Work on the horn blocks and stays has now been completed and all have been fitted as can be seen in the photo. of the mainframe. This has enabled adjustment of the frame stands to leave clearance for the fitting of the spring hangers, two of which can be seen in position painted in light green primer.
The new cylinder castings have been brought into the workshop ready for work to start on joining them together. The photo. shows the two castings each of which consists of one cylinder plus half the locomotive’s smokebox saddle. The two halves have to be joined by bolting through the central vertical flanges front and back for which a set of 10 fitted bolts and nuts are to be made. The blanks for these have been cut and initial machining undertaken as seen in second photo.
In order to align the cylinders accurately they will be set up using a known level flat surface table with square sides to act as a datum base. This is shown in the photo. under preparation on the horizontal milling machine where one side is being machined square.
Once the cylinders have been joined the next step is to fit 4561’s new extension frames and front bufferbeam. The two partially prepared extension pieces and the buffer plank have been brought into the workshop in readiness.
During October Ryan and Don visited the South Devon Railway at Buckfastleigh to discuss the possible needs for steel plates when work resumes on 4561’s boiler and firebox. These plates have now been delivered and are seen in Williton yard.
First published on the WSRA 4561 restoration blog.