Latest News

Current news items are listed below. If the Acrobat icon is shown, then click on the icon to read the attachment. If an image is shown, you can click it for a full size image. You can find old news items in the News Archive.

Coupled Wheel Axleboxes
24/08/2026
	The first of our three coupled wheel cannon axleboxes has been cast by Norton Cast Products in Sheffield. This axlebox is virtually has it was extracted from the sand mould; it has been shotblasted. It still has the various risers where the molten metal is poured into the mould and where the gases can escape as the mould is filled. The thin protrusions are "whistlers"; gain to let gases escape. The rectangular block sticking upwards from the central part of the axlebox is a test piece. This will be used to ensure that the chemical composition of the steel is correct to specification. Next stage is heat treatment which is a controlled process where metal castings are heated to specific temperatures, held at those temperatures for a period of time, and then cooled in a particular way. This process alters the microstructure of the metal to improve its mechanical properties and removes internal stresses. After that, the casting will go for fettling where all the casting protrusions (e.g. the risers) will be removed and the casting cleaned up. The final stage is Non Destructive Testing.
Coupled Wheel Axleboxes (2)
24/08/2026
	This is a view from the other side of the axlebox. The spring attachment lugs can be seen on each side. A pin goes through the lugs and a spring hanger. The spring hanger is connected via another pin to the central spring buckle. Once NDT testing is complete and satisfactory, the axleboxes will be shipped to Diamond Engineering for first stage proof machining.
Pony Truck Radial Arm Pattern
19/08/2026
	General Patterns in Castleford are building the pattern for casting of the pony truck radial arm. So far General patterns have been working on the computer modelling for the pattern. Work has now commenced on building the pattern - at the moment it doesn't look much like the radial arm!
Reverser Drive Flanges
10/08/2026
	The driver's reverser control is linked to a long transmission tube that runs from the cab to the motion bracket on the left hand side of the frames. The tube is very similar to an automotive propeller shaft in that it has universal joints at each end. Each end of the tube has to be bolted to a Hardy Spicer drive flange. We had one drive flange in stock but were missing the other. Hardy Spicer in Australia were very helpful in pointing us towards International Marketing Services in Birmingham who were able to supply us with a generic drive flange that could be machined to match the drive flange we had in stock. This job has been completed by Alpenbury Precision Engineering in Parkgate, Rotherham who have produced the completed flange on the right. They also produced 2 keys for the reverser shafts, one of which is on the left. We do have some more work to do on the end away from the connection flange which needs to be a smaller diameter.