Running dates
Siusaidh will be visiting the Moors Valley Railway on 1st May 2010 for their Tinkerbell rally
Something you won't find anywhere else on this website - a picture of me!! I'm the ugly old one leaning on the cab, by the way. This photo was taken on her first day of serious work at the SNBR. Lining and numbering still to do, but the end of the road is VERY close now. There were a couple of minor niggles, all easily sorted out, and, apart from that, she did a very good 7 miles on her first day out.
This page documents the construction of a LARGE Tinkerbell style engine. This started out as a locomotive close to the original (Roger Marsh) drawings, but ended up as something a lot bigger. Follow this link for the full story, from what I started building to what I am now building.
This link takes you to a page with some pictures of Jason at the Moors Valley Railway, the inspiration behind this project.
Progress
This table summarizes progress to date. From the start of 2006, I will attempt to update it monthly. Click on the photos to see a larger version.
January 2008 |
Total: 22 hours work |
|
Just before Xmas 2007 |
|
Raising steam Under power at last After her boiler test at the SNBR (Thanks to John Downes for this photo) - and me in the cab at last !! |
November 2007 |
Total: 37 hours work |
|
October 2007 |
Total: 38 hours work |
|
September 2007 |
At last! The boiler's on !! Tanks nearly done, started on the cab. The photo shows the engine in early October. The rear of the cab is
welded up, the front is just clamped on, and the roof is just placed on. But she looks the part !!
Total: 38 hours work |
|
July/August 2007 |
Went to the Severn Valley Railway to roll the smokebox and other curved bits,
then made up the smokebox. With this fitted to the frames she really does start
to look like an engine at last - probably more so than at any time in the past !!
Total: 50 hours work (Over 2 months - and passed 700 hours on the project) |
|
June 2007 |
Total: 16 hours work |
|
May 2007 |
Total: 26 hours work |
|
April 2007 |
Total: 15 hours work |
|
March 2007 |
Total: 21 hours work(Also passed the magic 600 hours on the project) |
|
February 2007 |
First air test (on a small compressor) done, makers plates arrived Total: 24 hours work |
|
January 2007 |
Several 'little' jobs done, so not much to show for the work but much closer to air testing. Ordered the makers plates. · Build lubricator and fit · Fit steam pipes · Shorten rear brake hangers to make ashpan simpler to make · Mock up ashpan (in card) · Total: 26 hours work |
|
December 2006 |
The festive season meant that I didn't get as much time as I might have liked to work on the engine, but, as 2006 closed, I had a chassis which was ready for air testing apart from the LHS eccentric rod which needs welding and the lubricator needs completing. · Make and fit LHS motion pins · Calculate and make LHS eccentric rod · Fix reverser stand · Cut reverser reach rod to size · Start on lubricator · Total: 15 hours work |
|
November 2006 |
· Get RHS eccentric rod re-welded and ground back · Make and fit final RHS motion pins · Complete reverser catch and handle · Fit LHS piston rings, pin piston rod to crosshead · Cut and fit first section of footplate · Start making lubricator tank · Total: 26 hours work |
|
October 2006 |
· Fit RHS Trunnion hangers · Shorten and turn down valve rod tails · Trim backs of combination levers · Make new union links · Make new eccentric rod forks (More offset towards centre of loco) · Fit 2 weighshaft arms · Fit RHS piston rings, pin piston rod to crosshead · Trial assemble RHS valve gear. Eccentric rod 5mm too short · Grind off eccentric rod fork, clamp and check · Make RHS return crank · Mill out reverser handle · Total: 36 hours work |
|
September 2006 |
· Bore out and fit connecting rod big end bearings · Make little end pins · Fit Left hand motion bracket · Fit and align slidebars · Make and fit valve rod tail supports · Make jig and turn eccentric rod end caps · Make and fit valve straps · Fit right hand valve · Test fit both connecting rods · Total: 40 hours work |
|
August 2006 |
· Make and fit piston rods · Machine rear cylinder covers and all glands · Fit parkside speedo sender unit, refit rear bogie · Make cylinder gaskets · Wash out cylinders, fit to frames · Fit coupling rods · Fit front smokebox support · Make valve rods and tails · Bore out trunnion hanger brackets · Make return cranks · Complete milling out of crossheads, fit union link hangers · Total: 60 hours work |
|
July 2006 |
· Complete brakes · Complete and test front pony · Fit cycle speedo · Total: 19 hours work |
|
June 2006 |
· Complete new front pony - just needs rubbing plate in frames to complete · Bore out and fit bearings to coupling rods · Fit reverser bracket to frame · Total: 20 hours work |
|
May 2006 |
· Turn new front pony wheels · Order new front pony frames · Fit driving wheel spring hangers · Make brake actuating rods and cross beams · Machine first slide valve · Total: 20 hours work |
|
April 2006 |
· Make and fit brake shaft bushes · Fit footwell angles and floor · Cut and fit reverser stand angle · Cut and fit brake hangers · Drill and tap cylinder front covers · Drill and tap left hand steamchest fitting bolts · Rough out pistons · Grind port faces flat · Total: 20 hours work |
|
March 2006 |
· Fit rear bogie · Mill out cylinder ports · Drill steam passages (from ports down to the bore) · Mill out steamchest to size · Mill steamchest covers to size · Drill and tap right hand steamchest fitting bolts · Total: 30 hours work |
|
February 2006 |
· Bore and face cylinder blocks. Top photo shows the right hand block being bored, having already had the mounting and valve faces machined flat, and the exhaust outlet drilled and tapped. · Face steam chests · Paint flycranks · Join frames together. The bottom photo shows them after fixing, the smokebox supports are just put in place to show how they will fit. Some footplate and firebox support angles also bolted in place. (Note: Chalk marks in the picture are where the frames were straightened. As delivered, there was a slight bend at the front of the frames) · Total: 31 hours work |
|
January 2006 |
· Drill frames · Make spring hanger welding jig · Mill connecting rod small ends · Fit horncheeks and axlebox retainers · Total: 31 hours work |
|
December 2005 |
Laser cut frames, buffer beams, coupling and connecting rods arrived. Photo shows one frame posed with the wheels (and a lot of leaves) |
|
Summer 2005 |
All valve gear and motion forks, trunnion blocks, drop link hangers, crossheads and combination levers milled from solid. Picture shows some of these fitted to rods, and the whole lot laid out to show how it will all fit together |
|
Early 2005 |
Tinkerbell trailing truck turned round to be used as leading truck. This may require wider wheels making to suit "Haylock gauge" as the ones currently fitted are from 25mm thick blanks. Drivers machined from 35mm thick blanks, fly cranks and crankpins machined, assembled and quartered. Rear truck wheels manufactured from 28mm thick blanks, truck laser cut and built Both trucks use ball transfer units on the contact surfaces. Sacrificial rubbing plates are to be employed for when/if wear gets unacceptable. |