The last workday for 2010 at Eveleigh saw a lot of progress, yes, a lot! Just the two Mikes(Reynell and Ridley) got stuck in to it and the pictures show what can be done when a plan starts to come together.
First order of the day was to build a frame to support the entire cab and to hold everything square. You can see from the pictures that the frame is more than a few sticks of timber. The frame will remain attached to the cab until it is reunited with the boiler cradle.Once square and rigid, the work became much easier as it was much easier to create the required reference points and to reattach each component.
Some more parts were collected from our old mates at R&L Wall in Lidcombe on Friday and today saw them all fitted without too much problem. The new rear quarter panels still require a bit of bending, and a few pieces welded in, but overall, everything went together very well and it was well worth the effort of replacing the badly damaged panels.
You may also notice that the spectacle plates have been replaced. The old ones had suffered badly in places, as had most of the cab. Full points must go to Ian and Chris from R&L Wall, as they not only made the new ones, but also did an amazing job of saving all the fittings from the old panels without damaging any..... Thanks Chris!
There will be little adjustment required to the panel above the fireman's window as well, a problem that was only revealed as the surrounding panels were reattached. No problem however, as the generous application of heat and a swift whack from a large hammer should see the problem corrected at the next workday.
The next workday should see all the panels in their final positions and the cab ready to be riveted as required.... Now wont that be nice!
Mike Reynell
