Build Diary entries for December 2021

Here are the diary entries for this month. You can use the forward and backward links to see the next or previous months. Most photos taken before 2018 are small size. From 2018 onwards, most photos you see below will have a link to a full size image by clicking on the photo.

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Work Continues of Firebox Support Stretcher
06/12/2021
	The place where the main frames are fastened to the frame extensions is a critical area made more complicated by also having to fit the firebox support stretcher in the same area. A key interface is where the bottom of the main frames and the frame extensions sit on the firebox support stretcher. CTL Seal have got out the engineers blue to identify the high spots. A solid steel bar has been placed on top of the 2 jacks to get the upward pressure from the jacks distributed as evenly as possible. The job is apply engineers blue, jack up firebox support, release firebox support, identify high spot, lightly grind high spot, repeat. Slow going but its got to be right.
Bogie Frame Plates
13/12/2021
	The last couple of months have seen a major stocktake of our paperwork and systems to support it. The original set of bogie frame plates are around 20 years old and, unfortunately, we have not been able to trace any of the paperwork for them. As they are part of a critical wheelset system, we have reluctantly taken the decision that they have to be replaced with a new set with the correct traceability. Fortunately one of our sponsors has stepped in to assist in the manufacture of new plates. Here they are in CTL Seal's machine shop ready to go off for shot blasting before machining can start. If you look closely you can see surplus material (as on the top centre) which will be machined off.
Sand Traps
20/12/2021
	The project has acquired 8 sand traps which were used on both steam and diesel locomotives. These bolt to the bottom of the sand boxes through the top flange and bolt to the steel sand pipes going down to the sand ejectors (where the sand is combined with steam) near the wheels. The sloping flange has a cover and this allows any sand blockage to be cleared. We managed to get this one vapour blasted and it has come quite nicely. Now we need to get the other 7 done together with the 8 covers!