Tornado

No it,s not actually. The springs issue is down to the poor state of the track itself. The Mid-Hants track is fortunate in being built on chalk, wheras the Bluebell,s is sadly built on clay resuting in much "clay heave".

Regards
Chris[/quote:jjyy4s1d]

I don't think the problems surrounding the Bluebell's brand new springs are anything to do with 'clay heave' or any other similar problem. My point is that if the Tornado project finds itself in the same position as the Bluebell, it could explain the delay.

 

I think the C class springs had a manufacturing defect which only showed itself after the locomotive entered traffic, the O1 is simply general wear and tear.

Regards,

Dan

 

That is my understanding too, and if the Tornado project has sourced its springs from the same manufacturer (and I don't know that they have) there is likely to be a delay whilst paperwork and 'quality assurance' issues are sorted out.

 

No it,s not actually. The springs issue is down to the poor state of the track itself. The Mid-Hants track is fortunate in being built on chalk, wheras the Bluebell,s is sadly built on clay resuting in much "clay heave".

Regards
Chris[/quote:35npcbox]

I don't think the problems surrounding the Bluebell's brand new springs are anything to do with 'clay heave' or any other similar problem. My point is that if the Tornado project finds
itself in the same position as the Bluebell, it could explain the delay.[/quote:35npcbox]

AAh I was unaware of that. Is that the problem then , a shortage of springs or componants for springs?

Regards
Chris

 

It could be something as simple as the people doing the work being on sick leave - I can't imagine that there is a great demand in the UK for leaf springs, therefore if there are any problems at the small number of companies that do do it, then we will see the adverse effects more.

Regards,

Dan

 

The Mid-Hants has had some leaf springs delivered very recently, not been a problem there though.

Regards
Chris

 

The Mid-Hants has had some leaf springs delivered very recently, not been a problem there though.

Regards
Chris[/quote:2ujqugek]
In that case I invoke the Mastermind clause - "pass" !

Regards,

Dan

 

The Mid-Hants has had some leaf springs delivered very recently, not been a problem there though.

Regards
Chris[/quote:2nvhoe48]
In that case I invoke the Mastermind clause - "pass" !

Regards,

Dan[/quote:2nvhoe48]

There is a problem with leaf springs and it isn't that simple. There are now only a couple of firms that will/can provide leaf springs of the size that is generally required, usually hot buckled and with forged top leaves. Spring failures do seem to be quite common but it is frequently quite hard to put the blame, and therefore cost, directly in one direction. The track is frequently blamed but, if designed properly the springs should be capable of infinite deflections over their range of travel so should not fail, even on poor track. However, the manufacturers have an instant get-out clause because they are supplying springs copied from the original that are not to their design so, unless you can prove bad workmanship/materials quality you are struggling to get a free replacement and have to bear the cost of replacement/repair. And while springs keep breaking, its good business for those few suppliers out there. I suggest that nobody will have asked a spring manufacturer to both design and supply a spring for a loco; everybody sticks to the original design.

 

Bit touchy aren't we, cct man? What is negative about posing a question? If others can give sensible responses without resorting to polemic, why not you?

If I rephrase my original question as "Does anyone know why the springs are lagging behind the other adjacent parts made some time ago?", would that make you happy?

As for the money, if it is all spent elsewhere then there won't be any left over. For myself, when building anything I start at the bottom and work upwards, you it seems differ, but then that is your prerogative.

 

If you've raised millions of pounds on all sorts of components, doesn't it strike a little odd that you have to beg, borrow and steal from other engines to complete your own project?

Isn't this the 'flagship' new build project after all?

 

Is this the main springs carrying the frames and boiler on the driving axles, or just the tender springs?

Given that there have been photos of the rolling chassis around for ages this seems a strange development

 

It's a big deal to me as the previous dates co-incided with my upcoming short visit to the UK.
Never mind. I wish the A1 team all the very best as they overcome these last few hurdles in what has been a remarkable achievement.

