Bluebell Railway Atlantic Group
Latest progress

-       Sponsor a component

25 June 2009

Ten of Fred Bailey's photos show tremendous progress on many fronts. That on the right shows an adjustable beam that allows the centre of the axle to be located from the horns and holds the end of the alignment wire.

 

Below left we see a cylinder backplate set up on the frame with the alignment wire from the axle centre as a double check for position. The holes for the fitted bolts have all now been drilled and reamed.

Below right is the motion bracket cast in high grade SG iron. (The casting is upside down in the photo).

The next two photos show the inside frame stretcher with the valve spindle guide support, in cast steel, and the cast steel special washers and plates that fit to the end of the leading coupled axle leaf springs.

The brake hangers, seen below earlier this month, are now being machined in the main works. The two coil springs show the types used for the bogie (left) - there are 8 of these in the set, and (on the right) the type for the driving axle, of which there are 4 in the set. Because a round section alternative of the latter is not viable, we have bought a spare set due to the likelihood of supplies becoming even more difficult in the future.

The last three photos below show the brake gear pull rods and slack adjusters; the most recent photos show both connecting rods now water-jet cut, and a close-up of the ends of the connecting rods. The accuracy of the water jet cutting (described in the 9th April report below) is such that a measurement with a vernier across the small end showed just a .006" variation through the thickness of the cut (which is 4.5").

Other recent news includes work on the valve chests, brakes and wheels.

Each component that will make up the valve chests is having its weld preps burned, ground or machined depending on the best and most efficient method to suit each individual part. Most of the brake pins have now been turned, together with a large number of the sacrificial bushes that are pressed into the brake gear components.

Progress is still being made by Ian Riley in Bury on the wheels, with the remaining three bogie wheels now turned. Unfortunately more businesses have gone to the wall of late, giving him problems with getting the heat treatment carried out on the main driving axles, but this should be resolved shortly.

23 April 2009

Fred Bailey's photos show that the coupling rods have now been delivered, and the first work is being carried out on the fabricated valve chests and cylinders.

 

On the right we see the valve chest liner support tubes, and below a trial assembly of valve chests, and a closer view of valve chest liner support tube assembly, showing tab and slot construction.

Here we see Derek Barlow using the Kearns borer to face, weld prep, and cut ports in one of the main cylinder-liner support tubes.

Below are the newly cut coupling rods, and a close-up of the rod ends.

9 April 2009

Fred Bailey's photo on the right shows that the abrasive water-jet cutting of the motion parts has now started. We are using a small local firm to carry out this work so that we can work together with them on this project. The material is 4,1/2" thick steel, cut using 50,000 psi water together with fine garnet powder. Each of these relatively small lifting links takes about 5 hours to cut. The outside profile being "decorative" is cut to finished size plus 0.020" to allow for hand finishing.

The remaining pictures are thanks to Malcolm Place.

The first picture below shows the hole left in the forged billet after the removal of one of the lifting links. The other photo below shows two lifting links with a 50p coin standing on one. We are hoping to turn these through 90 degrees and profile in the other direction as well. This is not commonly done, but we have some ideas to try and sufficient material to experiment with.

The picture on the right actually shows the jet starting to cut the third of the lifting links, so really follows the other two chronologically.

Shortly we hope to move on to the first of the coupling rods. These will be cut in one plane only as we need to get these machined and fluted on the side faces and there would be little to be gained from the extra water-jet cutting.

---

Older news updates

• Background and early progress
• September 2001: Repairs to tender chassis.
• More photos of the project.
• March 2002: Modification of front end of tender.
• November 2004: Loco Frames ordered.
• December 2004: Bogie frame components arrive - also Feb.2005 news report.
• 2005 - Loco main frames arrive - tender frames nearly completed - start of construction of the shed.
• 2006 - Loco driving wheel castings delivered - drilling of the main frames and hornguides - building of the shed completed.
• 2007 - Main locomotive frames erected.
• 2008 - Components for the cylinders and valve chest delivered - frames riveted - forged billets for connecting and coupling rods delivered.

Project Funding

A fund raising appeal for the estimated £300,000 required to complete the project was launched in 2000, and a combination of gifts made via the Bluebell Railway Trust, and standing orders set up to provide a steady income to the project have now made over a third of the total available. Whilst this has provided funding for the present work, more is going to be needed to complete the project, and the best way in which you can help is by setting up a small, regular, standing order to the Bluebell Railway Trust under Gift Aid, since this enables the Trust to reclaim the basic rate tax you have paid, and (if you are a higher rate tax-payer) enables you to reclaim some tax as well.

A combined Donation, GiftAid and Standing Order form is available as a pdf document.

For further details contact David Jones.

A donation is made to this project when you buy Historical Transport Film videos from Beulah.