Engineering Update - April 2014

Locomotive Frame Assembly

Work continues at Tyseley Locomotive Works on preparing to fit the axleboxes into the main frame. All the Horn Guides have been polished to remove machining marks and the corners radii added by hand. All this has been completed to the usual high standard expected from Tyseley.

The trailing axle horn guides ready for the axlebox. The buffer of Jubilee class 5596 Bahamas can be seen in the background.

The Axleboxes have had the brasses pressed in and the journals have been machined to the size of the axle. The bronze wearing faces are now being machined to the sizes determined from the frame assy. 

The lead for the balance weights has now been delivered and the trailing wheelset has had the balance weigh plates re-riveted into position and the lead added to the required pockets. This was a new process for the Tyseley engineers, as not many locomotives ever experience problems with or require a weight to be renewed.

Trailing wheelset with lead added. Photo Tyseley Locomotive Works

The Centre and Leading wheelset still need the lead adding and this will be done before the chassis is finally wheeled. 

The bronze underkeeps are finish machined except for the drain holes and plugs. 

Inside Cylinder Casting

The machined Inside Cylinder Casting is at Llangollen Railway Works ready for fitting into the locomotive on its return from Tyseley Loco Works. 

The Outside Motion Brackets and Smokebox Base Side castings are also at Llangollen with the cylinder casting. 

Outside Cylinder Castings

The first Outside Cylinder was cast at 11pm on 16^th April. The casting was left in the mould until it was knocked out the sand on 23^rd April to reveal the first original Patriot Outside Cylinder to be cast since the 1940’s. The casting was finally shot blasted to clean and remove the last of the casting sand. Checks were made to confirm that the casting was sound and all major dimensions were as expected. 

The second pattern is now being finished to allow the second cylinder to be cast in May.

Discussions are ongoing for the machining of these castings.

Bogie

Work continues on several fronts on the components for the bogie. 

All parts have now been or are ready to be delivered to Tyseley Loco Works. Assembly of the bogie is to start in the second half of the year.

Bogie Frame Plates and Bogie Leaf Springs at Tyseley Loco Works. 1st May 2014

Boiler 

Detail work on the new drawings required for the boiler continues. Our insurance company have declared the boiler design to be basically sound, but several modifications are being made in line with new procedures and regulations. LNWR Heritage Crewe have also suggested a change in the arrangement of rivets in the corners of the foundation rings. Drawings of this are being prepared for insurance company approval. 

Work is progressing on manufacture of both copper and steel flanged plates for the firebox. 

Tender

The design for the new tender tank is in progress.