 

Tornado update - 24/03/08

FINANCE AND FUNDRAISING

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust commented:

“Although the Trust’s fundraising efforts are breaking all previous records there have been significant increases in costs around materials, labour and certification which mean that the Trust needs to raise an additional £50,000 above that already pledged over the next three months to have Tornado certified and entering main line service in September. In addition to its covenanting, dedicated donation and bond issue the Trust has launched a new fundraising initiative – first turn of the wheel.

“Be part of this defining moment in the history of the project. The Trust is offering the opportunity to be part of the sponsorship for the first turn of the wheels. With a donation of £25 you can have your name – or the name of someone you nominate – on a certificate that will record the moment when Tornado first moved under her own power. The sponsorship is available for each set of wheels on the locomotive and tender.

“As part of the celebration of the first movement of Tornado under her own steam, the Trust will present to one of the sponsors of the first turn of the wheel an unrepeatable memento of the occasion.”

For more information please email enquiries@a1steam.com.

PROJECT PLAN
A recent review of the project cost to complete has identified some major cost increases on the construction of the project, due to three main reasons:
• Under-estimation of the time taken to complete final assembly
• Costs of certification due to unique nature of project
• Continuing very significant price rises in energy and raw materials

Thanks to significant help from a number of supporters much of this revised funding gap has been addressed but it still stands at £50,000.

Although there will be no impact on Tornado’s entry into main line service in September it has been decided to put back her move to the Great Central Railway (GCR) at Loughborough until the end of May and consequently all other key dates are being adjusted accordingly. It is still the Trust’s intention to have the locomotive in steam and if at all possible moving under its own power for its covenantor’s spring open weekend on 26/27th April and it will haul its first passenger trains, for covenantors only, on the GCR on weekend of 28/29th June.

The locomotive is now 97.5% complete and the tender 96.0% complete. Tornado is still on schedule to enter main line service in September 2008.



ENGINERING OVERVIEW (DAVID ELLIOTT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING)

CYLINDERS AND VALVES
The piston and valve rings are on order and Steve Andrews is making the piston rod packings for the Trust. Packing springs have been ordered from, and some delivered by The Tested Spring Company in Birmingham. The oil injection port in the middle of each cylinder has been drilled through the liner to meet the existing feeds from the lubricators.

MOTION
The connecting rod small end bushes are complete and outside motion has been re-fitted with felt pads in the bearings, the inside valve gear has been re-erected with the eccentric rod adjusted to provide the correct travel in both forward and reverse. The inside connecting rod is currently set up clamped to the tender frame to carry out torque setting, the figures for which have been agreed with DeltaRail. Once the bench setting is complete the rod can be refitted to the locomotive for the last time during the construction phase.

PIPE WORK AND FITTINGS
Further pipe work is being made up, fitted and hydraulic tested including air pipework from the pumps to the wet tank and on to the back dragbox, water from the injectors to ashpan and tender sprinklers, the ejector control valve has been mounted on the backhead and piped from the manifold and is being piped to the ejector, and from the ejector exhaust to the smokebox and the vacuum outlet to the train pipe.

A pocket in the side of the smokebox has been designed and made to accommodate the vacuum ejector behind the LH smoke deflector. Replacement lower water gauge castings are being made by South Lincs, and will be machined as soon as they are available. Pipework is being hydraulically tested as it is being made. About half the pipework has been internally cleaned using some equipment brought and operated by our sponsor AB Hoses. Discussions have also taken place on the engine/tender hoses which will now enable the final design for this pipework to be completed. AB Hoses will supply the hose equipment free of charge.

All the gravity oil boxes have been completed by GN Steam and apart from closing springs (which I will order shortly) are complete. John Haydon has continued to make progress in connecting up the oil boxes. A design has been completed to convert the air pump lubricators to remote air operation and to mount them on the boiler backhead on the fireman’s side.


BRAKE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
The ex diesel and electric locomotive brake equipment is with Railway Brake Services Ltd for overhaul. The electronic auto drain valves for the reservoirs and wet tank recommended by Keith Nicholson have been ordered from General Pneumatics in Australia.


BOILER ANCILLARIES
The chimney has been properly attached to the liner and set up in the correct position over the blast pipes and bolted to the smokebox – it has since been removed to facilitate access to the smokebox.

