Build Diary entries for October 2024

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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Pony Truck Spring Links
07/10/2024
	Today we took delivery of the pony truck spring links and spring supports from Generic Engineering in Rotherham. The spring links pass through the centre of the coil springs which provide the suspension of the pony truck. As you can see on the left, the spring supports slip over the bottom of the spring links and provide the working base for the coil springs. The Goods Inwards paperwork is ready to be completed. We hope to take delivery of the horizontal spring beams next week - the tops of the spring links pass through the spring beam and are secured by cotters. The spring beam transfers the motion of the axlebox to the suspension springs.
2024 AGM (1)
12/10/2024
	SSLC held its Annual General Meeting on 12 October at CTL Seal's premises in Sheffield. On display was the first trial assembly of the bogie. After one false start everything was in place. The spring is sitting lower than it would be when fully assembled as we have not yet obtained the correct cotters for the vertical spring links.
2024 AGM (2)
13/10/2024
	Second item on display was the refurbished cab floor and diaphragm plates.The diaphragm plates bot vertically to the bottom of the cab floor and to the top of the hind beam on the frames. They are designed to flex - as the cab floor is attached to the boiler, the cab floor needs to be able to move backwards as the boiler expands with heat. our cab structure has spent a long time out in the open air. First at Quorn on the Great Central Railway and the at CTL Seal. This year, we decided it was time for a bare metal refurbishment These parts were kindly blast cleaned and painted by Brightstar Shotblastings & Coatings Ltd in Sheffield. The parts were delivered on Monday and returned to us on Friday in time for the AGM. We are very grateful for their support.
2024 AGM (3)
13/10/2024
	All 6 coupled wheels have now been cast by William Cook Cast Products Ltd, the last 2 being cast last Wednesday. For the AGM WCCP kindly organised the loan of one of the coupled wheels. This is at an early stage in the fettling and testing process and will be returned to WCCP on 14 October. WCCP are planning to start machining in November.
Frame Preparation
14/10/2024
	Ashley has started work preparing the frames for painting. We've fitted some blanking plates where the cylinders are fitted; these are 12mm oversize all round so that Ashley can paint up to them. The cylinders to frame join must be a metal to metal contact face.
Thanks to Presto Tools
21/10/2024
	Drilling and reaming of the bolts holes for the hind dragbox is almost complete with one hole to finish next week. We are very grateful to Presto International UK Ltd for their support during this work. Presto have provided us with reamers with a specially ground lead-in on the reamers to aid smooth reaming.
Rear Panel for Cab
21/10/2024
	The Britannias and Clans suffered from draughty cabs, partly due to the BR1 tender with no fall plate. The later batch of Clans were destined to have modified tenders and gangway doors that reduced the draughts. We are also applying a modification that can be found on later Standard engines where the panel behind the driver was extended up to the cab roof. This section will be welded on to the existing waist high panel.
Frame Painting Starts
21/10/2024
	Work is in progress to dress the welding around the hornguides as seen on the right of the photo, As work advances, Ashley has started to paint the frames with etch primer. The grey boards are to protect the area where the cylinders will be mounted - this needs a metal to metal contact face. The nuts and bolts have not been painted as we need to have a full torque setting check once all bolts have been fitted.