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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.
Overhaul update
Posted on December 6, 2019

We again start with the boiler and the right hand lower firebox side. This has now had all the stay holes and rivet holes to the foundation ring drilled out.
On the other side, the replacement lower section is finished welded and is having the same holes drilled out by the magnetic drill.
The Fund’s Archive was able to provide the original drawings of the firebox, from which the positions of the various holes were determined.
Various bits of redundant metal await disposal in front of the boiler: lower section of front tubeplate, bottom of the front of the barrel and part of the outer backplate.
The inner backplate welding work is complete and the various holes are being re-drilled to the original sizes prior to reinstallation.
Also on site is the new smokebox wrapper, currently a plain cylinder without holes for the chimney, blastpipe, etc. It will not be fitted until the superheater header is installed on the new front tubeplate.
The top feed casting is currently in the machine shop having some defects corrected.
These include having some wasted areas built up with weld, then ground flat.
The work also includes machining the joint face to the clack box. The three stud holes per side were also worn and have been re-drilled and retapped the next size up. Stepped studs will be used here to preserve the size of holes in the clack box faces.
Old and new blastpipes, stands and blower rings in company at the shed. The old units have been claimed by a member of the SVR fitting staff for further use - as a plant holder!
Work on the frames continues, with a small list of jobs chalked on the cabside.
The return cranks have been trial fitted to both side driving wheels.
The Fund’s working party witnessed the pressing in of a big end brass to a connecting rod. The two items are seen here on a trolley for movement to the press.
The rod supported from the lifting crane with the big end in the press and new brass positioned over its eye.
Close up of the two before pressing began...
...and after it started.
This showed that the key and its keyway were not quite in line, corrected by means of a hammer and drift...
...following which the pressing in continued...
...until the brass was fully home and the press’s ram withdrawn.
Parts awaiting final coats of black paint prior to return to the engine include the fall plates to the tender and cab running steps...
...while in the paintshop, SVR’s Mick Flint applies gloss black to the boiler cladding sheets.
Overhaul update
Posted on November 28, 2019

In the Boiler shop: The new flange on the side of the inner firebox backplate has had a series of pilot holes drilled prior to enlarging them to the correct size.
Meanwhile in the machine shop: The new casting that fits over the four exhaust pipes and joins the four exhausts into one has its base machined before the mounting holes are drilled. This casting replaces that seen in the next image.
As you can see this casting is well and truly life expired! The blast pipe sits on top of the casting and would was located by the studs that are still in situ.
The old blast pipe is also in the machine shop and will be replaced by the new version show next.
The new blast pipe with the blower ring sitting on top - both are being supervised by Patrick the machine shop mascot.
Overhaul update
Posted on November 21, 2019

13268 is still standing on the jacks area, although on her own wheels; this is simply because the road off the jacks is blocked by other locos. The loco is soon to be moved across to No. 5 road. With the wheels in place, other parts are being added, most notably the brake hangers and their crossbeams. The SMF working party was engaged on fitting the axlebox mechanical lubricator and making up its copper pipe runs, and permanently fitting the spring hangers, whose packing was being corrected by SVR staff. And touching up paintwork, of course!
The valves, their slides and combination lever are now complete on both sides, as shown by the splayed split cotters.
In the boiler shop, the new backplate is welded to its original upper section. Work is proceeding to grind down the weld and to prepare the surfaces for the addition of the pads for the various mountings, such as the water level gauge frames.
At the right hand side (left of the inverted boiler), the lower piece of the firebox is in place and bolted to the foundation ring.
The first run of weld attaching the lower firebox side is done, but a contract welder will complete the process.
The inner backplate has all its new flanges welded in...
so work continues in building up oversized stay holds, which will then be drilled out to their correct size, allowing original sized stays to be used.
The new front tubeplate has arrived as a blank. It must now be drilled to accept 202 x 1.75” small tubes, 21 x 5.125” flue tubes, main steam pipe and mounting holes, and six longitudinal stays. This work will begin soon.
The tender has not been neglected and is now sitting on all its springs. The brake rodding between the wheelsets is also complete, leaving only those from the actuating crossbeam to go on.
13268 Re-wheeling Video
Posted on November 11, 2019

On Tuesday 29th October, we caught on camera the moment 13268 became a Mogul again.
Overhaul update
Posted on November 2, 2019

The right side with coupling rods in place.
The left side rods have been removed for crack detection (none found) and painting their inside faces.
Just visible between the spokes is the spring hanger and associated nuts. When complete, these will be adjusted to set the correct weight on each wheel.
Right side combination lever has joined its opposite number and is now on the engine.
The right side piston valves have been removed for further work.
With the left side still in, but the removed cover shows it will follow.
Overhaul update
Posted on October 31, 2019

When we arrived at around half past nine we found both left and right hand coupling rods in place with the paid staff expressing their satisfaction with how they fitted. During the day the left hand set were removed again for crack testing which they passed with flying colours followed by having the backs of them painted (to prevent corrosion) by the works painter Mick Flint.

Meanwhile we got on with fitting the twelve spring hangers which we completed by mid afternoon although one needs to be checked by the paid staff as it was very difficult to fit properly.

