Overhaul update
Further work in the boiler shop involved fitting side stays, this to the left side.
And also to the right side.
And the backplate; the difference between steel and copper stays showing clearly. Also fitted are the rivets to the top of the firehole ring, top of photo. Those to the top of the ring will be fitted when the boiler is again the right way up.
The right side valve gear has been completely assembled, with only the pin to the bottom of the expansion link in the wrong way around. This was because. . .
. . .the connecting rod allowed insufficient clearance to insert it from the back. Later on, the engine was moved and the pin fitted the correct way around.
The connecting rod is seen on the milling machine after having the bush’s face machined, and the new dimensions marked. This is the inside face, so this side of the rod is painted to prevent corrosion.
The connecting rod was then fitted to the left side and the valve gear assembled as with the right side.
The gudgeon pin’s insertion is trickier than might be thought: the crank has to be on a forward quarter and the wheel spokes aligned so the pin can be fed in between them. The cotter pin is not yet fitted as the securing nut still needs to be flogged up tight with a ring spanner and big hammer. Eventually, all the taper pins will be trimmed to a more reasonable length.
This piece of sheet metal had defied attempts to find it over a long period, but suddenly turned up a few weeks ago. It is the box which fits over the front end of the reverser where it protrudes from the cab. Needless to say, repainting has begun.