News of the repair of locomotive No 3217

28 September 2001

Work continues on 3217, mainly on constructing the new smokebox and repairing the bogie. No completion date is forecast yet, but after 80151 is finished work will be stepped up on 3217.

A distinctive feature of the engine's construction and appearance is the curved edges to the smokebox, both where the wrapper plate joins the front, and where the door fits. In the absence of the formers used for making these curved components, an alternative technique of fabrication has been employed. For each of the curved corner parts a steel tube was rolled to the correct radius, the sheeting was welded to the tube, and then three-quarters of the tube was cut away leaving just the outer quarter to form the curved corners.

Inside and outside views of the join between the smokebox front and the wrapper plate, showing the remaining quarter of the tube. and the door opening,