Progress April 2022

Week Four On Tuesday, the rear panels for 5668’s second water tank were delivered and painted, 4253’s crank pin nut spanner was finished and we also painted most of the cladding sheets for loco 65 to help the overhaul on its way.  Friday saw completion of the machining of the new intermediate rod which was delivered to Rolvenden on Saturday whereupon, … Read More

Progress March 2022

Week Four Main activity this week has been mocking up the damper door operating rods for 4253’s ashpan.  The original levers had the ends cut off and new ones welded on so that we had round holes to attach to the bell cranks rather than the worn, oval ones.  The rod brackets made last week were riveted to the damper doors, jigs … Read More

Progress February 2022

Final Week This week, the repairs on the rear ducket for 5668’s bunker were completed and it received its first undercoat. The support brackets were too corroded to reuse so new ones were shaped and drilled.  The new casting for the water gauge arrived but, sadly, it had a couple of cracks and wasn’t actually the right one anyway!  4253’s new blast … Read More

Progress January 2022

Final Week This week, on 4253, the cylinder covers fitted last week have been cleaned up and painted, the regulator rod was welded back together following the building up and machining back of the section that passes through the packing gland and work continued on checking out and finishing off work already done under the loco. Work on 5668’s second … Read More