Mid Summer Update
To the casual observer, maybe not much has changed, but with
over 400 holes previously drilled we have slowly been setting up the frames
over the summer.
We have been carefully aligning the various frame plates, reaming through
and countersinking the appropriate holes. Over the course of 3 weekends or so
started to rivet up the frames, mainly concentrating on the rear drag box.
As well as this work has continued, with much thanks to the bluebell’s
workshop staff and machine shop Forman, fettling and finishing off the final
machining of our cylinder block in house. Following splitting the block into the LH & RH halves and carrying out
some further machining we will be ready to trial fit the block back into the
frames! This will represent a great step forward towards the completion of the rolling chassis.
Ian Furgeson, one of our volunteer machinist’s has been busy
machining our piston heads to size and re-bushing the spring hanger brackets in
preparation for these being re-fitted in the appropriate places.
Help us to keep up our progress and donate today by clicking
the link below!
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| The Rear Buffer Beam with the initial rivets installed |
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| The initial rivets in place for the rear buffer beam |
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| Some of the many rivets installed for the building up of the rear dragbox |
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| Riveting the rear frames and dragbox |
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| Work continues on setting up the rear dragbox with rivets in place |
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| Spring Hanger re-bushed awaiting refitment |
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| Spring hanger brackets waiting re-fitment with the alignment tool shown |
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| Re-machined piston heads |
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| Re-machined piston head ring groves freshly machined by our volunteer machinist Ian Furguson |
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| Alignment button hole drilled and machined ready for it's marking out button to be fitted. |
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| Button installed |
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| Installed button |
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| One of 12 alignment buttons now permanently installed. |
There are six of these on either side of the engine directly opposite each other, with their centres pop marked. They are set on the horizontal ride height line equally spaced either side of the three axle centres. The buttons are used as our fixed datum points to measure from and set up the various components of the engine such as the cylinder block position. They will also be used for finding the centres of the axle boxes for machining and fitting them, setting the centres of the coupling rods for machining and fitting, and the list goes on! In effect they are extremely important and are the datum points for building the engine accurately and enable it to run freely maintenance free for many years.
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| Meanwhile the rear draw hook locating plate has been riveted on |
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| A close up to show the head of one of the countersunk rivets employed |
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| Following the recent Network Rail Working Week followed up by some extra preparation, the sandboxes are almost ready to be re-fitted |
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| The brake hangers being attended to following an initial gritblasting |
We are proceeding quite nicely with the restoration and it is great to hear feedback from our supporters. However for us to continue to maintain this level of work, we rely on the donations and purchases made to the fund. We appreciate this and hope that we will continue to receive the level of funding we have enjoyed in the past.
If you could help us with any donation, large or small, we would be extremely grateful, every little helps as they say.
Please remember that we have a new donations platform for accepting your donations which will help us to complete the restoration of SECR Locomotive No.27. This can be found at:
Please remember that our progress can only carry on with your help. We are completely self-funded group.
Thank you for your continued support.
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