album:May 2018

New spring hangers and equalising beams in the paint shop.

The tender rear dragbox assembled.

Jon's pleased to have finished bolting up the suspension brackets and horns.

Hot work!

The tender frames posed outside, with the horns finally attached and turned the right way up.

Late May, and a view of Snowdon from the cob near Boston Lodge. The thunderstorms passed us by - most of the week was dry with a few showers.

Paul turned and drilled the brake reaction spigots, which were then welded in place on the tender by Rob.

A busy moment as the tender frames get another coat of black paint. Graham and Alan worked on the outside while Dave 2 and Erle dealt with the inside.

Colin with his custom-made toolpost grinder, which did a superb job of the spring hanger cotters.

Jon and Alan assemble suspension onto the tender frames.

The tender frames are longer at the front, and are designed to carry less weight at that end. We've temporarily ballasted the rear end with a slab of steel to even up the wheel loads.

With the carriage shed empty in the middle of the day, we took advantage of the inspection road to add the final touches. Here Alan and Jon tighten the last bolts and open up the split pins. Graham and Dave 2 degrease the nuts and bolts while Erle follows round with a paint brush.

Early May, and the weather was so still one morning that the Traeth Mawr became a perfect mirror. .

Surface-grinding the horn faces

Suspension pins machined by Erle.

Milling the lateral faces of the horns, expertly done by Dave 1.

Dave 2 drilled and milled the suspension equalising beams. He also did a great job cleaning and painting the horn keeps.

Going onto its wheels. The near spring is about to take some weight, while the next one along is guided into place.

Alan adds some more grease to the horns, using the grease nipples fitted by Erle.

A trip down the yard. Alan keeps a close eye on the tender frame while Paul drives the diesel shunter.

Paul and Alan pose with the tender frames with a double Fairlie as a backdrop.

Paul and John shunt the frames round one of the sharpest curves, with Dave and Graham watching in the distance.

Before putting the frames in the shed, we posed them next to the remains of the old tender tank. We'll be making a new one of these!