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This section of the web site contains our diary of activity, from November 2003 until the present day. 2003 & 2004 diaries are in PDF format, which can be downloaded for free.
November & December 2007
Our suppliers section has been added to - these are all suppliers who have helped the society. If you need parts or consumables, please contact them to discuss your requirements.
A higher quality copy of the film "40118 at Vic Berry's" has now been put on Youtube. A lower resolution copy and many other 40118 resources can be found in our Early Days section of the website.
November has started with a number of jobs being continued with. Inside the engine room, work to clean and repaint the bodyside adjacent to the boiler has been underway, with this work finding a piece of broken lighting circuit conduit. This will entail the removal of a section of conduit behind the boiler and replacement with new. The new conduit has now been manufactured and is being painted prior to re-fitting. The opportunity will the taken to re-new the 6 wires that pass through this conduit.
Work on the removal of the power unit cylinder heads and pistons continues, with one further head and two pistons removed. The piston heads have been removed from the piston con rods and the little end bearings found to have worn to an unacceptable extend (which, given the state of the big ends was not surprising). These will, therefore all be replaced with new items. As all the remaining heads and pistons are removed, all will therefore receive new main, big and little end bearings. The heads themselves are joining the 'production line' of heads being stripped and overhauled. Photos of the cylinders and con rods can be seen in the latest photos section. When each piston is out of the power unit, work to clean each of the oil ways is undertaken as several (if not all) are heavily contaminated and oil flow is seriously restricted. All of the main bearing bolts need replacing, as they are nylock nuts which have a limited number of uses before replacement. The new nuts have been manufactured to order for the society. These will be fitted along with the new main bearings over the coming weeks.
As each cylinder head is stripped, the valves (four on each head) need re-lapping - this involves the use of abrasive paste to smooth out any undulations in both the valve and the valve stem, to ensure a gas tight fit. In order to do this job a tool has been manufactured in our workshop which will allow the valves to be overhauled efficiently.
During inspection, one of the cylinder heads has found to have elliptical valve seats. These would prove extremely difficult to rectify, as a result one of our spare cylinder heads will replace this now scrapped head.
The valve stem tubes on two cylinder heads have been removed for examination and were found to be worn (as expected). In consequence 64 replacement followers have been purchased to enable the complete set to be replaced. 60 of the 64 have so far been delivered into stock. We have manufactured a tool in our workshop to enable the safe removal of these tubes.
We have now purchased a full set of little end bearings, to replace the worn set. These will require a tool to press out the old bearings and this is currently being manufactured in our workshop. An example of both a worn and new bearing can be seen in the latest photos section.
Finally work has been undertaken to establish which piston types we have, and to check our stock of piston rings. Each piston has three different types of piston rings, each fulfilling a different function. These are available on four different sizes to allow for piston wear. For example, the compression rings are available in 0.187" thickness (standard size) and three 0.020" increments upwards. So far we have confirmed that we have 0.020" & 0.040" piston ring fitted pistons. We have a large stock of standard and 0.020" compression rings, with a smaller stock of 0.040" rings. Depending on the exact mix found in the power unit we will replace the rings from stock, and then purchase any additional rings required.
The main water pipe feeding cooling water to the cylinder heads is receiving some attention as it was found to form a kink in to the silicone hose elbow adjacent to the radiator room. This problem has been traced to a mounting bracket next to A4 cylinder that is about 1/2" too long. This has been removed and is being modified before refitting. The pipe in question can be seen in the latest photos section.
New valve rubbers for the air/vacuum control valve have been obtained and have now been fitted to the locomotive. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The underside of the locomotive is still being cleaned ready for painting. All the oil, dirt and paint has now been removed from a large section of the underside and this has been -degreased ready for painting. The underside work continues with a large area on the 'A' side of the engine now primed, and waiting for further paint to be applied. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The load regulator resistor bank has now been fully wired and, the covers refitted. The fully wired resistor frame can be seen in the latest photos section. The section of conduit replaced in October linking the resistor frame to the load regulator connection box has now had new wires drawn through ready for termination.
