In fact they were so bad that the entire team spent all of Friday on the job.

On Sunday, it was back to riveting and, once again, we put some 300 in place with the majority being fairly straightforward to get at

although, as the day progressed, there were some that required a degree of contortion to reach.

By day’s end one entire side had been completed.  Just the rivet heads to be given a coat of paint next week.

At HBSS the boiler work this week has included marking, drilling and countersinking the corner holes in the foundation ring that will have patch screws fitted.

Also, the new water trays have been trial assembled prior to fitting.

Week Two

Tuesday and Friday involved progressing the project after last week’s initial riveting.  This included dressing and painting rivet heads and bolting more panels into place followed by reaming through all the holes ready for more riveting.

Another job was tapping threads into one of the doubling plates which involved using the mag drill to ensure the tap was vertical when beginning the cut

followed by finishing off with a standard tap wrench.

Clock manufacture continued with a batch of bodies having the legs welded on and then given an initial coat of paint.

On Sunday, it was back to riveting with the bottom edge completed finished.  After that it was lifted and stood upright on blocks ready for the next phase.

At HBSS, 4253’s boiler now has all the washout plug and mudhole door holes finished along with the expansion brackets bolted into place.

Week One

Much of this week was spent preparing for a big riveting session on Sunday with parts being bolted back together before all the platework was cleaned down

prior to being given a second coat of primer.

Others were cleaning clock bodies and cutting legs to be welded on so we can increase our stock levels in the run up to Christmas.  On Sunday, the entire team were involved in the riveting process either in preparation by reaming holes in readiness, bolting things together or undertaking the actual riveting.  At times this resulted in quite a crowded workplace.

This is a shot of the first rivet of the day going in

followed by a view of the completed end panel.

After that, we moved on to the main structure and, again, the position of some of the rivets meant that numerous people were involved in getting the rivet from the forge, into the hole, getting it held up and then knocking it down.

By day’s end we had put in just shy of 300 rivets so good progress and a satisfied team.