News - Archives

Last week 7th November 2004

• The unusually good weather allowed the south side of the tender to be given it's first coat of black paint.

Click here for photos 

Week ending 31st October 2004

• The remainder of the dome-headed rivets were put into the tender base, leaving only a few countersunk rivets to complete the job.

• The tender springs have been taken away for refurbishing, we should get them back by Christmas. 

Click here for photos of rivetting activities over the past two weekends

Week ending 24th October 2004

• The driving rain on Sunday meant we couldn't continue painting the tender, so we started putting in the 1/2" rivets in the base of the tender tank. This was the first time we have used the new forge and the hold-up tool was modified to sit on a stable base so that the rivets could be heated up and inserted from underneath and riveted from inside with the pneumatic gun. We went through a bit of a learning curve initially, but managed to complete 41 rivets, about half the total. Photos will be posted on the website for next week.

• Topcoated the remainder of the tender brake gear, so we can free up workshop space in preparation for machining work over the winter.

Week ending 17th October 2004

• Whilst Ian and I were away on half-term holidays last week, Iain topcoated the tender drag-box and rubbed down the primer on the tender cab interior.

• More rubbing down, filling and priming of the tender tank.

• Packing up of the tender springs ready for transportation down to England for refurbishing. Thanks to Sandy Mair for his help with this.

• Tidying up of the scrap pile and setting up of the press ready to start pressing out worn bushes from the spring links and brake gear.

Coniston Water last week - click here for latest photos

Week ending 4th October 2004

• No update last week - offshore trips sometimes interfere with engine restoration activities. This week and last were taken up with more rubbing down and priming.

Click here for latest photos

Week ending 19th September 2004

• Today we were mostly rubbing down the paintwork with wet and dry paper, between coats of primer. A thankless and boring task, so our heartfelt thanks are due to Davie Murray and David Fraser who turned up to help.

• Thanks also to Gordon Petrie, who arranged the re-manufacture of 24 of the spring hanger pins for us.

Pins requiring only cross-drilling to complete

Last week 12th September 2004

• Completed needle-gunning of tender cab.

• Wire mopped tender cab and applied primer.

• Completed welding the protective plates in place on the RHS tender cab, and started on the LHS.

Tender cab primed and rubbing down in progress

Week ending 5th September 2004

• Completed needle-gunning of LHS of tender tank, thanks to mid-week efforts by John, Ian and Robin.

• Wire mopped LHS of tender tank and applied primer.

The newly primed tender tank.

• Catch up with Smiffy on his holidays.     click here   

Last week 29th August 2004

• Started needle-gunning LHS of tender tank.

• Welded up the remainder of the baffle repair sections. All welding inside the tank is now complete, apart from putting the end back on.

• Welded the protective plates in place on the RHS tender cab. These are sacrificial plates to absorb the wear and tear from the coal hitting the back of the cab.

• Cleaned out the rear compartment of the bothy, and made up some storage shelving. This doesn't sound very exciting but if you don't keep up with housekeeping activities you soon grind to a halt.

A rare shot of the bothy floor

Week ending 22nd August 2004

• Continued rubbing down operations on tender tank, and applied second coat of primer to the back and RHS.

• Prepped and welded up three of the baffle repair sections. See the Progress section for photos.

Week ending 15th August 2004

• Continued rubbing down operations on tender tank.

• Needle-gunned inside RHS tender cab and applied first coat of primer.

• Burnt out of the last remaining of the cracked and corroded sections of tender tank baffles.

• Cut out 6 No. baffle repair sections and prepped  3 of them ready for welding in.

• Cut out and prepped 4 No. reinforcing plates for the tender cab where the coal hits it.

• Caught up on cutting the grass and tidied up the site.

Week ending 1st August 2004

• Second coat of primer applied to tender tank RHS and end.

• Application of filler to rough areas of tender tank and start of rubbing down operations.

• Partial dismantling of locomotive cab roof, freed off hatch, and started welding in repair strips to replace corroded sections.

• Burning out of all but one of the remainder of the cracked and corroded sections of tender tank baffles. 

Overview of site showing renovated bothy

Week ending 4th July 2004

• Filed up penetrations in tender drag box wing plates.

• Applied second coat of primer to tender drag box.

• Set up water butt for bothy.

• Burnt out half of the cracked and corroded sections of tender tank baffles ready to weld in replacements.

Week ending 27th June 2004

• Completed renovation works on the bothy.  

   click here for bothy update 

• More needle-gunning and priming of the tender. 

Week ending 20th June 2004

• Started fitting barge boards, soffits and guttering.

• Needle-gunning and priming of the tender in progress.

Week ending 13th June 2004

• Finished the roof structure and now half way through putting the corrugated roofing felt on.

 Week ending 6th June 2004

• Finished cladding the bothy sides and completed a third of the roof structure.

