Current happenings

1638 went back into traffic, fully restored as of Feb 06

Previous "news updates" archive since the launch of 1638 in February 2006

9th Novemeber 2008

Bogie that is above par!

S15 class 847

As we look to rewheel the frames of 847 there are things that need to be sorted in advance of course. Planning the crane lift has to be done in advance and it will be a wasted and expensive effort if all is not ready to go on the big day. To this end, the front bogie of the engine has been prepared. This is no mean feat as it has been completed, overhauled with new springs going into it. The picture here shows the frame of the bogie all done and featuring its new springs. Springs are a theme elsewhere too where the springhangers stand like guards on parade cleaned up and ready to hang when rewheeling comes.

To get rewheeling done most of the recent effort has of course gone into axle box preparation. This is timeconsuming. Whitemetal has to be applied to the contact surfaces, then machined in the Bluebell workshop at Sheffield park so that a match of surfaces can be done. A 100% perfect match though can only be done after this stage when a physically match up and final adjustment takes place. The picture you can see here then shows an axle box machined and ready for match up. The wheelsets stand in the workshop ready for this purpose.

The other big work is the boiler. This is extremely timeconsuming and has Melvyn fully occupied. The literally hundreds of stays have to be removed. For the uninitiated a "stay" is a copper dumbell type bar (kind of!) typically 6 inches or so in length (but varies) that is threaded at either end. The thread secure the stay into the inner and outer firebox so that the middle of the bar is in the water jacket of the boiler. When fitted the copper stay ends are then beaten to create a steam tight seal. This is all well and good but getting out a copper stay (soft metal) out of a copper firebox (also soft metal!) without significant damage means that one has to drill the centre of the stay through as a kind of pilot hole and then using a centre punch or similar drift tool hammer the scrap former stay into the pilot hole away from the firebox metal. The picture nearby shows the remnants of the previous stay removed. Note the stays higher up the firebox, all drilled out and ready to be worked on. Got that? Reckon you can beat Melvyn's 15mins per stay?... Mmm reckon you can repeat the process say 500 times? Yes?... you are hired! Seriously, your Maunsell team has made terrific progress on this. They need to as well as, as stays are removed the exact size of the replacement isn't known (eg: an oversize can be needed to varying degrees... this being annotated to the firebox inner as you go so you know which of the hundreds of stays goes in which hole). Once all sizes are known then the replacement stays can be ordered (and paid for... please give generously!).

There are other issues to deal with in the firebox too such as the thin metal where sheets of copper overlap. In most cases this will be built up with copper welding, a tricky and expensive, but effective process. Also the rivets are an issue. take a look at the picture. These rivets are seriously eroded and needing replacement. Instead of domed outwards some are dished inwards. Another for the "to-do" list!

Finally, from time to time you get to see faces appear on this update. They are maunsell team members, the people who contribute to the restoration and overhaul of our engines by giving up their time, usually on Sundays (but other times are possible too). This shot is of Ben Coughlan, one of our more recent and younger recruits inspecting one of the links from the motion of 847 which has been cleaned up checked and stored awaiting reassembly. You now have a name to the face. If you are ever at Sheffield Park come and talk to us be it Ben or anyone else in the team. A warm welcome will be assured from anyone in the society you meet.

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