Latest News

Current news items are listed below. You can click on any images for a full size image.

Cab Work
13/10/2025
	You can read the background to this on this page. In the photo, the grey panel behind Mike's hand is the cab back panel as originally built in the early days of the project. The green panel with the brass frame is the new drivers screen panel. This will need to be welded so that it is flush with the grey panel. The edges of the back panel are protected by this beading. We needed a new piece of beading that needed a joggle inserted so that it followed the right profile (see the photo of 71000 in the above link. Bob from Tubular Fabrications Ltd, who are based at CTL Seal, quickly formed the correct profile in a piece of spare beading. Once the screen panel has been welded into the grey panel, this piece of beading can be welded into position.
Hind Cover Painting
13/10/2025
	The hind covers now need to go into store. Before storing, Ashley and roger applied some primer to the outside, non machined surfaces. All other surfaces will be coated in preservative oil.
Sandboxes - Trial Fit
29/09/2025
	Keith has been working on the filler pipes for the sandboxes. First we had to get plates cut to the correct (flat) profile. Then the top and bottom plates of the filler pipe went to Taylor and Watson in Penistone so they could be bent to match the side plates. Keith has then tack welded the pipes together and tack welded them to the flange plates which allow them to be bolted to the sand boxes. Today's job was to fit them to ensure we have no fouling problems before the pipes will be seam welded. The front sand box was not fitted to the original Clans and was one of the modifications due for the lot 242 second batch of Clans. This one is a tight fit at the top of the frames and we will have to do some minor easing here.
Cab Roof Dismantling
29/09/2025
	The cab roof is the last outstanding part of the cab that needs cleaning up after its long stay outdoors. Here Jim and Roger have spent the day steadily removing rusty nuts and bolts. It has been stripped down into 2 halves and will then be sent to a local blast cleaning company.
Hind Cylinder Covers - Goods Inwards Check
22/09/2025
	Today, John got his micrometers and ran a Goods Inwards check on the Hind Cylinder Covers. The cover has been placed on a surface table to allow checking of some of the dimensions.