September 2023

September saw our volunteers working through some very wet days! Our team worked on the below;

- A trial fit of the balance pipe for the side tanks was done, and the balance pipe control valve is now being lapped.

- Various pipework was fitted, including new gaskets for the joints between the balance pipe, side tanks, and feed water pipes to the injectors.

- Fabrication and insulation work on the steam dome were started and later tidied up.

- Work on the fire hole door's shovel protector and smokebox steam pipe blanking plates continued. The firehole door shovel protector was eventually completed.

- Parts for the grate were prepared, and fixing bolts and nuts under the side tanks were serviced.

- Sander outlet pipes were located and prepared for painting, eventually being primed.

- Work on covering plates for the smokebox and steam pipes continued, as well as on blanking plates for the bottom of the smokebox.

- Three pairs of washout plug surrounds for the boiler cladding were cleaned and primed.

- Welding was done on the firebox's bottom plates and some ashpan fittings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccU6mSZn-tc

Additional Updates:

- The painting of the PMV is ongoing, boosted by volunteers from "Southern & Scottish Electricity."

- A scaffold tower was erected adjacent to the shelter, and internal tidying of vehicles continued.

- Paul Antell visited to inspect the firebox and agreed to return for welding.