The brake system rebuild continued today with work on the main reservoir piping. This included the one inch steel pipes that deliver compressed air from the main reservoirs to the brake stand and the distributing valve. Most of the pipes are in good condition and they only required a clean up and a coat of paint. One small section of pipe that is about 2 foot long is missing and if we cant find it we will make it new... Murphy's law will ensure that the missing pipe will re surface once the job is done.
Andy continued with the fitting out of the large bore injector feed pipes and by days end all of the drives side was completed and looking like new. Tony cleaned up the water balance pipe isolating vale and associated fittings. The only outstanding large bore pipe on the drivers side pipe is the feed lines from the injector to the clack vales on the top of the boiler.
The stoker trough that is attached under the coal bunker is in very poor condition and will required a complete rebuild. Most of the afternoon was dedicated to extracting the 24 one inch BSW bolts that attach the front of the stoker trough to the coal bunker. No amount of force would remove them so the oxy torch was deployed and about two hours later the team tried to drop out the assembly. Despite our best efforts it resisted and with the fading light, it was decided to make a tactical retreat and leave it until the next work day.
Another project going on behind the scenes is the overhaul of the Westinghouse cross compound air compressor. It was stripped down and assessed in 2009 and although in reasonable condition it was decided to give this vital piece of equipment the gold plate(aka Rolls Royce) treatment. Since then, the piston rods have been hard chromed and ground to size. The cylinder assembly and shuttle valve head were sent to a specialist contractor and line bored back to specification, and a complete set of piston rings was recently delivered and fitted with excellent results. The pistons now move up and down the bores with a good running seal.
New gaskets have been ordered and when delivered they will be fitted in no time. That will leave only an air function test before fitting the complete unit to the smoke box.
Alan Gardner
