Update

Tuesday, 10th February, 2026

Update.

Hi again. 

80097:

Piston and valve inspections continue. No issues so far. The engine is scheduled to run in mid March.

46428:

The foundation ring rivet removal is nearing completion. It has gone really well. Drill bits break under load and removing them is a laborious process. We're nearly there! As the weather improves we will take the boiler outside in order to lift out the ring for testing and inspection.

The first of the four slidebar billets has been transported to the machine shop for final machining. The second is progressing with roughing out on our milling machine. Attention! Anybody out there who has experience or sufficient electro mechanical knowledge to fault find a problem we have with our miller. We have no motor drive available to raise/lower or move front/back or traverse the table. This means manual winding is necessary to progress milling our slidebars. Can you or anybody you know help us out with this? The machine is old, a Parkson M1100 Series. See pics below. 

Very soon we will begin the re-boring of main and steam chest cylinders. Also refacing of end cover joints and re-facing of nine joint faces on the boiler back head. More about that when it happens in early March. 

Can you identify what the four brass castings are? Terry Holtby has been at it again. Small items they may be but nevertheless needed to restore this lovely loco to as new condition. Thank you Terry. See pics of milling machine, slidebar roughing out and Terry's castings. Watch this space!