October 2025 Update

By Pete Maddicks & Tony Howard

This month we have pushed on with the assembly, the cladding being the main focus, most is now fitted, just one more piece to go and then the tanks can go on for good. It is so good to be putting parts on the loco knowing that they are going on to stay. We have been going through all of the cab fittings to make sure they are ready to go on when the time comes. So far nothing too serious has been found, but it is better to find out now than delay the steaming. 

Saturday 4th October.
On site today, Kevin S, Peter M, Simon B, Tony H.
Following a request the previous evening to clean up the Blast Pipe and remove the Jumper Ring, Kevin, Simon and Tony undertook this task. As far as we knew the Blast Pipe has had no attention paid to it since the loco was rescued from Barry, except a coat of paint. The parts we needed to remove were the retaining stalks that allow the Jumper ring to basically jump. They are fixed by lock nuts with two full nuts, so no thread was visible.  We did however spray lots of WD 40 over the parts. This had no effect. Luckily Alex R was on site and had access to the oxy acetylene torch. Heating each nut in turn to a cherry red colour, and using a ring spanner the nuts were removed. The amount of debris we found confirmed what we had suspected,  no attention had been made to the Blast Pipe since the loco had been rescued from Barry. Peter fixed the sliding plates to the frames. These allow the firebox to expand when at working temperature.

Monday 6th October.
On site today, Bob L, Charles L, Dave L, Dave Mc, Jacob L, Peter D, Peter M, Phil H, Steve T, Tony H.
Following our efforts on Saturday with the Jumper ring removal, we were asked to remove the circular plate that held Jumper ring retaining stalks. Phil and Tony undertook this task. It was not advisable to heat the nuts as it would put too much heat into the main casting.  The bolt heads and the locking nuts were cut off with a slitting disc, then a hole was drilled into each of the three bolts. The casting was placed on the Radial Drill, and a clearance drill was used to remove the old bolts.
The rest of the gang were lagging and fixing the large plate that supports the safety valve bonnet. The two final cladding sheets were brought into the shed, possibly for fitting on Saturday. All the Smokebox saddle bolts were given a coat of copperslip and tightened up.
The steel part of the chimney's copper cap was finished.

Saturday 11th October.
On site today, Kevin S, Simon B, Tony H.
With only three of us on site, we couldn't fit the final boiler cladding sheet. We did manage to paint the edges and the areas of the said cladding sheet that had been scratched in storage.

Monday 13th October.
On site today, Bryn T,  Dave L, Dave Mc, Peter D, Steve T, Tony H
The last of the lagging was fitted to the boiler,  then the two cladding sheets were fitted.  Once they were in place, the safety valve bonnet was trial fitted. The fixing holes were checked to see if they all lined up. Some fettling was needed to get them exactly right, eventually they all lined up. Next, we fitted the "Elephant's ears" only on one side, the other side has not been completed.

Saturday 18th October.
No work today.

Monday 20th October.
On site today, Bob L, Charles L, Dave L, Peter D, Peter M, Steve T, Tony H.
Dave and Steve worked on the "Elephant's ears " on the left-hand side. This was the item of cladding that extends downwards to the item of cladding that covers the throat plate. Although it was made a mirror image of the right-hand piece that fitted, this side didn't, so some modifications were made. Charles and Peter D fitted the final bolts that fix the smokebox to the saddle. They then tightened up all the bolts and fitted the bolts that hold the two supporting bars to the smokebox.
Bob painted more items. Peter M found the regulator stuffing box ready to be inspected.

Saturday 25th October.
On site today, Kevin S, Peter M, Simon B, Steve M, Tony H.
Kevin fitted the cover plates that fit at the front and rear of the smokebox saddle. Simon cleaned the face of the regulator stuffing box. Steve touched up the paintwork that had been scratched when the boiler had been fitted into the frames. Tony and Peter sorted out Jobs for Monday.

Monday 27th October.
On site today, Bob L, Charles L, Dave L, Peter D, Peter M, Steve T, Tony H.
Charles and Peter D fitted the 8mm and 10mm injectors. Dave and Steve carried on working on the awkward shaped cladding. Bob was painting. Peter and Tony fitted the new pressure switch on the water pump that is used for boiler washout. Tony later joined Peter an Charles fitting the pipework to both injectors. Still plenty more work on this task.