News from around the works - 2010

March

Wheel Drop Progress

Work has continued to progress on the Wheel Drop by the contractors in spite of the 'colder' winter we have had this year. The pictures show the current hole with the reinforcing piles clearly visible, and a good idea of the size of the hole can be gained from this picture. The other shows the largely deserted yard which has become very muddy as a result of the earthworks. 5164 has been at Bridgnorth all winter and has undergone repairs to the slidebars and other required maintenance. 42968 has recently returned from a short working visit to the Great Central Railway, and has undergone a washout and steam test examination.

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The boiler was removed on the 4th February 2010 to commence the start of the boiler's heavy overhaul. Graham Beddow (shown Graham Beddow burning out steel stays on the doorplate) has identified some areas to address and to to date (3/3/10), The steel tubeplate has been removed and a replacement will be required. All crown stays will require renewal, as will large quantities of copper stays that were not changed last overhaul. The copper doorplate has had all its stays removed and it is planned to remove this plate to enable a repair to the lower copper section. Whilst this is removed it is hoped to carry out any repairs required on the steel doorplate. The Foundation ring will also be removed and repaired as required and a large quantity of the Monel stays fitted in the 1999/2000 light repair will require riveting over. Also required is a new smokebox wrapper, the door and ring will be retained for re-use as these have been changed in recent years.

Photos: Duncan Ballard

February

34027 Taw Valley

Work has recently focused on the alignment of the new left hand cylinder block. To set this up and to check the alignment we use our Optical Alignment equipment to check the alignment of the cylinder to the slidebar bracket. The main frames have also been aligned, this will enable correct set up of the axleboxes. This piece of equipment was used at Doncaster works and would have been used in the set up and correction of many LNER locomotives, large and small. New valve liner castings have arrived and it is hoped machining will commence on these shortly.

Photos: Duncan Ballard

January 2010

Happy New Year to all from The SVR Engineering departments. Hopefully we can continue to report on news on internal and contract activities for various projects and activities in 2010.

As can be seen in this recent shot, Bridgnorth did not escape the recent snowfall. Luckily the weather conditions have not delayed the start of 2010's big project - The Wheeldrop.

A last photo of the old main repair/inspection pit before the digger set to work, recent excavations being focused on removal of the concrete from the old pit road.

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Recent activities have focused on finishing off all crown stay fitting and tooling, riveting up of all new steel wrapper sections and riveting up all the top section of the firebox copper tubeplate. New mud doors are being bedded and fitted into position on the new lower firebox sections. Ross Cooper has also finished fitting all the copper patch screws to the copper doorplate and tubeplate flanges. Palm stay holes have been tapped and hopefully the boiler will be turned back onto its crown for steel tubeplate and foundation ring work.

Photos: Duncan Ballard

News from 2009