All the pipe work that links the control air tanks above the boiler/cubicle area have now been cleaned, repaired and are being painted ready for re-fitting. This will allow the control cubicle air system to be fed from the control air equipment for the first time in many years.
September & October 2007
September has started slowly, owing to holidays and many of our members driving at diesel galas!
However, we have continued to make progress with many areas of work on 40118.
Work has now started on the task of changing the main bearings, the big end (piston) bearings and overhauling the cylinder heads of the power unit. This will be a complex task, as each cylinder head will be removed in turn, the piston removed and both overhauled before being re-placed with new bearings. Whilst the pistons are out of the power unit, the main bearings will be replaced. The first two cylinder heads are off the locomotive and the first piston has been removed. B8 and A7 pistons have had the big ends removed ready for their removal, probably during the coming weekend. We will then work along the power unit removing and overhauling each in turn. At the end the power unit will have had now main and big end bearings, plus cylinder, piston and head overhauls.
The first two cylinder heads (B1 & A1) have been stripped and cleaned - the exhaust valve stems on A1 being corroded and one air inlet valve on B1 being seized. The valve return springs need to be checked to ensure they remain the correct length (springs, as they wear out loose tension so change length). This can be seen in the latest photos section.
B2 crankshaft journal has been cleaned and polished ready for the piston to be reconnected in the future. Main bearings 3 and 9 have now been replaced with new bearings, the start of this replacement work, with each bearing being replaced in turn working through the power unit. A1 piston has now been disconnected ready for removal.
The new contact tips for the load regulator continue to be developed. This is because we are having new contact springs made from stainless spring steel rather than painted spring steel, in consequence we are having to have prototypes made and then tested to ensure the correct travel, and spring rates. Two prototypes have been made using 21 and 23 SWG (thickness) stainless steel, and a third, hopefully final, prototype is being manufactured in 22 SWG.
The second cab heater is being re-assembled, with three heater elements being from the overhauled heater and a fourth from our spares stock after the original element was found to be faulty. The cover and frame have now been spray painted ready for the re-assembly of the heater. This can be seen in the latest photos section. The boiler hatch cover is being painted and has now been undercoated.
The cover for the lube oil priming pump has now been re-fitted in the radiator room, and final paint touch ups are being dealt with.
Steam pipes are being re-fitted to the engine, after cleaning and re-lagging with heat proof lagging. This can be seen in the latest photos section. The main steam feed pipe from the boiler has now been re-fitted. This pipe runs from the boiler isolating cock and is required to enable the locomotive to be through piped for steam even if the boiler is in-operative.
The turbo charge pressure gauge frame has now been completed and the identification labels fitted. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The loco underside is being further cleaned, now the first of the air tanks have been removed. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The main 2" vacuum pipe has been removed and is being overhauled, prior to the valve itself being overhauled. This can be seen in the latest photos section. This pipe is now in undercoat, and awaiting white gloss paint.
Work has continued on the second resistor frame (which, amongst other things provides the fault indication displays). The frame is being completely re-wired with new cable, a long task given the difficulties of access to the mounting board. During the repair work some of the wiring being removed has been found to be in extremely poor condition with the insulation damaged revealing bare wires, soaked in oil from a long past turbo charger failure. An example of this old wire can be seen in the latest photos section. The resistor wiring work is now complete, and attention has turned to the protective cover, whcih has been cleaned and repaired. Part of the frame had cracked and required re-welding, and one of the securing rivets has been replaced. The cover has been sprayed in heat resistant paint and is awaiting re-fitting. The conduit from the resistor frame to the load regulator (which is adjacent to the boiler) has now been re-fitted following its removal earlier in the year to allow for repair and re-wiring. This will now have new cable drawn through and re-connected to the resistor frame.
July & August 2007
With the seasons turning from a warm spring to a soggy summer, work has been limited to undercover work.