The order for main steam pipe components was placed with Induction Pipe Bending Ltd at Sunderland and the components have been delivered. MultiTech will shortly receive an order to make the special flanged joints for the main steam pipes.

The boiler hand rail bosses have been welded to the boiler and the hand rails made. The cladding sheets are effectively complete – the North Norfolk Railway has been commissioned to make the banjo dome casing. Insulation and aluminium foil has been delivered and is being fitted to the boiler, followed by the cladding sheets.

BEARING SPRING GEAR
The bogie coil springs have been delivered. Ian howitt has delivered almost all the bogie and side control details – the two side control planks are in manufacture at by ID Howitt at Crofton. The Cartazzi spring hangers are almost finished and delivery is expected shortly.

BOGIE
The modified bogie crosshead has been delivered by MultiTech.

CAB
The cab front window frames and side screen frames have been machined by an engineering company owned by a covenantor at a very reasonable price.

Romag has quoted for the glass, however in the mean time GKN Aerospace (Pilkington) has taken an interest and we are expecting a quote from them any day now.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (ROB MORLAND)
Paul Depledge continues to make progress with the conduit runs and boxes for the electrical system

The Trust hosted a visit on 26th January by Martin Bratt, head of electrical engineering at EWS. Martin spent much of the day with us in Darlington and provided extremely useful, practical information on a range of issues concerning the electrical system design and installation. Topics he assisted with included:
• LED cluster head lamp suppliers
• Hazard warning mode for head lamps
• Areas to watch with the Thales TPWS system
• Fault current flow through bearings
• Fusing and circuit protection guidelines
• Earthing guidelines
• Battery protection and box venting

Having incorporated a number of minor changes suggested by Martin Bratt following his visit, the electrical system design is now essentially complete. The only areas where more work is required are the marker and head lamps (where the LED system has to be finished and the units constructed). Thanks to our recent appeal the Trust now has all eight required plus spares.

The parts list now contains all the items known to be required for the build. A number of consumable items (connectors, conduit components, boxes, etc) will be added as these are procured for the installation.

Rob Morland and David Elliott have completed the design of the two under-seat panels. David has committed the designs to CAD. These panels contain the majority of the circuitry for the Essential and Auxiliary Services Supplies. They are now out for fabrication.

The internal layout of the battery boxes is now complete and CAD drawings are being produced by David. Each box will contain two batteries and a Battery Panel, to which will be fitted the DC-DC converter and associated protection components.

The first power supply has been wired up to test the DC-DC converter charging a set of batteries. Using the shore supply this has been bench-tested through two complete battery charge-discharge cycles and performed without any problems.

The first item of circuitry to be carried on the loco has now been built and tested. This is the simple circuit that provides a health indication via LEDs on the Control Panels for each of the input and output supplies. Boards containing four of these circuits have been assembled and potted in flame-retardant silicone elastomer. Two units are required and four boards have been built, providing two spares.

On the loco itself, the key remaining challenge is to identify the best routing for the wiring between the cab, frames and battery boxes. This is a very congested area and it is important that we come up with an arrangement that is reliable and maintainable. This will allow the circuit schematics and wiring lists to be finalised.

Once the conduit runs on loco and tender are complete, Paul Depledge will start pulling the wiring looms through. In parallel with this Rob Morland will assemble and test the I/O and Battery Box panels, which will then be delivered to Darlington as complete units ready for fitting. We can then terminate all the wires, assemble the connectors, bus-out and check all the wiring, connect the panels and commence final system test.


TENDER (SPONSORED BY WILLIAM COOK CAST PRODUCTS LTD)
The Trust took delivery of the tender tank from North View Engineering on 6th February during which time it was tried in place and found to fit. It was then lifted again and placed on wood blocks to facilitate completion of work on the plumbing and electrical installation on the frames.