The Right hand side looking towards the front of the loco with the rods in place.
The same side viewed from the front.
This is the Left hand side also viewed from the front.
The middle or driving axle with the trailing spring hangers (the big threaded things with the large nuts) in place. Note that the upper pivot pins and the split pins are not correctly fitted yet to allow for checking by the paid staff.
Our Engineering Manager taking a break before tackling the rear or trailing axle’s spring hangers.
Overhaul update
Posted on October 29, 2019

The Fund’s working party held an extra day on 29 October as that would be the momentous day when the engine and its wheels would be reunited. Other activities continued, however, generally and on our engine specifically. Further work has been done in the boiler shop on the inner backplate, with another section of the flange welded in.
Work on the left hand valve spindle, crosshead and combination lever started the previous Thursday is complete and assembled.
And similar work has begun on the right side.
Working around the re-wheeling job, the SVR fitter had located the inner lower slide and die block.
The coupling rods will be fitted while the engine remains on the jacks to allow the wheels to be turned to align the crank pins, and ultimately to ensure that the wheels rotate freely with all rods in place. The first, right hand leading, coupling rod is at the engine ready to be attached.
Other parts which can be refitted include the two return cranks and three brake cross beams.
In the machine shop, the crossheads are receiving attention and this is the left hand side one. It is an original and still bears signs of the location of the original drop arm for the vacuum pump in the vertical strip to the right of the Gudgeon pin hole.
The right hand crosshead is on the bench with the connecting rod attached, checking the fit of the gudgeon pin.
But at last we come to the point of the day: refitting the wheels under the loco. As the chalked date on the jacks show, they were removed almost two years ago.
The first stage was to raise the engine clear of the frame stands on which it rested.
The stands were then removed - which required the use of a fork lift truck! - followed by all the packing on which they stood.
This gave a rather unusual view of the engine. The wheels are beyond the jacks and the tender to the left. The frames will eventually be relocated to this position.
Graham and Brian of the SVR staff move the trailing wheelset towards the engine; the Fund members did assist here. Note the scotch ahead of the wheels; the wheels contain the balance weights but not the opposing coupling rods, and once the weights go over centre they can easily run away.
All three coupled wheel sets positioned below the frames. Final positioning would be done when the horn guides were just above the axleboxes.
The frames on their way back down.
The flange of the right leading wheel was hard against the rail, so there was little clearance between the left wheel and the frames.
So a hydraulic jack was used to force the wheel across to the other side.
The vertical faces are the horn faces - with oil dribbling down - while the black, horizontal areas are the tops of the axleboxes. The engine is about to come down so the boxes will enter the horn gaps.
So the engine finally reached its rightful height with the wheels now fitted.
This successful rewheeling caused a short period of well earned self-congratulation by all concerned!
This didn’t last long as there remained further work to do, notably attaching the horn clips, that of the right intermediate wheel shown here lying on the spring.
It was SMF members who undertook this task below all six axleboxes.
With the horn clips fitted, the engine was again raised, complete with wheels, to allow the pony truck to be moved below it. Brian watches carefully as the engine is lowered towards it.
Another view as the engine and pony truck are reunited.
This is the pin attached to the frames being aligned with the slides in the top of the truck housing.
Between the frames and truck are sliding ‘spittoons’ to allow the truck to swivel, the left one shown here above the phosphor bronze rubbing plate.
The engine again standing on all its wheels, once more a 2-6-0. It had been a hard but very successful and satisfying day. The rewheeling allows many components, already prepared, to be fitted.
Re-wheeling
Posted on October 29, 2019

A momentous day as 13268 is re-wheeled. A significant step towards the completion of the Overhaul and a return to steam!
Overhaul update
Posted on October 24, 2019

We start in the boiler shop where the inner copper backplate is having remedial work undertaken. This is the top (it’s on its side) water side showing the new top flange which has been welded in. The marks running vertically are the locations of holes to be drilled where it is riveted to the crown sheet.
The view from the fire side of the same area. The gaps top and bottom are where the flange at the crown transfers into the sides and are separate new pieces, waiting to be fitted.
Close up of the fire side. Some stay holes have become oversize and have been welded up, to be drilled and tapped back to standard size.
Work continues on the ashpan. The front damper door is seen and the operating mechanism for the hopper doors is bolted in place.
In the machine shop there are four coupling rods and one connecting rod complete with bushes turned to size and ready to fit; the other connecting rod was having its little end bush turned to give the correct end float in the crosshead.
Also present was one of the combination levers; note the new bushes in its top end, left. The valve spindle crosshead lies with it, the piston crossheads are from a different engine.
Similar machining has been done to the valve spindle crosshead slides.
These are carried on an extension of the rear valve cover. This is the left side with all these removed and the bare valve spindle visible.
The left hand combination lever has been moved to the engine
For fitting as this area is built up. This is the same valve spindle but now with the crosshead and outer slides in place.
Other motion parts are still in store waiting the call; these are one of the radius rods and the two expansion links. Their wait will not be long.
Some scenes from the paint shop. These are boiler cladding sheets, the undersides visible in grey primer.
This sheet is identifiable as the right hand sheet, the shaped section at the right hand end showing it to be below the top feed casing. The delivery pipes are entirely external on these engines so no gap below that. Note the application of black paint.
The external sides of all parts have a high gloss finish, seen here on the pieces around the front firebox corners.
Most of the Fund’s working party activities this day concentrated on clearing up the working site preparatory to the engine’s being rewheeled, including the pony truck. These are the wheel sets with all springs and horn clips in place, ready to be moved back for the engine to be dropped on to them.
The site below the engine had become congested with timber packing, dirt, paint tins and forgotten tools. All have been removed, the remaining packing pieces have weight on them so cannot be retrieved until the engine is raised. Only the painters’ workbench is left to move!

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