Build Diary entries for March 2022

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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Smoke Deflectors - contd
07/03/2022
	The bottom of the smoke deflectors are secured to the running plate via 4' 8" length of 2" angle. Today, Mike and Neil used the small magnetic drill to drill out the holes that will secure the angle to the smoke deflectors.
Machining of Bogie Cannon Axle Boxes
14/03/2022
	Things are starting to come together now in the cannon axle boxes for the bogie. The only drawings we have are the arrangement drawings which show the dimensions for the cannon box casting but do not show the dimensions of the internal components. Therefore we have had to develop our own drawings based on interpolation of the arrangement drawings.Timken Ltd have very kindly validated our drawings and have suggested minor changes to do with tolerances. We are about to place an order for the internal components (the wheel bearings are in stock). meanwhile we can start machining the cannon boxes. The work involves 3 stages 1. The surfaces for the main face and side liners will be machined first 2. Manganese steel liners will be welded to the cannon boxes - we need to develop a weld procedure for this job which is in hand. 3. Final machining will then take place, which will also involve final machining of the manganese steel liners. The photo shows the cannon axle boxes being set up on the Juaristi machine at CTL Seal. Most of today's work has been carefully checking that everything has been set up correctly. Measure twice, cut once! The cannon axle boxes were originally designed to be lubricated by oil. British Railways started a changed over to grease in the late 1950s - not all engines were converted by the end of steam.
Packing Plates (1)
21/03/2022
	In order to finish off the fitting together of the main frames/frame extensions/firebox support stretcher, these packing plates must be fitted. Looked at from the side, the firebox support stretcher is an "L" shape. The frame extensions are 2" thick plate but in the region of the main frames they are machined down to 1" thick, except in the area of the vertical part of the "L" where they are still 2" thick. Therefore a 1" thick packing plate is required and can be seen just under the tip of the arrow in the image.
Packing Plates (2)
21/03/2022
	This is one of the packing plates sitting on CTL Seal's inspection bench. We have measured the gap between the stretcher and the frame extensions and the plates have been machined down to be a tight fit. It has also been necessary to machine a radius on the packing plate which has to match the radius on the frame extensions where they have been machined down from 2" thick to 1" thick.
Packing Plates (3)
21/03/2022
	This is Sam from CTL Seal setting up the machine to profile the radius. You can follow this link to see the radius being formed on the machine. Note how the bed is moving from side to side and the head is moving in and out.
Bogie Cannon Axleboxes
21/03/2022
	The bogie cannon axleboxes have been through stage 1 machining which is to form the faces where the manganese steel liners will be welded on. As we are welding together 2 different materials, we have to create a weld procedure which must be validated. The cannon box is cast steel, the liners are manganese steel. We have ordered a test block of cast steel from the foundry for this validation. Once the plates have been welded onto the cannon boxes, then we will do all of the remaining machining including machining the liners down to the correct thickness.
Smoke Deflector Stays
28/03/2022
	Thanks to our members for supporting a recent mini appeal for the smoke deflectors stays. The stays were laser cut by Specialised Laser products in Rotherham and bent to shape by Taylor and Watson in Penistone. The bottom 6 stays are fitted along the top of the deflectors. The top 2 stays are fitted at the front of the stays on the horizontal centre line of the smokebox door. The bottom 2 are more complex. They sit at the front of the deflectors in the lower quadrant of the smokebox; consequently they need a twist as one end is vertical on the deflectors and the other end is fitted to the smokebox wrapper. The twist isn't quite right so they will be going back for a bit more bending.
Smoke Deflectors
28/03/2022
	The smoke deflectors are secured to the running plate by a length of angle steel. The angle steel is bolted to the running plate and was riveted to the smoke deflector. We have welded the angle but have installed false rivets so it looks like the original. here are Bob from CTLL Seal and Mike from SSLC discussing the job. The joing plate at the bottom front of the deflector (right hand on photo) also has a joint strip which is getting the same treatment.
Packing Plates
28/03/2022
	The firebox stretcher packing plates have now been machined to size and are ready for fitting. The packing plate now has to be fitted into its final position between the stretcher (in red) and the frame extensions. To the right of the packing plate, the frame extensions are 2" thick but behind the packing plate itself the frame extensions are 1" thick and there is a transition radius between the 2 thickness with a matching radius on the packing plate. This is now a fitting job where Bob will carefully work on the plate to get it into position - a true fitting job. Once the packing plate is in position, we can get the remaining holes drilled and reamed so that we can order the final set of fitted bolts.