A problem has arisen with the rear drag box. The original drag box design on the A1 tenders was a steel casting. As the pattern work required would have been complex it was decided to use a welded fabrication and although we know one existed, no drawing was found and so the Trust had to commission one. Despite modifications to increase strength they have been found to be insufficient and additional remedial work is now underway scrutinised by DeltaRail. The drag box in its present state is stronger than the original design, but having altered the design (even to a small extent) the Trust is obliged to meet more onerous requirements than those in force in 1948. The overall result of this event is to delay fitting of the tank to the frames as the modifications to the drag box have to be completed before this is done

In the mean time Ian Howitt has delivered the spring hooks and a few smaller items, so the outstanding items are the brake cross stay which is in manufacture and some pins. A set of spring gear has been trial fitted successfully. Ian Howitt has also delivered the tender handrail knobs so as soon as the tank is in position, the handrails can be fitted.

For the latest news and photographs visit http://www.a1steam.com.

 

Thanks for the update Mark.

If anyone is interested, Tornado was featured on Radio 4's You and Yours this morning - the link is on here http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyours ... nday.shtml

Chris

 

Yes, I heard that feature - great publicity for the work that the A1SLT has brought to the Darlington area.

Regards,

Dan

 

Spotted in the Sunday Times business pages this w/e - photo of Tornado in the shops - used in an article focusing on sectors beating the City's doom and gloom predictions.

OK - it was to draw attention to Engineering in general, and the caption might have started "Past glory", but hey, shows how high profile the project has become. =D>

 

they have a new website under contruction

http://www.a1steam.com/

 

Taken from A1 site this evening.

Covenantors' Spring Open Weekend – 26th/27th April 2008

This will be an opportunity to see just how close Tornado is to completion, although due to the pressures of the construction schedule she will not now be in steam. Booking forms were distributed with the last issue of The Communication Cord and we hope that many of you will be able to join us.

Covenantors' Weekend on the Great Central Railway - 28th/29th June 2008
The details for this are subject to a lot hard work. But, if all goes well, covenantors will be able to ride behind Tornado on the Great Central Railway in Loughborough in her first passenger trains on this weekend.

Annual Convention and Launch of Tornado

It goes without saying that this will be the “must be at” event of the year! Again, the caveat above applies but we sincerely hope to welcome covenantors to the National Railway Museum at York for what promises to be a spectacular day. Originally scheduled for Saturday 30th August but a new date to be announced shortly.

 

Update - tender tank fitted to frames

FINANCE AND FUNDRAISING

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust commented:

“Although the Trust’s fundraising efforts are breaking all previous records, significant increases in costs around materials, labour and certification meant that the Trust announced last month that it needed to raise an additional £50,000 above that already pledged Tornado certified and entering main line service in the autumn. Since that announcement the generosity of our supporters means that £19,000 has been raised, leaving just another £31,000 to be found.”

For more information please email enquiries@a1steam.com.

PROJECT PLAN
A last month’s review of the project cost to complete identified some major cost increases on the construction of the project, due to three main reasons:
• Under-estimation of the time taken to complete final assembly
• Costs of certification due to unique nature of project
• Continuing very significant price rises in energy and raw materials

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters the revised funding gap has reduced from £50,000 to £31,000.

Although there will be no impact on Tornado’s entry into main line service in the autumn it has been decided to put back her move to the Great Central Railway (GCR) at Loughborough until mid-June and consequently all other key dates are being adjusted accordingly. The locomotive will therefore not now be in steam at our covenantor’s spring open weekend on 26/27th April. It is still intended that Tornado will haul her first passenger trains, for covenantors only, on the GCR on weekend of 28/29th June.

Tornado is still on schedule to enter main line service in autumn 2008.


ENGINERING OVERVIEW (DAVID ELLIOTT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING)

CYLINDERS AND VALVES
The piston and valve rings have been delivered. Following a discussion with John Graham (CME of NELPG/The Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust) we are no longer going to fit ring stops on the pistons as current practice is not to fit them. Steve Andrews of The Thompson B1 Locomotive Trust has produced the packings and Ian Howitt is completing spherical machining of the details. Peter Neesam has de-burred and cleaned out the steam and exhaust passages in the cylinders in anticipation of final assembly.

MOTION
The inside connecting rod torque setting has been completed and the rod is now ready for final fitting at the appropriate time. Ian Howitt has continued to assemble motion including fitting pins.