The loco underside, in the area of the boiler water tanks has seen more extensive cleaning and priming, but a large area requires de-greasing and cleaning. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The damaged resistor wiring in the engine room is slowly being removed, ready for replacement with newly purchased wire. The removal of these 8 wires is time consuming as they take a very convoluted route through the conduits. Eventually it was determined that the only practical way of removing the wiring was to remove the entire conduit run, and then cur the conduit to remove the wiring. The conduit has then had the oil soaked wiring removed, internally cleaned and externally scraped clean. It will then be re-joined in situ and new wires fed down the re-furbished conduit. This particular exercise took over 18 man hours to achieve (and quite a bit of bad language). The conduit has now been cleaned and jointed and has been glossed ready for re-fitting, however the adjacent conduit in the locomotive will need to be checked first to ensure that any faulty wiring is identified before the conduit is replaced. The area of its removal has been cleaned up and made ready for the return of the conduit, possibly this coming weekend. All of the other wires that feed the resistor panels have now been traced and tested for continuity, resistance and insulation strength, all passing without fault. The spare wires from the control cubicle have also been traced and tested, along with the wires that link the control cubicle to number 1 cab. All were found to be satisfactory. This time consuming task means that every element of the control cubicle has now been fully rested, and all the sires for the load regulator have also been tested (apart from the 8 new wires waiting to be installed).
On a more positive front the next batch of main bearings has now been collected from the manufacturers, along with the first 6 pairs of big end bearings, as it has been decided to replace these at the same time as the main bearings. The final main bearing has now been ordered and paid for, so on its delivery the complete set will be held waiting to be re-fitted to the power unit.
The first heater for the cab has been sprayed ready for reassembly, progressing that particular job. The heater has now been re-assembled and awaits testing before being stored prior to fitting. This can be seen in the latest photos section. The second heater is now being stripped ready for overhaul, with all four elements having been checked and found to be satisfactory electrically.
One of the main steam pipes from the boiler area has been removed (initially to facilitate access to air pipes and window surrounds. This has now been cleaned and re-lagged with modern insulation. This can be seen in the latest photos section. After lagging the insulation was sealed with two coats of silver aluminium paint.
The AV2 brake valve has been stripped and checked. The two rubber seals and O rings will be replaced as a precaution. The carcass has been etched with primer (being aluminium), as can be seen in the latest photos section. It has now been painted with white gloss and has been re-fitted to the locomotive, as can be seen in the latest photos section, along with the first of the water pipes to the boiler area, lagged and painted green.
The undercoated areas of the loco bodyside (adjacent to the bodyside windows) have been fully prepared ready for the first coats of blue paint. The rail blue is now being applied, which when completed will enable the glazing to be re-instated. The frame can be seen in the latest photos section. At the same time, the control cubicle is being painted in undercoat prior to being glossed in BR blue. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
Work has continued on the cleaning of the loco underside, with three of the air tanks being removed. This will allow the start of the process of checking the loco underside for corrosion etc. The tanks themselves will be cleaned on-site before being sent away for pressure testing and certification. This work can be seen in the latest photos section.
The new turbo charge pressure gauge frame has now had all four gauges fitted, and tested. These were calibrated and certified, and the new pipe joins have been bench tested to ensure they are fully sealed. Work on fitting the pipes to the block will now commence. Most of the pipework is currently missing so will be manufactured from new. The frame can be seen in the latest photos section.
The overhaul of the load regulator continues, with new parts being required. All of the moving contact springs (over 50) are being replaced with new items. The return springs will be made from stainless steel to prevent the corrosion that has seen many of the original springs being cracked. The first manufacturers prototypes have been delivered and have been undergoing testing to ensure they are satisfactory before the bulk order is placed.
May & June 2007
May has started with work continuing on several fronts. With the main bearings now ordered, and the first four brand new bearings delivered, we need to ensure that the power unit oil ways and sump are cleaned ready to receive the new components. Planning as to the most efficient method of undertaking this task is underway. It has been determined that a progressive clean will be required, flushing the internal oil ways from the number 1 cylinder towards the number 8 cylinder bank and then into the sump and away. Whilst this is time consuming it is the method that will ensure all contaminants are removed from the power unit, thereby protecting the new main bearings.
