Engineering notes

Work continues on the build of both pony trucks which differ from each other in the suspension arrangements. Part of the build process has involved the manufacture of numerous special bolts and reaming of the appropriate holes into which they fit.

Machining of the whitemetalled surfaces of all four pony truck axleboxes is proceeding well. Some further machining of the piston rods has taken place although these are by no means finished yet.

The two crossheads have gone to Osborne Engineering Ltd. at Cramlington for whitemetalling of the sliding surfaces.

Cleaning down and repainting of the footplating areas at the front of the loco continues.

The liners have been offered up to the steam chests to check all is well before contracting in the shrinkage experts.

From the archive

Neil Herapath writes: Seeing the really good photograph of 82037 at Wrexham (Rhosddu) recently placed on your webpage, I thought you might be interested to receive a copy of two photos of the same loco which I took on 4th June 1965 at Bristol Temple Meads station. I wonder what became of the two footplate crew visible in one of the photos - particularly as the fireman looks very young?