Overhaul update
Due to the segregation of SVR full-time staff and volunteers to reduce the opportunity of the virus to cross from one to the other, volunteers have worked only on Sundays, so the Boiler shop has been locked. Today we were able to access it. Work has been going on to the rear of the firebox, with individual stay holes sized and marked accordingly. A start has been made on drilling the connecting flanges between inner and outer fireboxes around the fire hole with some temporary bolts fitted. The nuts and bolts surrounding the fire hole correctly set the distance apart of the two backplates.
The same area from inside. The nuts and bolts between the outer flanges have almost all been replaced by patch screws.
Further forward, the lower side sheet stay holes are sized and marked up for the new stays.
Outside the workshops, painting the cab roof in black undercoat continues, including the top section of the spectacle plate.
The first coat finished; a second will be applied before attention turns the inside faces.
The roof vent had already been dismantled and was in the first stage primer.
Still painting, the cylinder cladding sheets receive attention, on the inside as well as outside.
On the engine itself, work continues on the steam pipes to the sanders below the cab floor. Below the floorboards is a rather cramped well. Brackets to support the pipes are being fabricated and fitted, involving drilling the lower plate and tapping to accept setscrews. The hole is drilled here and the job of cutting the threads begun; the tap can just be made out to the left of the mag drill. Its purpose is to provide a down force to start the tap in the hole.
Once started, the mag drill is moved out of the way and the tap turned normally, although lack of space precludes the use of a normal tap wrench.
Below the driver’s side, three steam sanding pipes feed the sanders, the two to the right to each of the back sanders and that on the left to all four forward sanders. They will be joined by vertical runs from the sand / blower valve after the boiler is installed. The brackets for this side are in grey.
The pipe for the right hand back sander crosses the footplate below floor level and has a second bracket, seen here completed.