Overhaul update
The cylinder and valve chest cladding had been fitted last year and we though the job was done; Will of the SVR staff had other ideas! The holes for the securing bolts were over-large to allow alignment and he was unhappy at this. The working party’s task was to fill these with weld and drill them to correct size. There are four such panels, and John B is removing the one above the left hand front valve chamber.
The panel being prepared at the bench. The yellow object isn’t a lamp shade but the intake for the fume extraction system.
The welding process begins.
Let there be light – and a lot of heat. MIG welding in progress.
Another job was to make gaskets for the safety valves and gauge frames, which were otherwise complete and ready to fit. The holes were cut with a wad punch.
John A and Fraser cut a gasket for the gauge frames in the foreground.
The material contains a thin metallic strip so shears are needed.
A gasket in place.
One of the upper frames with the gasket sandwiched by a wooden blank to prevent dirt ingress. The Letters SVR show that this is a new made item.
The reason these items would soon be needed was that the boiler this day was given its hydraulic test, and they will be needed for the following steam test. The boiler inspector, Andy, consults his notes.
The electric pump with a hose connected to one of the clack valves raises the pressure.
Phil, the boiler shop foreman, watches the gauge rise.
Andy ensures that the required pressure is reached and held.
The gauge on its way past 300 p.s.i.
Inside the bone-dry smokebox with 300 p.s.i. on the gauge. Andy was happy to sign off the test, and we now have a boiler certificate. The ten years of the boiler ticket has begun.