• Needle-gunned and wire mopped the tender tank water scoop dome and applied primer. Applied second coat of primer to tender cab rear. See photos in Progress page.

Week ending 30th May 2004

• Continued work to clad the bothy. This will be the main focus of our activities for the next couple of weeks until it is finished.

Week ending 23rd May 2004

• Needle-gunned the RH bunker side and the tender manway cover and surround.

• Wire mopped both bunker sides, manway cover and surround and tender cab rear, and applied first coat of primer.

• Started on cladding the bothy. The bothy was originally a van body, and the walls are getting 'soft' at the edges. We are framing the outside with 3" x 2" CLS, putting on a pitched roof, then cladding it.

• Completed the forge and tested it successfully on one burner. It should be ready to use in anger  next week.

• Welded up the steam brake bell crank bracket and carried out some minor modifications to the tender drag box to accept the vacuum brake and steam heat piping.

Week ending 16th May 2004

• Finished the last of the rivetting on the RHS d-strip. All the rivetting on the bunker is now complete.

• Ground up countersunk rivet heads on both d-strips in readiness for painting.

• Started construction of a portable gas forge to heat larger objects more effectively.

• More grass cutting. One of the joys of a rural location with good soil and a mild microclimate.

Week ending 9th May 2004

• By way of a change, on Saturday some of us visited 'Steam in the Park', the Scottish Traction Engine Society's event at Kinross.

                click here for photos  

• Finished putting in all the 1/2" rivets in the bunker sides, about 40 in all.

• Refined the pneumatic hold-up tool and heating oven to improve durability and speed of rivetting.

Week ending 2nd May 2004

• Rivetted the LHS d-strip in place, and some of the rivets on the RHS d-strip. Started replacing 1/2" rivets on the LHS bunker side.

• Successfully trialled the Hopley pneumatic hold-up tool and the prototype rivet heating oven.

• Mowed the grass around the site.

Week ending 25th April 2004

• Continued bolting up joints with a final total of 48 nuts and bolts, about half of the total number of rivets requiring replacement.

• Welded in three out of four baffle/ supports under bunker floor. The fourth remains out to give better access for riveting. The tank is now ready for a big riveting session.

• Some 'gardening' operations were conducted around the site as the spell of warm weather has encouraged a spurt of growth.

Week ending 18th April 2004

• Hammered and raked out all scale from separated rivet joints in tank.

• Started bolting up joints prior to re-riveting      

Week ending 11th  April  2004

• Welded up damaged sections of tender floor adjacent to rivet holes in preparation for rivetting operations.

• Needle-gunned handrail and padeye at rear of tender tank in preparation for priming.

• Bolted up d-strip along bunker sides in preparation for rivetting in place..

• Continued levelling ground for laydown area.

Last week 4th  April  2004

• Prepared and primed rear of coal bunker.

• Drilled out retaining pins from remainder of tender springs.

• Continued levelling ground for laydown area.

Week ending 28th  March  2004

• Ground up replacement tank front ready for welding in place.

• Preparatory work for weatherproofing workshop started. The workshop is an old van body and is showing its age.

• Continued levelling ground for laydown area.

Week ending 21st  March  2004

• Completed wooden pattern for new tank front.

• Dismantled rear trailing tender spring for refurbishment and replacement of broken leaves.

• Continued preparation inside tank for rivetting and welding.

• Installed forced ventilation fan to tank for painting.

• Cut new steel to shape for new tank front.

Week ending 14th  March  2004

• Made up pneumatic holding up tool for 1/2" tender tank rivets.

• Completed preparation of tank front for replacement steel section.

• Part completed wooden pattern for shaping new steel.

• Continued preparing ground for laydown area.

Week ending 7th  March  2004

• Completed tank rivet removal and started removing trapped scale prior to bolting back sections for re-riveting.

• Removed mounting pads from front of tank to allow trimming up of steel for new tank front.

• Removed rear sand boxes from engine.

• Prepped and tack welded steam brake bell-crank bracket on engine ready for refixing. This bracket had to be cut off in an emergency whilst the loco was being moved by road transporter from Aviemore.

• Straightened out several bent handrails around tender tank.

Week ending 29th February 2004

• Took advantage of the fine day to refine the tender tank tent arrangement.

• Installed 110v festoon lighting inside tender tank.

• Removed defective rivets from front third of tender tank floor.

• Made a start on preparing the plating at the front of the tender tank to accept the new repair section.

Week ending 22nd February 2004

• Fitted tarpaulin cover to tender tank tent despite high winds and snow.

Week ending 15th February 2004

• Erected the new tent frame over the tender tank and welded up the longitudinal braces.

• Made a start on levelling the ground in front of our workshop to provide an improved laydown and working area.

• Welded up the rivets on the RHS of the tender tank which had been ground flush to give a flat surface for the 'Cycling Ferret' transfer and which had subsequently started to leak.

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