The control cubicle is beginning to be painted into its final blue gloss coat, now that all the doors have been re-fitted and sealed. The bodyside and floor adjacent to the cubicle have now been stripped of many components and cleaned. The floor adjacent to the cubicle has also been lifted to reveal the main wiring runs from the control cubicle. This will enable checks to be made on the wiring before re-fitting the floor. The floor panel has now been replaced, completing the flooring work in that area. This can be seen in the latest photos section. This area has now been painted into its first coat of grey gloss, lightening up the entire bodyside, and the first of the components (the air/Vacuum control valve) has been re-fitted. The water filter (for the boiler) has been removed and cleaned. Painting has been commenced, with aluminium primer being used on the filter body. A bulkhead light has been reinstated to the bodyside in this area, the first time in many years that such a light has been in this area. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The window adjacent to the cooker has now been re-fitted, sealing another part of the loco from the elements, and the hatch adjacent to the boiler has now had the frame cleaned and painted and is awaiting the finishing of the hatch painting before being re-fitted. This is all intended to bring forward the date when the two roof sections can be re-fitted to the engine.
The lubricating oil priming pump, previously re-fitted, was being wired when it was discovered that the wiring connection box (cast steel) had cracked, requiring it to be removed and the steel welded before re-fitting. This repair work was done in our own workshop. This box has been checked, painted and re-fitted and re-wired.
The exhauster speed switch (XSS) is being fitted to the number 2 cab, where it sits adjacent to the drivers seat and allows the locomotive exhausters to run faster when releasing the train brakes. The conduit to the switch is fitted but loose, therefore a new cable clip has been manufactured to hold the conduit into place securely. This is being fixed using one of the bodyside securing screws.
The main resister banks adjacent to the main generator had been refitted some months ago, but not wired. These have now had each of the individual resistors connected and wiring is under way, unfortunately, during wiring and testing some of the connecting cables have been found to be faulty so about 6 wires will need to be replaced. Within the resistor banks are resistors with variable tapping, to allow for fine adjustment of the resistor values. These involve clamps for the wires to allow connection to a specific coil on the resistor. The first of these clamps has been cleaned and fitted. This can be seen in the latest photos section. The covers for the resistors are being cleaned and made ready for re-painting with heat resistant paint.
Once fully fitted, the loco cab floor will be fully fitted, and lino laid. Once the lino is laid, the cab chairs will be re-fitted. The work on the XSS and conduit can be seen in the latest photos section. Also visible is the main cab wiring connection box, which has now been fully overhauled, cleaned and painted with anti-tracking paint (to aid in insulating the box). All of the wiring circuits to and from this box have been checked with wires replaced as appropriate. This can be seen in the latest photos section. The cab chairs being fitted are from class 31's, therefore sit on an box extension to their pedestals. This is a standard class 37 modification, but changed slightly by using class 31 chairs. This box extension has been temporarily fitted on the drivers side of number 2 cab to enable the pedestal to be aligned and checked, which has been done. The chair pedestal has therefore been stripped to ensure that the seat movement mechanism is clear and fully operational before final fitting (This can be seen in the latest photos section.). Cab heaters are fitted to the seat riser box, rather than on the chair itself, and work on overhauling the heaters has commenced. The first to be tackled was tested to ensure none of the elements was faulty. Three of the four were found to have resistances of the correct 18.6 ohms, whilst one was found to be faulty with a resistance of 4000 ohms. Each heater element is 164.5 watts at 55 volts, with two wired in series to operate at the locomotives 110 volt system. This means that the driver has two 650 watt heaters under his chair - ensuring a warm cab. Spare heater elements are possessed, so a straight swap for the faulty element will be effected. The first heater has been stripped, and the connecting straps have been cleaned, and bolts replaced ready for the heater elements to be re-mounted within the frame. The frame itself has been straightened and cleaned and is awaiting painting in heat resistant paint. The heater work is seen in the latest photos section.
