NEWS – Page 2 – Stanier Mogul Fund

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Overhaul update
Posted on August 30, 2020

Last time we reported that all slide bars were now in place. Well, the left hand lower one has been removed again for reasons unknown: the volunteers and full-time staff are in on different days making communication difficult. We assume that the alignment requires a little adjustment and it was taken off to allow this, but its location in the workshop was never found.
All sand and steam pipes are now fitted. We had left off that to the front of the left hand intermediate wheel to allow easier access to between the frames, but the number of such excursions has reduced, so this set of sanding gear fitted.
The previous Sunday had seen the Fund’s other working party continue with the cab roof. This is being taken back to bare metal and the first primer coats applied.
Inside the roof are various fittings such as pockets for the driver’s documents, etc. These have been taken off. The main line number plate will follow.
Back on the engine, the new fireman’s seat has been prepared by one of the Fund’s members. The Fund has many tales of these engines in BR service and this seat was always the thing firemen complained about. It isn’t particularly comfortable, but the fact that they had time to discover this is an indication of the engines’ abilities!
Overhaul update
Posted on August 16, 2020

The working parties are now once again a weekly occurrence, but meet on Sundays only until social distancing rules allow otherwise. These photos were taken over a three week period starting on 2 August 2020.

SVR staff are present Mondays to Saturdays with volunteers on Sundays; keeping them apart limits any possibility of spreading the infection. It does though limit communications between the two parties, but having a black cab side sheet allows chalked instructions to be carried forwards.
Work by SVR staff has resumed (they had been transferred to preparation of the running fleet for service operations), and this includes fitting and aligning the left hand top slidebar. In turn, this has allowed all measurements to be made preparatory to machining the crossheads, a job soon to be started.
The removed cylinder cladding as reported last time has allowed the painting to begin, to both inner and outer surfaces, first in grey primer ...
...then in black undercoat.
The cab roof has been moved down to outside the paint shop, where work on stripping the old paint and removing surface rust has started.
A week later, parts of it were in primer. The roof vent has also been dismantled to be fully cleaned and painted without leaving hidden, covered areas untouched.
Much work has been done on the trailing sandpipes. Both sides’ pipes through which the sand will run were made up by SVR staff, and the SMF have tackled the steam pipes. New ones have been made up with male and female ends fitted by silver soldering them to the copper pipes, which were then annealed prior to bending to shape.
They were then led into the cab area, necessitating a large hole being formed in the cab plate work. The mag drill was used to cut this.
Following this, the pipe, made in short sections coupled together, was fed into the cab. Note the supporting bracket.
Below the cab floor, the pipes from each side are extended below floor level. Eventually, a third pipe will be provided for the lead sanders, and all three will have extension pieces leading vertically up the firebox backplate to the sand / blower valve.
The assembly on the right side, with both sand and steam pipes in place.
Likewise on the left. These views are before the painters were turned loose on them!
Overhaul update
Posted on July 26, 2020

The 26th July 2020 marked the Fund’s working party’s first visit to Bridgnorth since the beginning of the lock down. After a four month break, the priority was to see where things were up to and devise a plan for future weekly visits, but for the time being, these will be on Sundays rather than Thursdays.

The first new items discovered were the new glands where the main steam pipes emerge from the smokebox, which must be air tight. This photo shows the pipes with the old glands still on; the shiny replacements to the lower right.
We reported last time that new cylinder cladding sheets were being fabricated and that the right side one was trial fitted. It was still on the engine, so the working party removed it; next week will see it begin the painting process.
An unexpected job appeared on the brake system: some of the hangers were tight to move, so the decision was made to remove the offending hanger pins for a quick skim in the lathe. The final one was the left hand leading, and as can be seen, this is in very close proximity to and partly masked by the back cylinder cover. This pin required some persuasion from a lump hammer but eventually came out. The hanger bush is seen through the hole, the hanger having swiveled forwards.
Following its spin on the lathe, the pin proved even more stubborn when trying to return it to its home. Josh tries to line up the three bushes (one each side of the bracket, one in the hanger) by eye prior to another abortive attempt.
Success was finally achieved by removing the pins in the brake pull rods and the taking off brake block itself, but victory was achieved. The pin is home and the split pin inserted (note: but not opened), then the rest of the linkage reassembled.
As previously reported, work continued on the boiler for a few weeks after lock down began, so we went to have a look. The lower firebox sides have now been riveted to the new lower throatplate and backplates, another step forward.
The inner firebox sides have had their stay holes reamed out and the hole size written next to it...
...and further back have had the stays inserted.
The last report mentioned that the nuts and bolts securing the inner backplate to the crown and sides were being replaced by patch screws, and this work has progressed.
The view vertically downwards towards the crown with the backplate to the right, and patch screws in course of being fitted. Note the boilersmith’s tools, including a large spanner (bottom) and reamer (right).
So what do patch screws look like? This is a close up on the fire side. The square heads will eventually be removed.
Overhaul update
Posted on May 11, 2020

