July-August 2011 Roundup
Chris Baily, Project Leader

Firstly, apologies for the lack of recent updates, we've been so busy working on locos that we simply haven't had the time to write things up!

On the 2nd of July, D9531 was shunted from Baron St loco works, across the road into Buckley Wells Carriage & Wagon shed. With the power unit successfully started in April, the heavy engineering work is complete and preparation for painting along with the remaining air and electrical system installations can proceed. The move involved all three of the Baron St based projects. D9531 leaving for the C&W works, D8233 moving into D9531's former home in Baron Street works and D5705 relcoated to the main sidings in preparation for the forthcoming bogie lift (more into at www.d8233.org.uk).

D9531 leaves Baron Street C&W bound

Gilbert Hammond and his team have made a start on preparing A end and the cab for painting, with many hours spent rubbing down all the doors, roof sections, cab sides and roof by hand. Gilbert tends to spend most Saturdays working on D9531 and welcomes anyone willing to help out.

D9531 at its new home in the C&W shed	Gilbert sanding down A End side doors

Alan Lee has been busy over the last month assembling and installing the wiring loom for B end. This runs mostly to the brake frame for various control valves and the compressor. Jason and Adam have assisted Alan when needed, making and mounting various items where needed including a new junction Box for the brake frame and mounting the air control panel to the top of the brake frame.

B End loom construction Alan and loom! New B End Junction Box Adam and Alan making new air control panel New air control panel in situ

The exhaust cowl and new auxiliary res air tank have been drelled and painted, the exhaust cowl has also had some rubber joints riveted on to cover gaps and help prevent rainwater ingress.

Jason priming the exhaust cowl	Exhaust cowl finished in undercoat

At the beginning of August, Chris arranged for Bruce Walker to make a return visit to do some more pipework soldering. Chris and Bruce spent two days finishing off pipework from the main res tanks, then installed new pipework from the condenser to the brake feed cut off valve, auxiliary air tank, distributor, compressor governor, AFT valve and 100 PSI limitng valve.

This is the big bore pipework completed, and we are now down to working with 15mm and 8mm pipe. There are a few pipework runs in the brake frame to complete, then we need to run control pipe back to the cab with take offs for various items, and pipe in brake valves etc in the cab and the air system should be pretty much complete.

Bruce silver soldering air pipework	The paintwork team in action

Jason removes a handrail section	The bent handrail section being straightened

Since moving to the Carriage and Wagon works, D9531 has swapped roads, now being situated in the staged sections allowing easier access all round. As part of the paintwork preparation it was also decided to remove the left hand A End handrail and repair a long standing bend which, whilst not a problem usage wise, will give the A End nose nice straight lines.

Another concentrated working session will be arranged in the coming weeks however, as mentioned earlier, Gilbert and Alan are often around at weekends currently, so if you can lend a hand please get in touch.

Again apologies for not updating, we haven't given up we just forgot!