Flying Scotsman

http://www.google.com/doodles/saint-andrews-day-2014

 

As the explanation QLDrover linked says, they linked both - quite clever for an organisation that managed to "forget" to make the 70th Anniversary of D-Day last year!

Steven

 

Never mind, hopefully something can be organised for the 85th anniversary in 2019

 

Will it have a mainline ticket for the 90th?

Steven

 

Meanwhile back on subject, pictures posted elsewhere show the front section of frames in the process of being removed.

 

I suppose that one of the lessons to be made best use of as a result of all the work being done on this engine is not to be either too sentimental or penny pinching when it comes to dealing with "original" material, particularly if you are responsible for a working locomotive rather than a static museum piece.
It will be interesting too see what progress has been made by Christmas. Some time lapse footage of the frame repair/renewal might be appreciated but there again getting the work done is more important than documenting the progress of the same.

 

Latest RM says NRM is now anticipating late 2015 for a "return to steam".
By which time its current workshop is due to have removed by several months. Might be reassembled at York perhaps? Did the boiler stay there?

 

I'm not quite sure what that means?

 

4472 on a test run some time ago....
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v16054290ZTmjg43x

 

I'm a staunch supporter of the NRM and have the utmost admiration for Ian Riley's works but that we are potentially looking at an eleven year overhaul is unthinkable. Why has there been no official statement from the NRM regarding this?

If it must be done however, so it must be, for the good of the locomotive and it's future.

 

Its not really unthinkable. If we have to descend into semantics, its essentially turned into a full-blown restoration, not an overhaul, so the amount of time it spends out of action could be as long as the proverbial piece of string. With personal parochialism directed towards the Southern, I can't say I've been overly interested in this particular locomotive restoration, but I think I can safely say I speak for many by stating that we should just be thankful that someone's working through this locomotive one engineering problem at a time.

 

Not to mention the work in progress and the 'in tray' in the Yard.
New update pics on the NRM site

http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/see/photos.aspx


Hell of a welding job.

 

Link not working?

 

Try this one....... http://www.flyingscotsman.org.uk/see/photos.aspx

 

Amazes me that its even possible to weld metal that thick in the first place....

 

Most of the Lizzies had new front frames welded on in the 1950s, and Black fives in particular would have the frame section around the driving axle horn gap cut out and new sections welded in as a more permanent repair for frame cracks. Accident damage was often repaired this way, too.

 

Likewise the Maunsell moguls, some of which had partial frame replacements in the 1950s (some had total replacement; some went to the end with the original frames).

Tom

 

The Ns and Us were more than likely 'waddlers', but I'm only speculating there as I haven't really read anything about rough-riding on the footplate, which would presumably be another symptom of high-powered two cylinder locomotives.

 

Frame welding was being done in the twenties when the Great Bear was cut and shut into a Castle at Swindon, and I've seen nothing to suggest that was an unusual exercise. Sites like this one, http://www.millerwelds.com/resources/articles/welding-history/ suggest that there were major advances in welding technology during the 1890-1920 period.