Rods and rolls

Time for a progress update......

Work continues in the machine shops, and the connecting rods now have new end straps. The end straps are pieces of metal in a slightly rectangular U-shape, which hold the bearings in place. They were made by a contractor, and have now been machined and attached to the connecting rods by specially made bolts, as can be seen here:
- http://whr.fotopic.net/p67873814.html

Fifteen of the sixteen bearing brasses have been machined, though there was a problem with the last one, and it will need to be white metalled again. There’s also been progress on other fronts: the piston rods and the Westinghouse pump rod have been sent for chrome plating and drawings for the brake cylinder have been completed (the locos original brake cylinder is long since lost, and the one it carried from 1987 onwards was too large and was causing damage to other components.)

Away from site, the new plates for the smokebox are being rolled at Brunswick Iron Works in Caernarfon. When these are finished, the boiler can be put back into the frames for the smokebox to be built. The smokebox forms part of the structure of the frames, so needs to be built in situ. Before this, David Pritchard (Daffy) plans to make some minor modifications to the front and rear pony trucks to ease the passage of the locomotive round sharp bends.

R

Pictures Online

The photo gallery has been updated with a few more random shots of bits of metal. There's even one in there which looks vaguely like a loco. You can find the pictures here:
- http://whr.fotopic.net/p67873805.html (click next to see the rest)

R

New Kettles For Old?

It's been a while since we posted anything, but there's been plenty of activity on the ground. Expect an update in the next day or so.

We've also started thinking of new ways to raise money. Someone suggested writing to people or companies with "Russell" in their name. A quick search on the internet, and the top of the list was "Russell Hobbs. Cue all sorts of gags - sell more new kettles and help us restore our old one......

R