Bush removal and measuring!

The wasted studs in the cylinder block & blast pipe have been replaced and the frame has been given a protective coating of grey. We retrieved items from the wagon in preparation for grit blasting and painting although this has still to be done. Mud doors were checked to see if they need any work and a new mould will need to be made as they are different to the mould we have for other engines. The new stretcher & stiffener have been given a coat of primer and look good! The bushes have been pressed out from the coupling rods (with relative ease).  We installed dummy axles and the process of measuring the centres has begun. This will continue.........!

Some dry weather would allow us to grit blast all the larger parts - brake stretchers, wayshaft, hangers and chimney out in the yard and get them protected and back under cover. Let's hope so.

Alan flushing out a wasted stud.

No 9's frame in protective grey protected by 9F and 5025!

Brake hangers ready for grit blasting.

New studs for blast pipe.

New studs in cylinder block.

Trial fitting of mud doors in what remains of No 9.

New stretcher & stiffener by John Hunt.

Pressing out bush.

Waiting to lift and turn the coupling rod. Levelling with 3 blocks and a bit of sterling board! (Nick's photo)

Alan measuring between the LL & LC dummy axles.

Dummy axle RC driving wheels.

One bush with uneven shape.

All bushes removed.

Chimney, wayshaft and brake stretchers waiting for some TLC!

Further progress - stretcher to mechanical lubricator!

 The new plate for the stretcher has been tacked in place (still to be welded in by a very busy John H) and the cylinder block has received a lot of attention. Wasted studs needed to be removed and replaced. Two needed flushing out connecting both halves of the block and took a bit of time!  Painting the frame with dark grey undercoat has started, and Alan French has completed the wonderful refurbishment of the mechanical lubricator very kindly donated by Bill McCarthy, electrical volunteer, who sadly has passed away. Duchess Blue/midnight, the colour that No 9 will eventually be, as was the case in her NCB days, has been applied! This is a long posting but covers a lot going on with the engine!

New stretcher.

Tacked on ready for welding. Alan looking on.

Works number 7097 on underside of cylinder block. Painted over now.

Underside of block de-greased before painting.

Top of cylinder being needle gunned. Wasted studs on front of cylinder will be removed.

Top of cylinder given a coat of aluminium HR paint.

8 wasted studs on RH cylinder removed.

Applying heat to aid the removal of wasted studs.

Applying heat to one of the blast pipe studs.

All 4 studs removed.

One of the wasted studs - a nut was welded on, heated & removed.

This stud took time to shift and tap a new thread for the replacement.

Brian W and Dave G started the dark grey undercoat. A coat of shed dust needs to be removed and a wipe down with paraffin cleans up the surface before they started!

The mechanical lubricator, kindly donated by Bill McCarthy and refurbished by Alan French. 16 outlets will supply lubrication to various parts of No 9. This will help the footplate crew - big time!

Oil level gauge and handle on ML.

Another view of the mechanical lubricator. The 2 T's are lifting devices! The are removed.

With cover.

Rivets and buffer!

 It's been a few months since an update on No 9 and in that time work has been curtailed due to the requirements by the crew in other duties! The wheelset has still to be sent to RPSI for re-tyring. We have however, replaced the bolts on the stretchers with rivets and re-attched the last buffer to the frame as a new spring has been aquired. The centre part of the stretcher has still to be welded in as John H has been very busy doing other important work in C&W.

Head of ram for inside riveting on frame.

New stretcher bracket on LH side.

Rivets on LH side to be ground flat.

Rivets ground flat - primer was applied soon after!

New spring for buffer. Undercoated & finished in black before fitting.

 

Raising the front RH buffer with gantry and secured with strop.

Buffer in place and partially secured. Still supported by the gantry.

Rear view - buffer secured.

Last of the buffers in place.

The next job is to clean the frame of the accumulated dirt and dust and give it a dark grey undercoat prior to being given its finished black coat!

End of 2023 Update

 In the last few weeks of 2023 we completed the levelling up of No9's frame using a very precise level, the cleaning of all 6 axleboxes in the washer and attached the supports for the new stretcher. John Hunt will complete the welding of the stretcher in the new year.  The bolts will then be replaced with rivets. We also lit a few Shed (people) warming fires!

This was used at all points on the frame and is very precise.

 

Axlebox getting a wee clean.

Cleaned axleboxes on LH side of frame

Angles protected for new stretcher. It's amazing what we can source from stock.

Mag drill attached. The rope allowed for accurate positioning and as a safety feature.

 LH angle secured with bolts for new stretcher. Bolts will be replaced with rivets. The next job.

RH angle for new stretcher.

Outside frame view of bolts holding angle for new stretcher.

Approved and very welcome!

Buffers & levelling.

 Buffers have been given an undercoat, re-built with the springs and cottar pins, and put back on the frame. The springs were placed in the housing and pressure applied to allow the cottar pin to be inserted. Along with the coupling hook they were re-attached to the buffer beam. Next was No 9's frame re-siting in the Shed. She is now at the back of 2 road. This allows Ivatt Class 2 46464's chassis and boiler to be next to the outside world where they will be re-united in the future. The frame of No 9 needs to be perfectly level to attach the new stretcher and axle boxes etc and we used the Enerpac to start this process.

Eccentrics and buffers with undercoat of light grey!

 

Buffer, spring & housing re-united. A squeeze needed to insert cottar pin.

No 9  - buffer complete and ready to go back on beam.

Buffers & coupling hook back on.

Shunt to re-locate frame to back of 2 road in progress.

Frame now at back of 2 road. Ivatt now next to door.

Levelling up the frame with the Enerpac.

Levelled up. Steel will take place of the wooden block.