PIPE WORK AND FITTINGS
Pipe work has concentrated on installing and piping to the disconnect points between the engine and the tender, installation of the air pump lubricators and associated pipe runs. AB Hoses have been invited back to assist in specifying the engine/tender hoses. GN Steam has completed machining of the new whistle base – the final assembly will be completed now that the whistle has been trial fitted to the cab front. Further work continues on connecting up gravity oil boxes.

BRAKE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Ian Howitt has modified the loco brake cross stays and they will be returned from Crofton shortly. He is also producing the final brake pins. GN Steam has welded the one set of end forks onto each pull rod to enable a trial assembly in the near future.

BOILER ANCILLARIES
MultiTech has completed the main steam pipe flanges. This will permit completion of the main steam pipes in the near future. A large number of gaskets have been procured for steam fittings and pipe joints. Peter Neesam has completed insulating the boiler and re-fitting the cladding including manufacture of the trailing wheel splashers. The drawing for the new banjo dome casing has been completed and is with the North Norfolk Railway for manufacture. The fire arch has been cast in-situ which enabled the fire hole door mask to be fitted which in turn has permitted completion of the back head cladding. GN Steam has manufactured the fire hole leg guards and these are now fitted to the backhead.

BEARING SPRING GEAR
The bogie and Cartazzi spring gear is now complete. Owens now has the material for the coupled wheel springs which should be ready before the end of April.

BOGIE
The new (thicker) phosphor bronze bearing strips for the bogie crosshead have been delivered by MultiTech and a concentrated effort on the bogie to finish it is planned for the near future.

CAB
The cab front windscreens and side screens have been fitted (minus glass) and are awaiting fitting of catches which the Trust’s Anglia Support Group is delivering during the forthcoming Spring Covenantors’ Meeting. Glazing has been ordered from Romag. The pipe work and equipment has been stripped out in anticipation of painting. Further adjustment has been made to the front flange of the cab to make a better fit with the boiler cladding.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Additional work has been required to re-fit the alternator and its regulator following the reinforcement of the tender back drag box. Otherwise Paul Depledge continues to make good progress with the conduit runs and boxes for the electrical system. Volunteer Rob Payne has assembled the essential and auxiliary I/O boxes which along with the GN Steam made under-cab routing boxes are presently being zinc plated and passivated. The front marker lamps have been fitted and Paul is presently on with fitting and conduiting the rear marker lamps

TENDER (SPONSORED BY WILLIAM COOK CAST PRODUCTS LTD)
The issue of the strength of the tender drag box has been resolved to the satisfaction of the VAB by partially filling in the obround holes in the bottom face of the drag box and by adding a substantial stiffener plate to the inside of the front face of the drag box where the coupling spring rests. This work was completed on Tuesday 15th April which after a further two days for painting, modifying the mountings for the alternator and alternator regulator and refitting the pipe work, the tank to was lowered and bolted down to the frames on Friday 18th March. A start has been made on installing tender brake control equipment to the right of the coal doors above the locker. Progress with this should be rapid now the tank is on the frames. Ian Howitt has completed the brake cross stay and has made the final brake pins. The only outstanding items are some hand brake details and the buffers, all of which are in manufacture. The hand rails have also been fitted to the tank. The reservoir carriers can now be completed and the reservoirs bolted on for the last time. This will enable Tom Snowball to complete the air and brake system plumbing. The tender/engine disconnect points have been fitted with some of the associated pipe work.

CERTIFICATION
Over a one week period at the end of March/ early April, we had three certification visits. The NoBo audit on 26/27th March, VAB construction scrutiny visit on 31st March and the ORR/VAB/NR visit on 2nd April were all successful. On 17th April Tony Broughton visited to collect information to produce the design conformity documentation for the tender.

For the latest news and photographs visit www.a1steam.com. For more information please email enquiries@a1steam.com.