The load regulator contact tips for the fixed contacts are currently being worked on. Our machinist has 'bored out' the damaged parts of the contact tips and has filled the resultant holes with silver solder. This results in contact tips with, in effect, new contact surfaces. This can be seen in the latest photos section. The contact tips (each one about 1/4" in diameter) are being re-profiled in our lathe to ensure they are the correct shape before re-fitting. The entire set of contact tips has now been completed giving a set of, in effect, brand new contacts (This can be seen in the latest photos section.). Work continues on determining which supplier should manufacture new moving contacts.
The turbo charger pressure gauges are mounted on a bracket adjacent to the b side free end turbo. The bracket is missing from 40118, so a new bracket is being manufactured for the engine. This is being done from the engineering drawings, and can be seen in the latest photos section. The bracket has now been fully welded together and painted ready for mounting on the locomotive. The turbo boost gauges have all been cleaned and painted ready to be sent for calibration.
The underside of the locomotive, in the area where the water tanks are normally mounted is now being cleaned, to allow for the long task of painting and checking of that area to be commenced. Following the removal of grime, the task of needle gunning the underside has commenced. This process, using an air powered percussion tool removes any rust and scale from the metal to allow a fresh coat of paint to be applied. The actual water tank overhaul is the next major task on the list of jobs to do, and these will begin assessment in the next few weeks. The cleaning work can be seen in the latest photos section.
March & April 2007
All of our members were occupied at the Battlefield Line Diesel Gala during the weekend of 21 & 22 April, driving and working on the lines fleet of engines. In particular, the society assisted 37 227 which unfortunately burst a main water cooling pipe on its first run of the day (21st), a crew were dispatched to Tyseley to remove the component from 40118 to enable the 37 to re-enter traffic later the same day. A photo of a leaking class 37 appears here.
The control cubicle static testing has now been completed. This means that the control cubicle overhaul is complete. The last of the control cubicle doors has been cleaned and had new seals fitted. This means that the cubicle is now fully sealed from dust etc. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
40118 has received a bit of a spring clean, being washed for the first time in some years. By using an oil based cleaner, we have removed the oxidisation that builds up on old paintwork, returning the engine to its BR blue, rather than the faded blue often see on old engines. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
We started work on the cylinder head and piston removal. This will enable the heads to be overhauled with new springs and valves as appropriate. The water cooling spaces also need to be flushed to remove a buildup of debris (similar to that found in any radiator) which affects the ability to cool. It will also allow the pistons to be thoroughly checked and overhauled and more importantly the big end bearings can be checked and replaced as appropriate.
The big end bearings are being examined because it is expected that they will be worn to scrap, as was the case with the main bearings. The first set to be removed will, as expected need replacing. The piston rings etc will also need to be examined and replaced as necessary. The final part of the piston check (other than cleaning) will involve ensuring all the oil ways are clear of contaminated oil to ensure good lubrication in the future. A picture of a piston before removal can be seen in the latest photos section. The oil on the piston crown was added some years ago to free a piston seizure.
The first 8 main bearings (out of 9) have been ordered, with a lead time of early July. The 9th, the main thrust bearing will be ordered when funds permit.
An extraction tool is required to assist with the bearing removal, and this is being manufactured in our workshop. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
Cylinder heads on A1 and B1 cylinders head removed first, with piston A1 following on the same day. This is quite time consuming work owing to the design of the hoist being used which has to be dismantled to move it from cylinder to cylinder. In addition, the lifting holes on the pistons are clogged with carbon which needs cleaning out after the head has been removed. This work can be seen in the latest photos section
Other heads and pistons will follow over the coming weeks.
Work has started to clean the crankshaft oil ways and the sump generally, this will involve flushing through the small oil ways that allow lubricating oil to reach the bearings etc, and then flushing the sump to remove any oil and contamination that builds up over the years. this is a laborious manual task and will take some weeks to complete.
The resistor bank under the cooker has now been re-fitted and the resisters are waiting to be re-wired. Following the resistor re-fitting, the foot step adjacent to the main generator, in front of the resistor bank has been re-fitted. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The main control cubicle securing bar has now been re-fitted, which strengthens the cubicle mounting by utilising two of the main roof cross struts.
