Tuesday 4 October 2016

Sackcloth and Ashes...

Well, what a come down after the previous post. A message on Monday 26th September from the Shed to say that Riley's had collected the tender tyre forgings and found that they are oversize on their inside diameter and can't be fitted to the tender wheels. And why - an incorrect measurement on my part when Riley's asked us to measure the wheel centre diameter after we removed the old tyres back in May. The only way forward is to order another set of forgings from the German supplier and hope that they will be delivered more quickly than the present set. There is also a financial consequence although it may be possible to sell the forgings on to another heritage railway concern... Depending how things go with delivery of the replacement set of forgings we may be able to rewheel the tender and complete the running-in of the loco during November.

On a brighter note I collected a set of sawn oak pieces from the National Trust for Scotland estate at Inverewe Gardens. This kind donation was arranged by Aidan Bell who helps to manage the estate and also finds time to Volunteer at Aviemore Shed. We planned to machine a pair of buffer beam spacer plates from the pieces although I have been subsequently advised by Keith Holyland that they may not be suitable due to the presence of sap wood at the diameter where the bolt holes would be formed...

One piece of good news is the arrival of a new pair of tender springs ordered by the SRC to replace the rather tired existing set on the centre axle.

Hopefully the next update will have more positive news to report...





Aidan Bell, National Trust for Scotland handing over four offcuts of oak from a tree that was undergoing dismantling at Inverewe Gardens


CR828 with the oak offcuts. One of the original spacer plates is perched on top of the pieces..

The new springs for the centre axle on the tender. The buckles will be fully painted and lined out correctly..

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