 

Tornado Update 27/05/2008

Mark Allatt, chairman of The A1 Steam Locomotive Trust commented: “We are now clearly on the final stretch of the project to build Tornado, with just a few weeks until she moves under her own steam for the first time and departs Darlington for the Great Central Railway. All – but there is an awful lot of it - there is left to do is a large amount of detailed pipe work, painting and final assembly. We have therefore taken the decision to put back the completion date to early August in order to have a much higher degree of confidence that we can make the revised deadline.

“All of this progress has, however, come at a cost. Recently the Trust has been spending in the order of £60,000 every month on construction. It is thanks to our supporters’ continued generosity that our income continues to hold up and maintain its record breaking levels achieved since late last year. Although we have already raised £30,000 of the extra £50,000 we made an appeal for in late March, now is not the time to be complacent. We still need to close this gap in order to get Tornado onto the main line in 2008 and once Tornado is on Network Rail we will need to raise in excess of £800,000 to service the loans taken out and Bond issue taken up to ensure the locomotive’s long term operations.”

The Trust has therefore been able to continue activity in Darlington Locomotive Works at a very high level, with up to 15 people working there on Tornado at any one time, delivering the virtuous circle of progress generating donations that generate more progress, etc.

The project has also continued to keep in the public eye through a high press profile. Mark Allatt appeared on Radio 5 Live news and Radio 4’s Today Programme on Saturday 24th May 2008 and we have also been in The Sunday Telegraph and on Radio 4’s You and Yours recently. Every major newspaper and TV & Radio news programme is lined up and chomping at the bit to cover the major milestones later this year.

However, the Trust has been experiencing a number of challenges as Tornado nears completion – not unexpectedly as she is the first main line steam locomotive to be built since 1960 and the first ever without the luxury of a traditional, fully equipped and manned locomotive works:

- Under-estimation of the time taken to complete final assembly
- Costs of certification due to unique nature of project
- Continuing very significant price rises in energy and raw materials.

It is the first of these that is really challenging us at the moment. The redesign of the locomotive to better fit on the modern railway with air and a subsidiary vacuum braking system (as opposed to steam and vacuum) and the enhanced electrical system needed to not only power the OTMR (On Train Monitoring & Recording) and TPWS (Train Protection & Warning System) but also support our application to run Tornado at 90mph on the main line are proving to be much more complex and time consuming than originally anticipated. Due to their one-off nature this has been done using schematics and doing the detailed design and build at the same time, whilst also seeking to preserve the historic look of the Peppercorn class A1s. This and the continual discovery of minor errors in the original design that were clearly picked up on the shop floors in Doncaster and Darlington Works when the originals were built in the 1940s but never passed back to the drawing office to amend the as-built drawings are all adding to the time needed to finish the locomotive.

Mark Allatt continued, "However, I'm afraid that we’ve had to put back Tornado’s first moves in steam and under her own power from June to 2nd/3rd August to accommodate these delays. This will have a knock on effect on the rest of the programme as she will now be later onto the Great Central Railway in Loughborough for trials and testing and therefore on to the main line for the required test runs and mileage accumulation."

EVENTS
Although everyone has been working flat out there has been an inevitable knock on effect as delays in the construction phase have led to events planned for later this year being pushed back. The Trust sincerely hopes to honour the dates now in place but we cannot guarantee them. Despite Tornado not being in steam as hoped, our Covenantors’ Spring Weekend, which took place on the weekend of 26th/27th April, was a great success with around 400 Covenantors making the trip to Darlington. We raised more much needed funds and persuaded some of their friends to become Covenantors.

The Trust has arranged one last opportunity for its Covenantors to see Tornado - in steam and moving under her own power - in Darlington before she leaves. Due to the delays outlined above this will now be on the weekend of 2nd/3rd August.

Within a few days of Tornado’s first moves, she will be taken by road to the Great Central Railway in Loughborough. Consequently our previously announced Covenantors’ Weekend will NOT now be taking place on the weekend of 28th/29th June but at a later date to be announced in due course. After a period of running in and trials in and around Loughborough, Tornado will be moved to York and visitors will be able to see the locomotive at the National Railway Museum when it is not out on main line trials. Then Tornado will be moved into the paint shop at the National Railway Museum for final preparations for her launch.