Work is beginning on the re-fitting of cab seats in the number 2 cab. Class 31 seats are being fitted, mounted on extension frames and the wiring conduits for the cab heaters are being slightly modified to suit the new arrangement. The exhauster speed up switch is in the process of being re-fitted after overhaul.
Adjacent to the cubicle is the grill that allows air to enter the train heating boiler. As it will be some time before the boiler is overhauled, this grill has been blanked off, with an internal plate. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
Work on the load regulator continues with the 'electrical' side now being completely stripped and the contactors examined. This has shown that 9 of the 39 contactors are broken and will need replacing with new and the majority of the remaining contactors are burned. Complete replacement is currently being priced.
The load regulator gearbox has been completely stripped and overhauled. Part of the overhaul has been to check the profile of the gears to ensure that they remain useable. A profile gauge was made using the engineering drawings, which has shown that the gears are un-worn, and have, as a result been re-fitted and the gearbox sealed ready for re-fitting once the electrical sections has caught up. A small extract of the drawing showing the gear pitch can be seen here
The electrical section of the load regulator is being cleaned and slowly re-assembled, using those components that do not require replacement. The back board has been cleaned and re-varnished, and all of the fixed contact posts have been painted with anti-tracking varnish and re-fitted to the back board (This can be seen in the latest photos section). The fixed contact tips are in the process of being re-metalled, a process which involves using a lathe to bore our the damaged metal, prior to re-applying silver, to make up a new contact tip. This process, being undertaken in our own workshop will be necessary on about 75% of the fixed contact tips. Quotes are currently being assembled for the manufacture of new moving contact assemblies. An order for new moving contacts will be made shortly.
The lubrication priming pump has now been refitted to the locomotive, having received its final paint. The connector between the pump and the motor was found to be slightly tight so has been adjusted to allow the motor to turn freely. The refitted motor can be seen in the latest photos section.
The bodyside adjacent to the cooker has seen more components re-fitted, with the fire pipes now in place alongside the main resister bank. This bank needs wiring and testing which will take place shortly. The cooker area can be seen in the latest photos section.
More coach overhaul work has been undertaken and can be seen in the coach restoration section.
January & February 2007
The second cylinder head is now fully disconnected and we now have two ready to lift off and overhaul. We have removed No,s 3, 6 and 9 main bearings. The engineer from Daido Europe which have taken over Glaciers who were the original manufacturer came and had a look at the shells and established that they were likely to be able to be re-metalled. The shells have now been taken to their works for a more detailed examination and re-metalling work
The interesting piece of information is that the manufacturers make the shells in halves not as pairs and therefore we can legitimately purchase half shells rather than pairs. To prevent steps from occurring in the join between the bearing halves, there is a 1 thou deep lead edge taper at the join on each side. The bearings we have removed are date coded and following reference to Daido's chart have been dated as manufactured in 1974.
The new washers arrived from Novus Sealing, and the second resistor frame has already been re assembled and is ready for fitting. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The reversers are still not finished. Following testing it was eventually established that the reason for the slow operation of one reverser in one direction was down to a partial blockage in the exhaust port of the ram. All the ports were re cleaned following previous painting and the reverser reassembled. This then revealed an air leak. A new pair of flaired ends have been made for the pipe connecting the left and right poppet vales and is now ready for refitting.
The cooker element has been repaired and refitted
The main bearing wiping tool has been manufactured for extracting the bottom shells of the main bearings. Following brazing, the joint needs cleaning back and will be ready for use. Two main bearing cap extraction tools are in the process of being made.
We had the good fortune to purchase a class 37 horn grill from a kind gentleman in Wellingborough which will be fitted to the number one end during the refurbishment of that end of the loco. This allows a borrowed one to be returned to its owner in due course. Many thanks for its loan.
Quite a lot of bits have received coats of paint including bits for the load regulator and fire pipes. Unfortunately no progress has been made with painting the body work to get ready for refitting the roof sections due to the bad weather.
