October 2006. 6989 gets an outing during the autumn steam gala. Photo Rod Wallis.

PROGRESS AS AT 13TH MAY 2008

CURRENT WORKING PARTY:

Charlie Jones - Team Leader ,Jeff Jackson, Rod Wallis, Paul Emerton, Chris Tayler,John Spaul, Graham Watson and Ian Gearing.

GENERAL PROGRESS

Thus far in 2008 we have spent most of our efforts on the tender frame brakes.

COMPLETED WORK

LOCO FRAME AND MOTION

The frame and motion is completed. We will take the opportunity to do some repainting when the boiler is removed.

TENDER FRAME

Since the frame was returned from the from the Flour Mill we have:
Fitted the front and rear buffers and drawhook.
New brake hanger castings have been machined and the
wear blocks fitted.
All 3 pairs of hangers and associated stretchers
are fitted to the frame complete with new hanger top
pins and stretcher top hat bushes.
We have fitted grease nipples top and bottom as a
modern improvement to extend the life of the bushes.
Safety chains restored and fitted.
The linking brake rods and adjusters went away to be
rebushed and a set of new pins made by Colin Dinsdale
New sump manufactured.
The new brake blocks are also away with Colin to be
drilled.
Handbrake fitted.
Both side and the rear tank to frame fixing skirts
have been de-riveted and the front ends remade in new
metal. They are trial fitted to the frame.
The hardwood between the frame members and the tank is
fitted.
Made and fitted the shovelling plate, including 4 new
support brackets.
The dome is derusted and repaired ready to fit.
The toolboxes are refurbished.
The toolbox/coal bunker door supports are also
repaired and derusted and painted ready for assembly.
The beading for the joints and edges of the tank has
been removed from the old tank has been cleaned up for
reuse.
Manufacture and fitting of the vacuum pipes and
brakets is 95% completed.
The steam heat pipework brackets have been manufactured
and the section of pipe between the tender rear end
and the first flanged joint has been bent to shape and
temporarily fitted.

TENDER TANK

The steel for the tank, cut to pattern for us by the L.N.W.R. is dry stored. We recently started drilling the rivet holes in the new steel and fitting recovered items such as grab handles. The old tank is rapidly disappearing. We are keeping the old baffles and frame components as patterns. We have labelled and taken pictures of the various parts so we know which bit fits where.

ENGINE CLADDING

The steam pipe covers,safety valve bonnet and clack covers base and smoke box blower pipe cover are all fitted to the loco. The next job is the cladding and banding itself, the firebox elephants ears are ordered from the SDR.

BOILER CRINOLINE BANDS

All 8 crinoline bands are fitted. Next job here is to make the angle iron that fits to the cab front and overlaps the cladding.

LIVERY

The driver’s side nameplate is fitted to the loco. Work has commenced on the fireman’s side nameplate. The 38G shed plate and smoke box number plate are fitted. Charlie has made a bracket for the "Cathedrals Express" headboard and it is put on the engine for special events.

INJECTOR AND CLACK VALVE PIPEWORK

Both injectors are fitted and the copper and steel feed pipework between the injectors and clack valves is completed on the driver's side. The injector live steam feed pipes are now bent to shape by Trevor Tremblen and back with us ready to fit.

BRAKING SYSTEMS

All of the brake components and large vacuum pipes are on the loco, the smaller bore pipe work is yet to be done.

CAB FITOUT

A new backhead plate and side covers are fitted. Most of the cab fittings and gauges are now in place. We now have a correct pattern regulator handle. A new ATC mounting bracket has been made and this and the ATC have been trial fitted in the cab. The cab is also now fully glazed.

CONTROLS

Rod made a kit of parts for and Jeff welded together and fettled, the link between the regulator control and lubricator.

LUBRICATION SYSTEMS

The pipe fittings for the lubrication pipe work have been procured but the pipework is yet to be made up.

ASHPAN/DAMPER CONTROLS

The ashpan has been refurbished. The fulcrum assembly that operates the ashpan hopper and damper door controls was also refurbished in 04 and is ready for for assembly and fitting to the loco. We have the brackets, but these need machining.

BOILER

We had a cold boiler inspection done by two different inspectors on 29th August 06. Their findings were that the boiler is in very good overall condition and needs only to be retubed, all firebox stay nuts replacing, copper welding to build up a small area of the front tube plate and steel welding on small areas of the boiler barrel to remedy minor pitting and and areas around the mud hole doors where slight erosion has taken place.

CAN YOU HELP?

We are always in need of volunteers to assist with the restoration. You do not have to be a locomotive engineer -although it would be great if you are - there is plenty to do for all abilities. We run working parties most Sundays and Tuesday or Wednesday evenings the whole year round. We always need more volunteers. If you want to help you need to be a member of the Quainton Railway Society - for insurance purposes. Interested? then contact Chartlie Jones on 01525 635860, or Jeff Jackson on 01278 781649 (before 20:00).