The inner door plate bolted in position in preparation for patch screwing. You can so see that work has progressed round the fire hole door.
Boiler Smith Phil Davison looking out through the fire hole door. You can also see that drilling has progressed.
The doorplate in position and if you look closely you will see copper patch screws on the Left hand side. These patch screws were turned in the Boiler shop CNC booth last week.
Overhaul update
Posted on March 19, 2020

Work has begun on refitting cladding pieces to the cylinders. The main sheet for the right side was found to contain areas of corrosion so a new replacement was made, seen here trial fitted with all mounting bolts in place. The corresponding item for the left cylinder is seen left, and the old right hand one just visible extreme right.
The cladding pieces for the valve chest are complex and there are four examples of each piece. A job undertaken by the Fund working party was to find all the pieces, identify their location and, not least, figure out how they could be persuaded to go into their correct places. The outside side piece was easy enough as shown, but above it is a horizontal section, its holes not yet lined up with the bolts below, and a larger piece in front. It was found that fitting this requires the removal of running plate support bracket, which was done at one location to prove the point.
Various other pieces of the three-dimensional jigsaw. The half-moon section Upper left covers the outside of the rear of the back cylinder cover.
The ashpan is still in the main workshop and work continues on the linkages for the hopper doors and dampers.
The mounting holes to the firebox foundation ring have been cut.
The inner firebox backplate is now in its rightful place, although not yet properly fastened in; work is proceeding in that direction. The temporary fastenings can be seen at the top of the photo.
The firehole, with the two layers of inner and outer firebox apparent.
Most of the permanent fastenings are the stays between inner and outer backplates. Those in the inner are, of course, still there and the holes in the outer have started to be drilled, starting as small holes and building up to full size.
Close up of the backplate with many holes drilled and others marked out.
Overhaul update
Posted on February 20, 2020

New brake blocks have been fitted to the middle and trailing axle brake hangers on both sides of the loco. This is a close-up of the Right hand side trailing brake block.
A more general view of the Right hand side showing both (somewhat rusty) brake blocks in situ.
Further work carried by the paid staff is on display here with the Right hand side slide bars temporarily bolted in position ready for final optical alignment and fixing.
This is one of the shims for the Right hand slide bars being machined on one of the company’s milling machines. This will go between the relevant slide bar and the big cast bracket (just visible to the left of the previous picture) that supports the rear ends of the slide bars.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the shed is the smokebox door showing the handrail after removal.
A recent arrival in the shed is the new lid casting for one of the mechanical lubricators whose existing one is cracked. This will be machined in due course and the four little slightly tapered cylindrical bits (part of the casting process) will be removed.
The Right hand side slide bars all fitted.
Angle grinding the running plate.
Drilling holes in the new running plate for fitting.
Another view of angle grinding work.
Drilling the holes in the running plate for fitting.
The completed work on the Left hand side running plate.
Overhaul update
Posted on February 6, 2020

Work has started to reinstall the sanding gear, both leading and intermediate sets on the right side are fitted, and also that to the leading wheel on the left side; the set to the front of the LH intermediate wheel is ready but not fitted. This allows access to the underside of the engine. Both trailing sand pipes are corroded through and will be replaced. The main steam pipes from the superheater header to valve chest lie in the lower right corner. These too have been found to be thin and will be replaced.
The superheater header has been dug out of storage. Although in good condition work is as ever needed. The Fund’s working party has retapped all stud holes; yet to be tackled is the grinding of the seatings for the two ends of each of the 21 elements.
Dismantling the old smokebox door continues and the two hinges are off and, of course, painted in grey primer.
The complete smokebox is to be replaced, including the ring against which the door closes. The new one has arrived.
Even the dart to keep the door closed is being made new.
The old, worn one and its replacement are here shown for comparison.
The foundation ring had been fitted temporarily to act as a jig for all the new steel which was fitted. Having done its job there, it is out again to allow the inner backplate to go in.
And it is easy to see that work on the new front tube plate continues prior to fitting it.
Outside the boiler shop, the ashpan now has its various door hinges bolted in place and the linkages for the hopper doors is being assembled.
DSCF2114 The time is approaching when the Smokebox saddle will be sealed up, so the final coats of silver paint have been applied to all internal surfaces.
It had been necessary to dismantle the drain cock mechanisms on both side of the engine.
The working party reassembled both sides during the day.
Soon to be refitted are the slidebars, just returned from contractors following regrinding to parallel.
Much of the working party’s work today was identifying many lengths of pipe to discover where they came from; many labels attached at removal having become detached or oil-soaked and illegible. Sitting on the running plate is the atomiser steam pipe from the shut-off cock on the side of the smokebox to the drain cock valve between the frames. The job was likened to a jigsaw: the more parts fitted mean fewer to identify and fewer places to fit them.
And, of course, the painters were busy! This is one of the boiler handrails, partly cleaned and with a first coat of grey primer.
On Saturday 8th February a team photo following successful fitting of the blastpipe baseplate.
Overhaul update
Posted on January 16, 2020

