Overhaul update
With much progress to report from the last month, this update covers work on the chassis, with a further post tomorrow sharing news from the boilershop!
On 27th May, the two pistons and their piston rods were ready to have the piston head securing nuts welded to the piston rods to prevent them from coming loose when the loco is working. This is the “before” shot and…
…this is the “after” shot with two welds completed and cleaned up. At least two more welds are needed here.
This is part of the RH injector water valve operating linkage with a newly made pivot pin fitted and secured with a washer and split pin. Two more pins are needed for the LH injector.
The backs (or unseen) parts of the motion components are painted black to reduce the likelyhood of corrosion whilst the visible surfaces remain unpainted and kept clean with emery cloth and hard work.
On 3rd June, the area in the loco shed around the chassis had been cleared of several components from another engine and our smokebox brought in to replace them.
Two newly turned pivot pins for the LH injector water valve linkage are seen here on the cab footstep. The holes for the split pins have yet to be marked out and drilled.
The non-return valves for the cylinder and valve chest lubrication have been overhauled, refitted and the pipework reconnected.
The pipework below the right hand running plate is supported while another bracket to hold it in place it is painted.
The connecting rods have been removed from storage and are to be crack detected prior to their rear sides and lower edges being painted as an anti-corrosion measure.
The SVR had refitted the left hand expansion link to the engine by means of the fork lift truck. The inaccessible position of the right hand side meant that the SMF team dismantled that expansion link and reassembled it on the engine, cumbersome, but it worked! It is there only to establish clearances and will be removed again for some corrective machining.
Seen on 10th June, the front of the engine, with the carriage warming valve remounted on its newly painted brackets. The grey bolt heads would be in undercoat before the end of the day. The real significance of this view is the two pistons, about to be fitted to the cylinders . . .
Guides were screwed into the front cover stud holes to support the piston head during insertion.
The left piston was tackled first, access for the fork lift truck being easier. The first job was to lay it down then sling it around the piston rod so it balanced when lifted.
With the piston hanging from the forks, the rear of the rod was inserted into the cylinder.
The SVR’s team leader, Graham Bennett, pushes the piston assembly further rearwards.
The piston head was then lowered on to a rising wheeled trolley . . .
. . . and with the sling removed, the piston pushed further inwards. Note the wood packing inside the cylinder to support the rod.
A watch was kept at the back cylinder cover to bring the end of the rod into alignment with the hole.
The piston moving ever rearwards . . .
...further still...
. . . until the piston head was entered into the cylinder. The more observant will have noticed that there are as yet no rings on the piston. These will be fitted with the cylinder head protruding from the cylinder just a little more than seen here.
Meanwhile at the back, the piston rod protrudes from the back cover.
Flushed with success, we quickly decided to fit the other side, too. It seen here being slung.
The piston rod inserted and sitting on wooden packing inside the cylinder. It is important to remove this once the rod has entered the back cover but before the piston head has blocked off the front end.
...a closer view.
What looked like nearly there!
This piston took slightly more persuasion to go in!
Graham providing the persuasion.
Further progress.
And victory!
Again, the rear of the piston rod emerges from the back cover.