16th June 2008

The valves have been successfully set by John Graham (CME of NELPG/The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust).  More work has been done on locking pins on the valve gear, there is about 1-2 more days work required to complete this task. With the valve setting complete, the scale plate for the cut off indicator will be ordered shortly, this completing the valve gear.

27th May 2008

The valve rings have been fitted and the three valve spindles inserted in the valve chests. Ian Howitt has delivered some of the stuffing box details.

22nd April 2008

The inside connecting rod torque setting has been completed and the rod is now ready for final fitting at the appropriate time. Ian Howitt has continued to assemble motion including fitting pins.

24th March 2008

The connecting rod small end bushes are complete and outside motion has been re-fitted with felt pads in the bearings. The inside valve gear has been re-erected with the eccentric rod adjusted to provide the correct travel in both forward and reverse. The inside connecting rod is currently set up clamped to the tender frame to carry out torque setting, the figures for which have been agreed with DeltaRail. Once the bench setting is complete the rod can be refitted to the locomotive for the last time during the construction phase.

19th January 2008

The motion has taken a back seat whilst the locomotive has been prepared for the boiler steam test, however Ian Howitt has machined the connecting rod small end bearings and has sent them away for spark erosion of the pockets that contain the felt pads. On return the oilways will be machined.

7th December 2007

Ian Howitt has continued with detailed fitting of inside motion – in particular the connecting rod bush.

27th November 2007

Ian Howitt has continued with detailed fitting of motion – in particular with final assembly of valve spindles and heads.

22nd October 2007

Ian Howitt has continued with detailed fitting of motion - here seen as set up for the visit of Supporters during the Annual Convention.

16 September 2007

The inside radius rod had been returned from Ian Howitt at Crofton, and work is in had to fit the associated motion pins.

13th August 2007

Work is now proceeding with the inside motion and trial fittings have been made.

16th July 2007

GN Steam have trial fitted the inside radius link and rod, combination lever and union link. This showed up a small misalignment between the two ground pin holes in the forked end of the radius rod which is in the process of being corrected. Otherwise the trial fit went satisfactorily.

The levers for the reverser balance spring and to drive the inside cylinder cross shaft have been set up and welded onto the cross shaft, enabling the latter to be finally installed on the locomotive frames.

The reversing shaft clutch assembly has been fitted and painted.

All three sets of valve gear lifting forks have been finally fitted to pins and die blocks, including drilling and reaming for taper split pins to retain the motion pins.

6th March 2007

Image taken this afternoon in Darlington of the combination lever union link - what you can also see on this photograph are the copper pipes which are the oil feeds - great work being done on the pipework by John Haydon.

Considerable progress has been made in the last month with the motion components:

The grinding of the inside radius link is complete and it is now being assembled with the radius link trunnions which are also complete. All inside valve gear components have been case hardened and are now in the process of being ground. The inside reversing rod lifting arms and cross shaft have been fitted, the reverser cross shaft removed and the arms to drive the inside cylinder reverser and for the balance spring slid on. The final positions will be set on assembly of the rest of the inside valve gear.

The radius links have also been trial fitted for both sides.

Another key task which has recently been done is that of both weighing all the components of the motion and also "swinging" the connecting and eccentric rods so as to be able to determine the centre of percussion. Using this data we can then calculate the weight which needs to be added to the crank pins when the wheels are balanced (this simulates the effect of the motion when the locomotive is in operation). The photo shows Andrew Hemming timing an outside eccentric rod.

15th January 2007

Recent activity has focused on the inside motion and recently we have received the inside eccentric rod. Around the same time we also took delivery from Multi-Tech (Featherstone) of the inside eccentric strap.

We have completed the inside radius link case hardening and this is currently awaiting grinding of the slot.

Fitting of the inside cross shaft and lifting assembly to the loco is now almost completed.

Good progress is being made by Multi-Tech and the machining of the eccentric straps is almost complete. The radius link is also almost ready to go for case hardening

The eccentric strap liners have been sent away for white metalling. The majority of the outside motion pins have been made and when all are complete they will be sent for induction hardening.

After almost a month's work to fettle them, the outside coupling and connecting rods are complete and look superb. Fitting of all the oil-box tops will commence shortly

10th August 2006

The order for machining of the inside motion has been placed with Multi-Tech at Featherstone.

Ian Howitt has continued with grinding work on the outside motion, has started the radius link die blocks and made various jigs to assist assembly of the radius links. Two test specimens of BS570 070M55 (EN9) motion pins have been made and then induction hardened and subjected to sectioning and hardness testing by Keighley Laboratories. This has confirmed that the hardness and penetration of the hardened case is satisfactory, and that the core material remains soft and ductile as required. The results have been presented to the VAB and Bob Bramson has indicated agreement to the change. The pins will now be put into manufacture.