October/November

The past few months have been very busy with completing and general fettling of the fairlie. I'm pleased to say that she passed her boiler test, and ran about 3 miles on that day. She was also out on the same day as ExpoNG (which is held in the sports centre just over the hill from us), and did at least 9 more miles, this time with the public, although we limited trains to only 3 cars because of poor rail head conditions.

Having completed here, it's now time to buckle down and get the customers tinkerbell on the road.

Fairlie progress

The first batch of fairlie parts came back from the sprayer a fortnight ago, and since then I have been lining out the cab top and tanks. The results are shown below and I'm really pleased with them - by far the most complex lining scheme I've attempted, and it looks very good. Tomorrow (hopefully) I will collect the remainder from him, and lining of the bunker and cab lower sections can begin.

Fairlie close . . . .

Recently, I've been doing some last jobs I need to do before sending the Fairlie parts to the sprayer for paint. This has included a lot of rubbing down of the welded surfaces to get a nice smooth finish, which, although dirty and hard work, will make the loco look so much better when she is done. I am hoping to be able to make an appointment with him in the next week or so, hopefully he can fit her in quickly.

A lot has happened since my last post here. Much work has been done on the power bogie, especially making sure that it can pivot enough in both vertical and horizontal planes while also getting steam to and from it.
The boiler has been put on the frames, and a lot of platework has been done. Hopefully soon it will be time for paint . . .

Fairlie frames erected at last!!

Today was a very special day, now that the tink has gone, there's plenty of room in the shed so the fairlie got the rear section of its frames bolted on at last. The rear bogie bolster was also fixed in place, so she is on all 8 wheels at last.

I also fixed the reverser and brake stand in position. Jobs in the coming days include hooking up the brakes and reverser, and fitting the footwell. I am especially happy with the widened rear section, there's so much more space in there than normal.

Tink number 3 - done!!!

Yesterday I delivered my third tink to her new owner. Both he and I are very pleased with the looks of this loco, it's turned out really well. And now, it's fairlie time. . . . .

August update

The tink platework is now done and the first lot has gone to the sprayer for him to do his magic. Once that paint has hardened I can start the job of lining her. Her smokebox has been fitted out (blast pipe and cap, spark arrestor, blower feed, elbow for ejector exhaust etc.) and then painted, and I've also painted the frames and buffer beams.

I have also decided to abandon my plan of having the big chime whistle on the front of one of the fairlie tanks (in place of the drivers side sandpot) and so have got more lumps of aluminium to make a second sandpot from.

I have nearly completed the firehole doors for both locos, frames from 25x25x3 angle.

Tinkerbell progress

The tinkerbell I am building for a client has progressed a lot recently. I have welded up the tanks, bunker and cab roof (in two section so he can remove the rear one). I still have to make up the coal rails for the bunker, and do some filling here and there, but she's nearly ready for paint.

Fairlie too . . .

The Fairlie's coming on too. I have also welded up her tanks, which are a complex shape to mimic her big sister.

 

Tinkerbell progress

The Tinkerbell I am building for a friend is coming along well. I gave made, and fixed the chimney in place. This week I have started to weld up the tanks. Because his railway is quite long, I have maximised their capacity be extending them forwards, backwards and sideways.

customer's tink with its face on

It's been a long time. . . .

A good friend reminded me that it'd been a long time since I updated this blog, so here's a little of what's been going on.

The tink I'm completing for a friend is coming on well, the smokebox and door are now built, the chimney cap and base have been machined, all that remains is to turn up the tube and press the lot together. The laser cutter's been busy with that loco too, I have now got the cab, tanks and bunker cut all ready to weld up.

The fairlie's been coming on too, I replaced the smokebox handwheel because I felt it was too weedy, and I have also made up the chimney ready to fit. After visiting Moors Valley Railway amd having a chat with Jim Haylock, I've decided to make the trailing bogie side frames wider to improve the look of them, so work is on going with that. yesterday, I got the cab roof rolled so the tanks etc. will doubtlessly get welded up with the ones for the tink (above).

I'll try to get some photos late this week to post and also promise to try and update this a little more foten in future!!

Tink rolling chassis

I've just finished a Tink rolling chassis for a customer, and it's due to leave tomorrow. He's already made the rear pony truck, and will also receive the smokebox door, brake blocks and chimney base and top castings with the chassis.

October

The rolling chassis I'm building is now nearly complete. The cylinders are on, as are the motion plates and slide bars. That just leaves the piston rings, conn rods and retainers and she's ready to go. Her owner is going to collect her early December.

I have machined the fairlie smokebox door back, and have started to work in the hinges etc. I want these to be stainless as Tal's are bare metal, and quite characteristic.

September. . . .

This month I've started to assemble the rolling chassis I'm building for a friend's tinkerbell. I have all the parts ready, it's just (ha! just. . .) a matter of assembling them. So, in a couple of days work, the frames are together, the wheelsets are in, the cranks quartered and the coupling rods are on. Next week (hopefully) the assembled cylinders will go on, followed soon by the motion plate, slide bars, crossheads and connecting rods. At that stage, it can go to its owner, who wants it by the end of the year.

The fairlie has also seen some progress - I have completed the reverser (which I ended up shortening a bit so that it would fit comfortably under the regulator handle), and machined the brake and reverser shafts. I also had the handbrake wheel laser cut - Tal has just a wheel, no handle on it, which is good for me because I'm using a handbrake cable to be flexible on to the bogie, and I don't want people to be able to over tighten it and stretch the cable. Hopefully this lack of handle will mean people can't over tighten it. This had a bit of machining done to it to round off the edges. I have also welded the sandpot base on to the front of the tank.

I got the flexible steam pipes for her from Pirtek. Unfortunately, when I measured up on the chassis there wasn't as much side play available for the exhaust pipe as I'd like, so I've had to dis-assemble the live steam feed to the cylinders, and order some more parts so that I can move it an inch further left. She should never go round corners that sharp - but I don't want any problems.

Some fairlie good progress

Today I trial assembled the Fairlie's frames:

I have also recently completed her sandpot (every Fairlie needs a sandpit at the front of its tanks). The top and bottom were turned from aluminium.

Not just locomotives . . .

We don't just build locomotives - pictured here is a coach (in primer) just completed for a customers garden railway.

The Tinkerbell cylinders are now done, so it's time to get them on the frames.

cylinder progress

The two sets of Tinkerbell cylinders are nearly done. Today I fitted the piston and valve rod glands, just leaving valve rod buckles, gaskets and fixing bolt holes to do. Hopefully these will get done next week, and the first pair on their frames early the week after. Meanwhile, I have fitted the Fairlie drop links, so that's moving on too!!

Early April

The diesels have both been and gone, converted to 6.5hp electric start petrol engines. They are a lot smoother, and also benefit from being common in everything except shape!!! The fairlie power bogie valve gear is complete except from the eccentric rods and drop links for the reversing gear. It also needs the drain cocks fitting, but, apart from that, it's done. The frames arrived from the cutter a few weeks ago now, ready for when space allows them to be put together. But first, I have a tinkerbell and a rolling tinkerbell chassis to complete. The two pairs of cylinders for these are coming along well, the pistons are made and fitted, work now concentrating on fitting the rear covers, then glands, and fitting the valves to the valve rods, all the gaskets and then they can be fitted to the frames. That will be real progress!!!