album:Easter 2017

The rear end of the loco-tender drawbar, bored out to suit the rubber bush that will be pressed into this hole. Thanks to Martin for this little job!

The new rear bufferbeam for the loco. Chris 2 has been tapping out the holes that will mount the crash-beam.

At the last working party we discovered that the axlebox thrust faces needed a relieving chamfer. Martin did this, making them ready for final fitting to the axleboxes.

Paul and Dave 1 spent several days scraping and fitting the axlebox journal bearings to provide a perfect fit.

The three dragbox yokes, welded together. Next job on these is to drill and ream the holes; then they can be painted and the bushes pressed in.

Seven down, one to go! Dave 1 trial fits an axlebox.

Alan has been busy with his homework project, preparing a batch of Forestry plates. The original Chinese ones will be used on the loco, while the replicas will be for sale the the Quirks and Curiosities II event in 3 weeks time.

On Saturday, there was a shortage of loco crews and Paul got drafted onto the Palmerston for the morning run of the 'Snowdonian' special train. These two locos are each 125 years older than our C2! (Photo © Roger Dimmick)

Boring out the large holes in the dragbox yokes. The smaller holes have already been drilled and reamed, ready for Iglidur bushes to be pressed in. The pins that Colin made last month will go in these holes.

A replica worksplate, re-engraved and ready for the final touches of paint. It reads 'Harbin Forest Machinery Factory'. We don't know if our loco ever carried these, but Harbin 210, 211, 218 and 219 at Rongshan certainly had them on the dome covers, and we've also seen one of these plates at Yinghao.

Here's proof that we did achieve our main goal. Al, Paul, Dave and Sam pose in Glan-y-mor yard head shunt. Missing from the photo is Dave2, Matt and Chris who were also at the working party. Their help is greatly appreciated. Andrew was unfortunately called away on the last morning to drive the Welsh Highland Railway train to cover for sickness and so is also absent from this picture. - Matt Keen 17/04/2017

Getting ready to lift the loco frames onto the old skates over the wheel sets. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

Getting ready to lift the second wheel set into the frames. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

Axle 1 is lifted into place and secured in place with the horn keep. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

All 4 wheel sets being prepared for installation in the frames. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

View from under the frames prior to lifting the wheel set. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

With all the wheel sets fitted into the frames and the springs/suspension assembled, Sam and Al lower the rolling chassis onto the the track for the first time on 2' gauge. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

The combined weight of the frames with all the wheels and suspension fitted. Total weight at nearly 4.2 tonnes. The wheelsets with axleboxes are about 550kg each. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

All wheel sets now fitted. - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

Al fitting the horn keeps under frames - Andrew Nelms 15/04/2017

At one time, Boston Lodge used to photograph their new locos and rolling stock in front of a corrugated iron fence. Here's a modern interpretation with the new 'Sied Gwlyb' in the background.

With refurbished springs and newly-made spring hangers all in accordance with the drawings, we hoped the suspension would go together easily. We soon discovered why some of the old components had been modified! We had to use clamps to compress the springs so that the knife edges could be inserted. Hopefully the springs will settle a bit; if not we may need to revisit this in due course.

The loco frames standing in the grassy headshunt by the sea at the far end of Glan-y-mor yard. This is as far as they have been to date. Perhaps at Quirks we'll take them a bit further?

A complete wheelset including axleboxes weighs 550kg.

The dragbox yokes, with holes drilled reamed and bushed, and 3 coats of paint. These have now been assembled into the frames as well.