Workshop Update 21st July

Tuesday, 21st July, 2015

A very progressive few weeks of work has just passed. Results are:

Jim, Mark, Colin and Hughie have been joined by Bob and they have continued painting the loco, which now has a first coat of black on both sides. Other primed metal areas are now steadily being covered in black.

Hughie, Sharon and Bob have been busy stripping off the protective coat of paint on the smokebox down to bare metal. A coat of black primer has now been applied.

Phil, Nigel B and Harry have been aligning the blast pipe with the chimney. They encountered some difficulties and a team effort has now rotated the chimney by 180 degrees, which has given better alignment.

Harry has installed a pneumatic winch into the pit to enable the loco to be moved in and out of the workshop. A recent trial proved that the loco can now be moved. The pit side supports for the planking covers have been renewed.

Nigel and Harry have been refurbishing the gauge frames and Nigel has fitted support pieces to the base of the ash pan. The ash pan has now been turned over, the rough welded edges smoothed down and new damper rods fabricated.

Allan has been to Tyseley steam centre to look at their superheater elements. He has now ordered a set for 80097 at a cost of £16,000.

Allan, Alan, Nigel, Sharon and Harry have refurbished the two steam pressure safety valve assemblies and they are now ready for testing and calibrating.

Phil and Dave have continued with the pipe controls in the cab and have started to fit the steam pipes to the injector. After recent difficulties bending the large copper steam pipes, Allan brought in Andy to bend the long delivery pipes from the injector to the boiler feed and braze on the couplings. He plans to continue this in early August. Phil has now fitted copper protectors to these pipes.

Nigel has installed the superheater header cover plate.

Alan continues his support in tidying the workshop and stores. He has now started to make some order on the tool rack.

Dave, Stuart, Sharon and Harry have fitted more insulation and covers to the piston / cylinder assemblies.

Richard has continued to machine spigots and control valve parts.

Dave, Phil, Sharon and Nigel have been preparing the covers and oil seals for the axle boxes.

Keith has continued with the maintenance of the Group’s wagons.

Our shop coach staff of Dennis, John and Irene continue with their fund raising support. There is now a small range of loco themed birthday cards for sale.

Additional help is always wanted in the shop coach to increase our funding. Anyone with a few hours to spare would be most welcome to come and join us.

In a new fund raising venture, Irene, Sharon and Norah took part in a car boot sale which raised £160. Further sales are planned.

We have increased our publicity around ELR Bolton Street station with boards advertising our shop coach and also informing ELR visitors about the restoration activity in our workshop.

We recently had a social day for the workshop team and their partners by hiring the ELR observation coach on one of their trains.

Ivatt  Update :

Dave, Dan and Jimmy have cut away the brake gear pins and spring support bolts in preparation for lifting the boiler.

Pictures are :

Brazing couplings onto the steam delivery pipes

Inspecting the newly painted smokebox

Turning the ashpan over