The lub oil priming pump motor has been returned from Dowding and Mills with new bearings and brushes in a fully cleaned and overhauled motor. This is being painted in our workshop.
Major progress has been made on the coach. A new piece of South African mahogany has been fitted into the floor framing of the coach to replace a large section that was rotted through. The Oak corner post (number 2) has also been fitted, following the routering of the side rails to accept new tenons. The new mould has been made for the mess room end windows and the inside of the mess room has been re clad down one side. The mess room is a lot warmer as a consequence! Our machinist has also been helping the coach team in making the oak dowels to secure the oak tenons to the side rails and the corner post. Approx 28 are required per post
Components to commence the turbo charger overhaul have now been sourced and the first set purchased. This consists of 41 turbine blades for the build standard 3 turbo chargers. These have been purchased from EEC (UK) Ltd.
The team spent January continuing with the Main Bearing examination which is now complete. This has shown that all nine main bearing bases are worn to scrap, and three of the bearing tops are also worn to scrap. The entire set will be replaced with new bearings. The main crank shaft has, however, no visible wear. Work is commencing on preparing the power unit for the removal of the cylinder heads to enable a check on the piston crowns and rings. The first head, A1, has been disconnected ready for removal This can be seen in the latest photos section. Tools for removing and replacing the main bearings are in short supply, therefore, our machinist has been manufacturing a new bearing wiping tool in our workshop. This is a complex and time consuming process.
Three of the pressure switches were pressure tested on our test rig. These included the exhauster speed switch. The loco has several outwardly identical switches, but within the design the switches operate with two different parameters - the pressure at which they operate and the differential range between opening and closing the contacts. This can vary between 17 PSI and 14.5 PSI. Over time BR obviously confused the switches and we had to identify how the differential was controlled. This being done by way of a small spring on the switch over centre arm. Eventually after many spring changes we established that each respective switch had the wrong spring type. These can be changed from spares. The main operating pressure was also set up on two of the three switches undergoing testing, with a third still to be altered. These switches have now been overhauled, reassembled and have been painted ready for re-fitting to the locomotive.
The last of the control cubicle covers has been cleaned and painted, and will be fitted behind the reversers when wiring is completed. This will leave one door to clean and paint. The two reversers have now been wired on the high voltage terminals. We need to run new wires for the control circuits. The central cams have been re-fitted (Which can be seen in the latest photos section). The air cylinders that operate the reversers have now been re-fitted and the air pipes re-connected. This can be seen in the latest photos section. Work on testing and wiring the reversers has continued, with the right hand reverser needing some remedial work on the air ram, which had a blocked air exhaust port.
The large battery box has been retrieved from storage and is being 'fettled' prior to re-fitting. This box has, like the smaller battery box, had new shelves fitted (the old having suffered acid corrosion) and have been painted on the inside with an acid proof paint. When complete this will be re-fitted to the engine along with the two roof sections that have been re-skinned and painted. This can be seen in the latest photos section.
The water filter from within the engine room has been removed to allow the bodywork behind the strainer to be cleaned and painted (as can be seen in the latest photos section). The air/vacuum brake control equipment adjacent to the strainer has also been removed for overhaul, also the floor under the cooker has been reinstated.
The load regulator overhaul continues with the external cover having been cleaned, and the worst of the corrosion filled. This has been primed and gloss paint is being applied. This can be can be seen in the latest photos section.
Also, we progressed with the body work on the window adjacent to the boiler. This area has been fully cleaned and is being painted ready for the window to be re-fitted.
A great deal of wood cladding has been fitted to the coach, as can be seen in the coach restoration section. The appearance is a credit to those who's hard work is used!
The Lube oil priming pump motor has been delivered to Dowding and Mills for overhaul.
Finally, a new cooker element has been ordered from manufacturers in Goole and the suppliers details have been added to our supplier section. As with all our listed suppliers they have been helpful to our project. If you are involved in a preservation project why not consider contacting one of these companies to see if they can help you.
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