A busy 3 weeks for No 9.

 Lots of work on various parts of Austerity No 9! The big end bearings that we white metalled have been machined and are ready. The spring hangers which had given us some problems have been sorted, new bushes made by Alan French and pressed in by Nick Thompson. After a lot of trial fitting the rear draw hook has been put in which has a valute spring - in the past some inter-change has happened on the engine as the front draw hook has a conventional coil spring. Both were originally valute springs. The mechanical lubricator that Alan refurbished (see June 2024 blog) had been put on the running board. The front cab sides that were trial fitted in the last post have been rivetted to the angle iron, the rivets ground flush and primed by Brian Warrender, and will be put back on for good. Only 20 rivets this time! Brian has also been putting the finishing touches to No 9 that have been "scuffed" or missed. This will happen again as parts are put back on. The reverser frameand handle are back in place but need connecting to the other components. A very rewarding and enjoyable 3 weeks! 7097 is coming together.

Big end bearing on lathe.

 

Machined by Nathan.

Some of the spring hangers and bushes.

Alan positioning the bush in the hanger.

Nick pressing the bush into the spring hanger.

Bushes inserted.

Rear draw hook - still to have cottar pin inserted.

Mechanical lubricator - still to be raised & fixed in place.

Cab side rivetted to angle iron.

Rivets ground flush & primed. Brian grinding of the ones on the other cab side. Sparks flying!

The jigsaw puzzle!

The reverser frame & lever.

Coupling rods, handbrake and cab sides.

 After the high of the wheelsets being reunited with the frame work continued on other important parts of 7097. The handbrake handle was fitted on top of the running boards on the left side of the cab and connected to the brake shaft underneath. On the last day of July the coupling rods were trial fitted and all were good. Excellent! They were removed over the weekend of 2nd/3rd August and checked - put back on for good. The two front cab sides, having been restored, were trial fitted to the angles on the cab floor. Nick drilled the holes in the angles with the smaller of the 2 Mag Drills and they fitted well. Both the cab sides and the angles will be removed and rivetted together, much easier to do away from the engine. They will then be bolted to the frame. Another big step forward in No 9's restoration in her 81st year.

 

Nick & Alan admiring the newly installed handbrake!

The handbrake connected to the brake shaft.

LH coupling rods put on. The "Backworth" step was removed to facilitate both the rods being connected with the pin inserted from the back, near impossible to do with the step in place.

RH coupling rods on!

Mag drill, supported both by magnetism and gantry, drilling holes in the angle iron. Photo Nick Thompson.

Both cab sides trial fitted - will be removed along with the angles for rivetting.

Nick's photo - viewed from the front of the frame. 9F 92219 in the background.