April 2018 Restoration Update
With the boiler due to go up to Bridgnorth shortly, preliminary work on drilling out the steel firebox stays is progressing well. With the tanks, bunker and cab roof in place on the frames, as many cab fittings as possible are being trial-fitted, though those mounted on the firebox will have to await completion of the boiler overhaul.
Drilling out steel stays on the left hand side sheet of the firebox. The heads of the stays have previously been ground off to allow the exact centres of the stays to be accurately determined.
The right hand internal splasher complete and bolted in place on the side tank. The red-painted door is original, and allows access to the inner side of the vacuum pump. The cut-out near the front is for the large balance pipe which allows water to flow between the two side tanks.
The left hand internal splasher complete. This splasher follows more closely the shape of the driving wheels.
New angles which will support the cab floor, the originals being heavily corroded and needing replacement. They have been fabricated from 12mm plate and will be riveted to the frames at the point where a 'joggle' narrows the frames as they go under the bunker, hence the unusual shape.
With the tanks in place, the brackets for various cab fittings can be installed in their correct locations. Shown here on the left hand (fireman's) side of the cab are the handbrake pedestal and the coal watering cock. Pipework yet to be installed.
On the driver's side of the cab, the cylinder drain cock mechanism and the operating lever for the front sanders have been installed. Long rods, split into two and three sections respectively, transmit the 'drive' to the front of the loco, the rod for the sanders passing through a tunnel at the base of the side tank along with the much larger reverser rod.