| Pipework and fittings |
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21st July 2008 Progress in finishing the detailed mechanical completion of the loco has been good with exception of the mechanical lubricator on which one of the six feeds was refusing to pump. After fault finding, replacement ball bearings in the valves and some lapping has cured the fault. The cab details including the whistle operating mechanism are nearing completion. The gravity lubrication system is complete except for making and fitting Worsted trimmings. Following the Trust’s recent appeal for a buffer beam steam heat hose cock of LNER or SR design (they are similar) the Telford Steam Railway answered with not one but two. The Trust is most grateful for their speed and generosity. For more information on the Telford Steam Railway visit www.telfordsteamrailway.co.uk. Considerable progress has been made on the tender brake control equipment mounting and plumbing to the extent that it is being stripped off to enable painting of the area behind it. Design of the cubicle to hide the equipment is under way. Tom Snowball is on with connecting up everything between the tender frames. John Haydon has almost finished the turbo-generator steam pipe and has completed its exhaust pipe in the smokebox (for photo, click here). He has also worked with Tom to make and fit the ejector exhaust pipe in the smokebox.
27th May 2008 Tom Snowball has recruited a further plumber, Brian Gunn, who has been concentrating on insulating pipes between the frames and final fitting them with gaskets. Tom has continued with various bits of steam and air pipe work, particularly to the hose disconnect points between the engine and tender. He has also hydraulic tested a large amount of air pipe work, prior to refitting to the loco for the last time. John Haydon, assisted from time to time by David Hurd, is concentrating on completing connections to the gravity oil boxes, a task which is almost finished on Driver’s side of the engine and well advances on the other side.22nd April 2008
24th March 2008
A pocket in the side of the smokebox has been designed and made to accommodate the vacuum ejector behind the LH smoke deflector. Replacement lower water gauge castings are being made by South Lincs, and will be machined as soon as they are available. Pipework is being hydraulically tested as it is being made. About half the pipework has been internally cleaned using some equipment brought and operated by our sponsor AB Hoses. Discussions have also taken place on the engine/tender hoses which will now enable the final design for this pipework to be completed. AB Hoses will supply the hose equipment free of charge.
All the gravity oil boxes have been completed by GN Steam and apart from closing springs (which will be ordered shortly) are complete. John Haydon has continued to make progress in connecting up the oil boxes. A design has been completed to convert the air pump lubricators to remote air operation and to mount them on the boiler backhead on the fireman’s side.
19th January 2008 All the pipework required for the boiler test has been hydraulic tested. The steam stand and its associated valves have passed their hydraulic test.
The Trust was also donated the whistle from 60130 Kestrel at the same time as the gauge fittings. A new whistle base is being cast by William Lane at Middlesbrough due to gauging issues, and the existing whistle base has been taken to GN Steam to assess whether the valve assembly can be re-used. On examination the conclusion is that it is somewhat worn, so new components will be made. Tornado will be fitted with a standard LNER whistle and a chime whistle as fitted to the Gresley class A4s. 20th December 2007 Tom Snowball has almost finished the injector pipework including the large steam and water feed pipes from the injectors to the control valves on the back of the boiler. The steam stand is almost complete at Multi-Tech and should be collected before Christmas.
South Coast Steam has delivered the latest set of water gauge top valves. Work to fit them to the engine is underway. GN Steam continues to make pipe connectors to order, including steam and exhaust connections to the turbogenerator and the “Air Ministry” connectors used on the injector steam and feed pipes. D & M Foundries have cast the remaining oil boxes and delivery is expected imminently. GN Steam will then machine and complete them prior to fitting on the engine. South Coast Steam has delivered a vacuum ejector control valve and now a decision needs to be made as to where it is to be positioned in the cab. Steve Wood has made adapters to enable the remaining boiler steam fittings to be hydraulic tested before the boiler hydraulic/steam test in January.
16th February 2007
10th August 2006
2nd July 2006
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Pipe work has concentrated on installing piping to the disconnect points between the engine and the tender, installation of the air pump lubricators and associated pipe runs. AB Hoses have been invited back to assist in specifying the engine/tender hoses. GN Steam has completed machining of the new whistle base – the final assembly will be completed now that the whistle has been trial fitted to the cab front. Further work continues on connecting up gravity oil boxes.
Further pipe work is being made up, fitted and hydraulic tested including
The hydraulic test of the lower water gauge fittings proved less satisfactory with a pin hole in the neck of each casting causing a small leak. Fortunately we were donated a set of gauge fittings from 60130 Kestrel (the first Darlington built A1; these came from a supporter many years ago). Whilst very worn, these provided us with two serviceable lower castings. They required extensive de-furring as a result of that locomotive having worked in a very hard water area in its last days. This was achieved courtesy of three hours of simmering in a stainless steel saucepan on David Elliott’s domestic cooker using kettle de-scaling chemicals.
GN Steam assisted in preparation for the boiler test by packing all the valve stuffing boxes and lapping in valves where required. John Haydon has piped up the turbogenerator – with steam pipework complete from the rear of the locomotive to the generator and from the generator exhaust to the fitting on the side of the smokebox. He also continues to make progress with the oil pipework. The oilbox castings have been received and are now at GN Steam where two boxes are almost complete.
South Coast Steam has returned the vacuum ejector control valve, and GN Steam is overhauling the vacuum ejector bought from John Bunch. GN Steam is also making pipe connectors to suit the ejector, and the design for its installation on the side of the smokebox behind the deflector is almost complete. Steve Wood has made adapters to enable the remaining boiler steam fittings to be hydraulic tested before the boiler hydraulic/steam test in January.
A pattern for the whistle base has been ordered from Elsfield Patterns which should be the last pattern required for non-ferrous fittings.
The material for the front bufferbeam steam heating pipe has been delivered, and the copper pipework is on order.
The exhaust steam injector pipe is also being installed as can be seen in the photo. The the red pipe is the steam pipe to the exhaust steam injector and the one above the vacuum pipe - also showing is the linkage to the cylinder drain cocks.