Progress September 2020

Work has continued on a number of fronts this month.  For 5668, the remaining salvageable angle pieces from the bunker have been cleaned up and painted while yet more drilling has taken place on the water tanks with this shot showing holes for one of the hand rails being drilled.

New runners for the cab sides doors were made and the driver’s side one fitted.

For 4253, the new vacuum pump actuating arm was shaped and a new boss machined

before it was all tacked together on the crosshead

And then given finishing touches.

The boiler meanwhile is progressing well at HBSS with one of the firebox side wrappers cut and fettled to a proper fit as these shots show.

The job we are doing for the Railway (refurbishing a Walschaerts valve gear model that will be put on display at Tenterden Station to show visitors how a steam engine works) is progressing well.  It has been totally stripped. the wooden frame repainted, the steel back plate stripped of all its old paint before getting a new gloss black coat and then reattached to the framework.

Cleaning the various motion parts has kept a lot of people busy for quite some time with this shot showing the expansion link receiving attention.

If that wasn’t enough a table was made for our large pillar and the repositioned forge was given a new flue that was fitted through the roof and sealed.