Since the last report the engine has had its valves refitted and is working well. We have the usual ongoing maintenance tasks to keep on top of but in the main the engine is working well
We have just completed a Boiler washout and have identified some firebox lap seam rivets that have deteriorated and need replacing sometime soon. We are as I write having discussions with the Boiler Inspector on the repairs but more importantly the testing of that repair. The replacement rivets were a standard shed repair and have been done by the Tysley team hundreds of times.
Other than that all is well, as we are now starting to think about what we will be doing during Winter Maintenance. We have various castings and bits arranged so things are already in the pipeline for that winter work. As an example the two snifting valves tend to leak as the valves and bodies are original Swindon parts. If you look below the steam that is drifting upwards is the right hand one leaking. We have the new castings and the valves have been made in Stainless steel. John Hancock tends to do ours and another set very soon.
As an aside the first engine group I was involved with in getting an engine out of Barry was a group trying to rescue 6023. My memory fails me why we didn’t progress but I am sure it hinged around the cut wheels. I then joined the new group starting to plan rescuing 7903 and the rest as they say is History. Well not quite, at the May gala I had the privilege of driving both engines on the same day
See below
Fireman, Steve Jones in the middle Driver Ben Evason on the right. Behind is 6023 which was Ben’s engine. We changed engines at Toddington as part of the gala crew roster.