It is planned that the launch of Tornado will take place at the National Railway Museum in York over a weekend later in the year. The Trust’s Covenantors will then have the opportunity to travel behind Tornado on the main line for the first time – with current thinking being return trips from York to Newcastle on both the Saturday and Sunday.

Details of all of these events will be publicised as soon as we are as confident as we can be about them.

APPEALS

VOLUNTEERS

The Trust is appealing for volunteers to help at various events it is attending throughout this year. If anyone can spare a day or two to help and would like to join the Trust’s events team, do get in touch with Alexa Stott via alexa.stott@a1steam.com. The Trust is taking the Tornado exhibition stand on the road to:

“1968 and all that” at the National Railway Museum from 24th May to 1st June.
The Coronation Weekend at the National Railway Museum on 5th and 6th July.
The Steam Gala at Barrow Hill, Chesterfield from 22nd to 25th August.
The Warley Model Railway exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham on 22nd and 23rd November.

TRACK WORk

In order to complete the track work outside Darlington Locomotive Works and enable Tornado to make her first moves, the Trust needs two right hand turnouts. Any combination of the following two types will suffice: "A-6 (Bullhead)" and "AV-6 (Flat Bottomed)". If you can help please contact Duncan Ross via Duncan.ross@a1steam.com.

ENGINERING OVERVIEW (DAVID ELLIOTT, DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING)

GENERAL
High levels of activity are being maintained to complete the loco as soon as possible. Additional plumbing resources have been engaged to help cover the largest amount of work which is left, with other specialist skills being brought in as necessary.

CYLINDERS AND VALVES
The valve rings have been fitted and the three valve spindles inserted in the valve chests. Ian Howitt has delivered some of the stuffing box details.

MOTION
The pin fitting activity is continuing and is almost complete. The reverser stand has been re-assembled in the cab and the reversing gear is now complete with the exception of the drive to and escutcheon plate for the cut off indicator which can only be completed after the valve setting which is expected to be done after the Spring bank holiday under the guidance of John Graham.

FITTINGS AND PIPE WORK
Tom Snowball has recruited a further plumber, Brian Gunn, who has been concentrating on insulating pipes between the frames and final fitting them with gaskets. Tom has continued with various bits of steam and air pipe work, particularly to the hose disconnect points between the engine and tender. He has also hydraulic tested a large amount of air pipe work, prior to refitting to the loco for the last time. John Haydon, assisted from time to time by David Hurd, is concentrating on completing connections to the gravity oil boxes, a task which is almost finished on Driver’s side of the engine and well advances on the other side.

BRAKE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Some air brake control equipment has been returned from overhaul which will enable us to install the bracketry and pipework on the tender. Ian Howitt has delivered further mechanical brake gear.

BOILER ANCILLARIES
Taylors of Leeds have been retained to pre-assemble and weld the main steam pipes and have now fitted them to the smokebox finally. The regulator cross shaft and other back head fittings have been finally fitted. The regulator quadrants and stops are still to be fitted and will be done when the cab is taken off again. The smokebox is being fitted out including the anti-vacuum valve and top cover. The blast pipe is being fitted for the last time.

BEARING SPRING GEAR
The bogie spring and side control gear is now fitted.. The coupled wheel springs have been delivered and the coupled wheel spring links have been fitted to the axle/cannonboxes. The springs will not be fitted until the remaining pipe and motion work is complete as they hamper access.

CAB
The cab and floor plates have been grit blasted and the interior has been finish painted in apple green in the sides and green on the inside of the roof. Andrew Daniel, the contract joiner who works for the LNERCA has made up and fitted the cab floor woodwork. Another day’s work remains to make the attachments to the steel floor.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Paul Depledge has now completed the main conduit runs down the loco and tender and with the assistance of Mick Robinson has started loom making and pulling cables through the conduits. Paul has completed virtually all the boxes and other mechanical components of the electrical installation on loco and tender. Volunteer Rob Payne has assembled the essential and auxiliary I/O (Input/Output) boxes. The Essential Services box is in the process of being fitted out and the Auxiliary Services cabinet (which is smaller and less complex) will be completed by our electrical designer, Rob Morland in his own workshop.

