September 2012 - update

Well, today I said farewell to Zebedee. I ran her several times over the summer, including the 7.25" gauge society AGM at Woking, but, by then, a buyer had appeared and offered a very good sum for her. So, she's off to Inverness, where I'm sure she'll be very well received, thus giving me a good reason to start the next one. Well, once I've finished the one I've taken on for a friend, that is. . . . . . The only question is, what to call that new locomotive - Mr McHenry, Florence, Dylan, or maybe Ermintrude????????

All done

At last, the tinkerbells are finished. The boiler tests are done, and they have had their first (and possibly only) run together at Swanley. A couple of weekends ago, I accompanied tink 2 to her new home and very much enjoyed running her there. Zebedee will stay at Swanley for the immediate future (unless someone out there makes me an offer for her I can't refuse!!), although she will be visiting the Moors Valley Railway shortly for their annual tinkerbell rally (Saturday only). Therefore, it's on to the next project - a single fairlie. Blog to follow . . . . .

Second tinkerbell finished

Now, the second loco is finished.

All that remains is to get them steam tested, and the final few niggles sorted out then it's time to start on the next project. . . . .

Today, I completed the first of the two tinkerbells. Here she is in the February sunshine:

More progress

Well, the weather's taken a turn for the worse but progress hasn't. The boilers are both now lagged, and one tink has the cladding on. She also has the manifold fitted, the boiler clacks, and one injector is piped up. The ejector is all done, as is the blower. So, before the first set of tanks return, I need to do the small injector piping then I'm ready for them to go on. Next, the second set of tanks will go to be sprayed, and I get to start doing the lining.

Progress to date

Since the last post, lots of little jobs have been done, moving the locos closer to completion. These include finishing off painting the frames, building the manifolds, fitting the vacuum controls and piping, making the blast pipes, and getting the buffer beams and smokebox supports painted. A big job has been to fit the chimnies. Over xmas I painted and lined the cylinder covers. Last week the boiler cladding went to the sprayer for painting. He says that it will be done by next week, when I will take the tanks, bunkers and cabs up to him for some of his magic. After that I have to do the lining. . . . So today I did 2 of the last 3 jobs needed before the cladding can go on - making and fitting the steam pipe from the regulator valve to the pipe between the frames, and painting the smokeboxes. All that remains is to fit the lagging. Once the cladding is on, I will fit the manifolds, then pipe up the blower and injectors. Then I'm ready for fitting the tanks.

In the sunshine

I took the opportunity of getting the locos out today in the sun to get some jobs done that are difficult in the shed. Having completed the second set of tanks and bunker, they got attached to the running boards. I also fixed the cab front to the second loco. Below is a photo of the two locos together - at last, they really do start to look like real locomotives!!!

Tanks. . . . .

Today, I completed the tanks for tinkerbell number 2. All they need is the running boards drilling so that they can be bolted down, and they're ready to go. Over the next days, I will be drilling those holes and fitting the weatherboard. Then, its on to the bunker and roof.

Progress

The picture above shows progress to date on twin 1. The tanks are done, the bunker/cab are very nearly done (just need the coal rails adding), and it's really starting to look like a locomotive at last. Attention will now turn to building the tanks, bunker and cab roof for twin 2, before the whole lot goes to the sprayer.

A better photograph

Now that the dust has settled on the boilers, it's time to take a better photograph.

Boilers on!!

By the time the job was done, the light was fading so the photo's not great quality, but I had to take one to record the event.

Ready for the boilers

In the past couple of weeks, I have:

1) Completed the 'underneath' work on both locos (ashpans, firebar supports)
2) Fitted the smokeboxes
3) Made and fitted the running boards

So both chassis are now ready to receive their boilers. Hopefully I can get this done at the weekend.

Progress . . . .

The two smokeboxes are now complete with doors, hinges and associated closing gear. Recently, I have been fitting the ashpan to loco number 2, and this has also had the firebar supports fitted. The next jobs are to complete number 2's ashpan, then get the smokebox saddles bolted to the frames ready to put the smokeboxes on.

Smokeboxes

Well, after a few months out to build a pair of diesels, it's now tinkerbell time again. I have recently welded up the smokeboxes, and am currently busily making the associated furniture - hinges, dart etc.
The drain cock assemblies have gone in, as has the vacuum brake swan necks.
I am currently working on getting everything 'underneath' done ready to put the boilers on.
Photos and further updates to follow soon.

October 2010

It's been a long while since I found time to write something here. Sorry!!

Since the last update, I have:

1) Completed the chassis and air tested them
2) Made and fitted the ashpans
3) Made the drain cocks
4) Fetched the boilers
5) Made the smokeboxes

Currently, I'm also building a pair of diesels for friends, but hope to get these completed soon so that I have more room to work on the tinks. Then, I'll be fitting and piping up the drain cocks and blast pipes, then it's full steam ahead with fitting the boilers.

March 2010

Yes, I know it's been a while since I added something here. In the last few months, I have got the cylinders attached to the frames, and also got the motion brackets, slidebars and crossheads sorted out. I have also got the rear part of the valvegear assembled (up to the combination lever). The reversers are also all done. So, all that's left before air test time is the valve rods etc.

Chassis erected

Recent work has seen the two chassis erected, driving wheels fitted and quartered, footwells and brakes fitted.

Update

Work and other commitments have meant that progress has been slow of late. However, the first set of frames were erected a little while ago, and the rear pony has been assembled. Work has started on the brake gear. Once this is done, she will get pushed back in the workshop and the second set will be erected.

Boring job . . .

The foundry cast my cylinders (etc.) for me, they are a great job, and delivered to the door!! It's an amazing feeling to have them delivered having made the patterns myself. I have now published the cylinder drawing on the website. It's a very simple, 2.75" bore cylinder, the additional size (up from the original's 2.5") is easily handled by the locomotive boiler. I have now faced off and bored all 4 of my blocks, hopefully I will get some of the ports milled out later this week.

Castings

The first of the castings are now back from the foundry. I got one of each item cast to check machining tolerances etc. before getting them cast
!!