Under Pressure

More good progress in the past week. The boiler hydraulic test was completed to the satisfaction of the SRC Insurance Company Inspector and a date in mid-June agreed for him to come back to inspect the boiler in steam (hooray!). Completion of the test allowed us to start refitting various mountings to the boiler and for the first time in a few months 828 now has her safety valves and the elegant and beautiful Caledonian whistle refitted. The combination blower & sanding valve has also been refitted in the cab.

Top machinist Nathan Lightowler has done a great job on the new horn clip for the LH Driving Hornblock and we carried out a trial fit. It fits exactly as it should - a light driving fit. Before long it will be permanently in place and the driving axle suspension springs can be refitted.

The valve eccentrics with their straps are booked to cross the Irish Sea early during the week commencing 30th May and our colleagues at the RPSI are eager to get on with machining them.

A start has been made on assembling the gauge glass cocks after Colin Vaughan arranged a lightning-fast delivery of the correct soft packing. (Most of our gauge glasses have Klinger proprietary packings in them.......but not CR828 - she has a more old-fashioned system of packing. 

The test gauge used for the boiler hydraulic test - 270psi or 18.61Bar in new money...

Regulating the boiler pressure against the input from the Shed high pressure pump. Engineering Director Brian Thomson was standing by the pump unit while I sat on top of the boiler operating the bleed valve...

Safety Valves and Whistle refitted

The swarf produced while drilling the spring hanger pin holes in the new hornclip

The hornclip trial-fitted and it is a beautiful fit...

After the trial fitting the clip had to be removed to form the square holes for the stud that bolts the clip to the hornblock...a matter of some heavy filing..

One square hole...

Two square holes....job done..!