Additional work has been required to re-fit the alternator and its regulator following the reinforcement of the tender back drag box. The front and back marker lamp boxes and associated conduit work have been fitted.

The electrical system design is now essentially complete. The only areas where more work is required are the marker and head lamps (where the LED system has to be finished and the units constructed). Thanks to our recent appeal the Trust now has all eight required plus spares.

The internal layout of the battery boxes is now complete and CAD drawings are being produced by David Elliott. Each box will contain two batteries and a Battery Panel, to which will be fitted the DC-DC converter battery charger and associated protection components. The first power supply has been wired up to test the DC-DC converter charging a set of batteries. Using the shore supply this has been bench-tested through two complete battery charge-discharge cycles and performed without any problems.

The first item of circuitry to be carried on the loco has now been built and tested. This is the simple circuit that provides a health indication via LEDs on the Control Panels for each of the input and output supplies. Boards containing four of these circuits have been assembled and potted in flame-retardant silicone elastomer. Two units are required and four boards have been built, providing two spares.

On the loco itself, the key challenge has been to identify the best routing for the wiring between the cab, frames and battery boxes. This is a very congested area and it was important that we came up with an arrangement that is reliable and maintainable. Paul Depledge has managed to fit in enough conduit capacity which has allowed the circuit schematics and wiring lists to be finalised.

Rob Morland is in the process of assembling and testing the Input/Output and Battery Box panels and will deliver them to Darlington as complete units ready for fitting.

TENDER (SPONSORED BY WILLIAM COOK CAST PRODUCTS LTD)
The last of the bolts holding the tender tank to the frame have been fitted along with the steel structure that supports the wooden floor in the cab area. This floor has also been made and fitted. The hand brake screw assembly has been delivered by Ian Howitt and has been tried and fits.. Some fitting work had been required on the brake hangers. Otherwise the only remaining brake equipment to be delivered is some pins which are in manufacture.

The tender tank has been grit blasted and Great Northern Steam has been retained to improve the flatness of the sides. Painter Ian Matthews is currently filling, flatting and priming the sides. The reservoir brackets have been secured to the underside of the tank and the reservoirs are being mounted as this is being written. This will permit the air pipework to be completed. The alternator has been refitted. Following individual spring rate checking by the manufacturers, Owen Springs, the tender spring gear has been fitted by A1 Trustees Barry Wilson and Graeme Bunker.

The components for the extended shank rear coupling should be delivered in June which will enable William Cook Cast Products’ Leeds plant to friction weld the stem onto the hook forging – thanks to the intervention of Andrew Cook when the supply problem was discovered. In the mean time the rather worn redundant back draw hook off 60019 Bittern has been purchased which will suffice for the operations on the Great Central railway.

CERTIFICATION
Delta Rail is well underway with its review of changes made to the original Peppercorn design – where the design hasn’t been changed, verification is on the basis of the A1s previous service history. They have also audited the manufacturing processes against the quality management system in order to give them confidence that the locomotive has been constructed in accordance with the agreed design. This audit was successful and no remedial work is required in this area. Frequent discussions have been held with the ORR (Office of the Rail Regulator – formerly known as Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate), most recently on 2nd April, with a further visit on 13th May which has completed their ‘cold’ inspection on the locomotive. This coupled with an interim certification statement from Delta Rail and completion of the agreed testing plan will pave the way for testing and use of Tornado at the GCR. The Route Acceptance Strategy is subject to a number of activities being progressed to support the operation of the locomotive on the main line, the most significant being the now agreed track force testing programme which involves a mixture of testing at the GCR at 60mph, followed by main line testing at 75mph and ultimately 90mph to prove that the locomotive behaves as is expected in comparison with other steam locomotives. This will include instrumentation being placed on the locomotive to measure its dynamic behaviour, similar to the acceptance of modern rolling stock. Tornado is the first steam locomotive this will have been done to.

For the latest news and photographs visit http://www.a1steam.com. For more information please email enquiries@a1steam.com or telephone 01325 4 60163.