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
!!

Crossheads and castings

I have now completed milling out the crossheads. Three weeks ago these were 30mm thick lumps of 3" square steel bar, now look at them. As you can see, I'm going for a double slidebar arrangement, rather than the single one of the original one. This saves width at the front end, which then means I don't have to use that awful bent coupling rod. I have also made a set of patterns (cylinder set, chimney cap and base, smokebox door, brake blocks), and the trial castings are due back before the end of the year. Given that these are OK I aim to get several sets cast early in the new year.