7202

Could one of you GWS types give an update on the restoration.Ive always been fascinated by this engine since first I saw it at Did when first preserved. I'll have to make sure to get obver there to see it when finished

 

In between drinking tea and various other beverages, the following has been achieved in the recent past:

The complete rebuilding of the driver's side tank is now virtually finished, and has been put back on the engine to join the fireman's side one, which was completed some time ago. The cab roof has also been fitted to check that everything lines up.

The rod bearings are being sorted out ready for the rods to go on - the crossheads have already been re-metalled and machined, and are in place. During the summer some of the motion started to go up, fortunately the pins etc are generally in pretty good condition, so not too much work needed there.

On the boiler front, after some debate following its inspection, the course of action has been agreed, and a couple of stays have been trial fitted. Fortunately the boiler had all its old stays removed and the holes tapped out some years back, so helping to speed things up. In the near future the backhead/safety valve pads will be re-ground, and work has recently focussed on getting the latter ready for this.

Other recent work has seen the water valves completed, along with work on the cladding round the rocker arm bearings.

With any luck baldric may be along in a bit to give some better qualified info. In the meantime you may wish to check out the 38 Mob's website: http://www.baldric.plus.com/

 

Just as an update.

2 of the 3 water valves have been attached to the engine, one pipe from the bunker has been made ready to fit, the other needs replacing. The third water valve, yes third, it is a drain for the tanks just under the back buffer beam, will be fitted when the pipes are fitted associated with it.

The grinding of the saftey valve mounting will start today. See http://www.rickwebster.co.uk/ for more details on the boiler.

The rocker shaft bearing that needed replacing just needs final fettling before fitting. Unfortunalty 2 of the more complex motion pins need replacing, these have a taper on them, with 3 parallel section, one of which interupts the taper, not a 2 minute job to replace.

Hopefully 7202 will be outside for the first weekend in May when the bar will be open to raise funds, come along and see it. Note that this weekend is the "All in a dyas work" event at Didcot, details to be published soon. See http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/e ... endar.html for details.

 

thx for the info...can you leave it out for a bit? I'll be over in early June....

 

It's dangerous leaving things like that lying around for all to see...

...someone's bound to try and use it as a boiler trolley.

 

Yesterday we reached a symbolic stage, the last of the coupling rods were fitted, so we now have a 2-8-2t again! Work will now start on the connecting rods once the crossheads are both attached to the pistons, this sounds easy, and is but we need to get all the glads stuffing boxes sorted first other wise you then have to split the crosshead again.
Also fitted for checking was the balance pipe between the LH tank and the bunker, originally this would have been a casting but we have fabricated it instead. Durnig later years the castings were replaced by 90 degree bends and rubber hoses, as the cast ones are so prominent in photos we decided to replicate these rather than use the later rubber hoses.
Work on other itmes continues slowly, but then almost everything is being done by volunteers, with working parties one weekend a month, although there are some people there most weekends.
If you wish to help raise funds come the the GWR175 event bar at Didcot, all proceeds go to the Heavy Freight fund.