The smokebox door has had its inner liner removed to give access to the fastenings of its various fittings, including the hinges.
The rear face of the outer door, with the mounting points outlined in chalk.
Other smokebox fittings have appeared from storage, including both sides main steampipes from the superheater header to outside the smokebox wrapper.
Inside the smokebox saddle some wasted steel is being built up by welding.
A week previous, the remains of the studs for the blastpipe stand were drilled out using the magnetic drill and the threads recovered by the SMF working party.
Below, the water drain and connection for the front vacuum pipe is now fitted, waiting for the repainted pipework shown last time to be attached. This area is normally hidden behind the front running steps.
A general view of the rear of the loco, giving an idea of the number of fittings which have been attached, including the pull-off spring to the brake cylinder bellcrank..
...while the brake pull rod extending from there to the rear crossbeam is also on.
Also now fitted, but mainly to check functionality and fit of pins, is the reverser reach rod together with its steadying bracket part way along its length. A lot more work was done also on the lubrication pipework, and in the background a Fund volunteer has the tedious job of priming the feeds from the axlebox mechanical lubricator to ensure continuity of supply to each box with no leaks in between.
In the boiler shop, work on riveting the new backplate piece to the firebox sidesheets is well advanced.
With riveting complete also to the reinforcement piece between the original upper and new lower sections.
A small piece had to be cut from each side to allow access to the rear during the joining process. These too have now been made good. Seen also on the left is one of the rivets to the reinforcement between upper and lower section.
The copper inner backplate, which has been the recipient of much welding, has been removed from the welding bay prior to fitment once all riveting on the outer shell is finished.
The new front tubeplate which, as previously explained, was sent away to be drilled by sub-contractors, is back and will soon be fitted to the boiler shell.
Overhaul update
Posted on January 11, 2020

Both sides cab running steps are now permanently fitted and the work to mount the new injectors to them is advancing, more so on the driver’s side.
Here we see the injector bolted into place with the pipework attached. The new connections for the water bags from the tender are also to be seen.
Newly painted brackets ready to fit the other side’s injector.
This is the vacuum standpipe for the front buffer beam still attached to the cross pipe normally hidden behind the beam. It requires the usual paint treatment before attachment. Note the brake blocks ready to fit once all the brake rigging is in place.
Freshly painted parts, comprising a length of piping for the right hand feed water system, and parts of the firedoor operating mechanism.
The smokebox door has been brought in from the cold. It and its liner, uppermost, are to be replaced by new pieces.
Overhaul update
Posted on December 12, 2019

Work proceeds on the upturned boiler, with the stay holes in the right hand side lower firebox side being reamed out. This was the first stage: apparently the holes in the inner firtbox were ‘about two pence diameter’ while those in the outer plate were ‘about one pence’ diameter. Boilersmiths obviously use different units to other engineers!
On the other side, most stay holes had been drilled in the new side sheet. Later that day the reamer was moved across to expand these also.
At the back end of the firebox the new outer backplate is marked out for the drilling of its stay holes. Also seen are the pads for the various backplate fittings, bolted in place and ready to be welded to the plate.
Work continues on the inner backplate, with many holes drilled although those for the right upper flange (far right) are still oversize and need to be welded prior to drilling.
The flange’s top face with the drilled holes in close up.
The top feed housing is now ready, with two of the stepped studs per side fitted. The welded up holes for the original safety valves carried by this boiler can be seen.
One of the clack boxes which will be bolted to the top feed when the boiler is ready.
In the machine shop the big end brass pressed into the connecting rod last week is having its length trimmed to the correct size.
Meanwhile, on the loco the valve spindle crosshead is complete, bolted up and the retaining pins opened, meaning no further work is needed here.
The jobs list on the cab side has grown since last week, but all previous and some new items are already ticked off.
The rear of the engine shows that the rear vertical plate, tender fall plates and cab doors are all back in their rightful places.
The big job of the day was to refit the cab running steps. The engine is off the jacks and has been rolled forward about six feet - its first movement on its own wheels for over a year! This allows full, unimpeded access to the trailing end, hence the fitting of the steps. This in turn allows the permanent fitment of both side injectors.
Underneath the engine, a start has been made on reinstalling the brake linkage. This is the pull rod between the intermediate and trailing coupled wheels.
And on the vacuum side, the front standpipe has been dug out of storage and brought to the engine. It will, of course, need cleaning and painting before fitting.
And speaking of the painters, here is the cylinders’ mechanical lubricator receiving attention before going back on the running plate adjacent to its mechanical counterpart.

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