Latest News

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Tightening the Nuts
10/08/2020
	The fitted bolts for the frame are secured by Philidas locking nuts. Most of the bolts are 1-1/8" diameter with some at 1-1/4". The nuts have to be torqued up to a specific torque setting, 360 lb ft for the former and 500 lb ft for the latter. Fortunately CTL Seal have a hydraulic torque wrench which makes the job a lot easier. Damien can be seen here tightening the nuts. If you're wondering about the surplus washers on the bolts above his left hand, all will be explained next week!
Bogie Stretcher Progress
10/08/2020
	Meanwhile, in the machine shop, the recesses for the bogie bolster pads were being machined. Circular brass pads fit into the recesses, secured by 4 countersunk head set screws. These transfer the weight of the front of the loco to the bogie via bolster cups.
Hind Beam Components
10/08/2020
	Over in the fabrication shop, the 3 hind beam components have been through heat teratment after fabrication and are awaiting Ultrasonic Testing. The 2 gussets on the right strengthen the corner between the frames and the hind beam. They also transfer the weight of the loco to the trailing delta truck using a bolster system similar to the bogie. Top right is the intermediate rubbing block which is fixed to the centre back of the hind beam. UT tetsing is scheduled for Wednesday, after which the components are off to the machine shop. The rubbing block needs the radiused surface to be machined before manganese steel liners can be welded to the surface.
Bogie Axlebox Guides - 1
03/08/2020
	7 bogie axlebox guides having completed stage 1 machining. They will be going back on the machine for stage 2 machining. However, the face that abuts the axlebox itself will be finish machined once it is assembled on the bogie frame.
Bogie Axlebox Guides - 2
03/08/2020
	The eigth axlebox guide can be seen inside the CNC machine station
Centre Plate below Smokebox Door
03/08/2020
	A small part arrived on site today which is the large flat plate. The front of this plate sits on top of the front buffer beam between the 2 frame plates. The lower central lamp iron has been painted in primer and has been placed to show its position. Behind tha is the bracket that will support the central footstep. The Britannias and the Clans were originally fitted with 2 foot steps either side of the central plate with a gap in the middle. The Britannias were modified by removing these steps and replacing them with a central step, ostensibly to assist with fitting the headboard. It probably makes it a lot easier to clean out the smokebox as well. We have decided to adopt this modification for Hengist.
Bogie Stretcher Machining - Phase 2
27/07/2020
	The bogie stretcher casting is now onto its second stage of machining. The photo is looking at the top face of the stretcher and the machining has produced the 2 circular recesses in the "arms". Brass bogie bolster pads fit into the recesses and are secured by screws with countersunk heads. The 2 pads transfer the weight of the front of the engine onto the bogie. During today, the casting was reversed on the machine bed so that machining of the other side could take place.
Small Parts
27/07/2020
	Small parts have important roles to play. British Railways Automatic Warning System was retrofitted to the Britannias and the Clans in the period 1959 - 1962. One of the components was a receiver mounted on a stay on the front of the bogie. To protect the receiver from the coupling, hanging from the drawhook on the buffer beam, a rectangular plate was attached to the bottom of the buffer beam. The 5 hole section in the image is the mounting bracket for the plate and needs to be welded to the bottom of the buffer beam. The 3 hole plate will be a modern day modification. Again, this will be welded to the bottom of the buffer beam. The bracket for the air braking shut off cocks will be attached to the plate
Buffers
20/07/2020
	We this set of buffers moved up to the container today. We have 2 oval head buffers and 3 round head buffers. The oval head buffers are surplus to requirements as we have 2 more in the assembly shop waiting to be fitted to the buffer beam. 2 of the round head buffers will be required for the tender so 1 is surplus to requirements.The surplus buffers have now been sold.