Build Diary entries for October 2023

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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Bogie Frame Reaming
02/10/2023
	Today we have finally managed to successfully ream the bolt holes that fix the bogie frame plates to the central bogie stretcher. This week we will seek quotations for the bolts. Countersunk head bolts are required in order to avoid fouling the bogie spring cradle. The magnetic drill is clamped to the frame plates and a safety strop is attached to the overhead crane. Photo by John Hind.
Checking the Bolt Holes
02/10/2023
	After reaming, Geoff uses a telescopic or snap gauge to check the internal diameter of the hole. A telescopic gauge is used so that we can confirm that the hole is truly parallel and is not tapered.
Brake Hangers
02/10/2023
	Meanwhile Mike had set up our Asquith drill to ream out the holes for the brake hangers.
Dragbox - Fabrication 80% complete
16/10/2023
	The new dragbox is in the fabrication shop at CTL Seal. The first set of welds are complete and fettling (to clean up the welded area) is in progress in the photo. Once the internal welds have been fettled, the rear plate will be welded on. The final welding stage will be to complete the circular column on the bottom face of the dragbox. This is where the pony truck centring pin is fastened. The small circular bosses that can be seen will be machined out in the machining shop. This is where the safety links between tender and engine are connected. Once fabrication is complete, the dragbox will move to the machine shop. Here the outer faces of the side plates and the rear face of the end plates will be machined. Also the face for the centring pin plate will be machined.
Axlebox Guide Liners
16/10/2023
	In the machine shop, work has started on the axlebox guide liners; we need 8 of these. Each liner consist of a shallow u shaped steel liner with a 6mm thick manganese steel liner welded to it. The photo shows a manganese steel liner in CTL Seal's milling station. The 3 holes are for the bolts that will fasten the liner to the axlebox guides.
Dragbox - Fabrication Complete
23/10/2023
	The new dragbox is now fully fabricated. All of the welds have been fettled and the dragbox will now be subject to Non Destructive Testing. Magnetic Particle Inspection to detect any cracks. For the full penetration welds (as opposed to the fillet welds) Ultrasonic Testing will be conducted. The last welding jobs to fit the hind plate, which can be seen in the photo. The other job was the building up of he circular column and circular base plate. The pony truck centring pin is bolted to the bottom of the circular plate.