• No. 60163 Tornado
  • No. 2007 Prince of Wales
  • No. 3403 V4 Project
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About the P2 Project
    • The Team
    • Darlington Locomotive Works
    • Virtual 3D Tour of DLW
  • History
    • History of the Gresley class P2s
    • Nigel Gresley
    • Original P2s
  • Building a new class P2
    • Design Study
    • Construction
    • P2 Progress
  • Supporting No. 2007
    • Become a regular donor/covenantor
    • Join The Boiler Club
    • Join The Motion Club
    • Join The Tender Club
    • Join The Turbogen Club
    • Subscribe to The P2 Support Coach Appeal
    • Sponsor a component
    • The Pony Truck Club – Complete!
    • The Cylinder Club – Complete!
    • The Mikado Club – Complete!
    • The Founders Club – Complete!
    • Volunteering
    • Establish a Legacy
  • News
    • News
    • Mikado Messenger
    • The Communication Cord
  • Events
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • No. 60163 Tornado
  • No. 3403 V4 Project

Construction

Progress at both ends!

23/11/2015

The major visible progress has been the delivery of the cab kit comprising laser profiles plates, rolled or pressed into curves where necessary.

11121503 DLW David Elliott

The cab roof – David Elliott

The plate work for the smoke box has been ordered. Timsons Engineering at Kettering have started manufacturing the smoke box door frame – a complex shape being made by CNC machining from a piece of 90mm thick boiler plate. North View Engineering Solutions at Darlington have completed machining of the front boiler support and the pony truck top centre castings.

Back at Darlington Locomotive Works progress continues with permanent assembly of the frame stays and brackets, and on forming and fitting the footplating. As sections of the footplating are finished, they are dismantled, grit blasted and primed prior to bolting on permanently. Gritblasting removes mill scale from the steel work which saves many hours later when the paint finish is applied.

11101503 DLW Bob Hughes

11121502 DLW Bob Hughes

11101504 DLW Bob Hughes

Progress with the footplating – Bob Hughes

Steve Wood has completed machining the buffer casings which are trial fitted to the front buffer beam.

11101505 DLW Bob Hughes

Buffer casings in place – Bob Hughes

He has since turned the engine draw bar pin. 

11121505 DLW David Elliott

The engine draw bar pin – David Elliott

The first of the non-ferrous fitting castings have arrived at DLW, being injector valve bodies and handwheels and Cartazzi top wedges.

11121506 DLW David Elliott

11121504 DLW David Elliott

The first non-ferrous castings – David Elliott

Quotations have been received for the machining of all the engine axle and cannon boxes with their roller bearing spacers and thrust rings. An order for this work will be placed shortly.

Smokebox door pressed!

04/11/2015

The most significant item to have been manufactured recently is the smoke box door. Tornado’s smoke box door started life as a spun tank end which gave the dished shape. The sharper radius on the outside edge of the door was achieved by hand forging over a former. The “D” shaped smoke box door on the original P2 design does not lend itself to this method, although it would be technically possible to achieve it by cutting, black smithing and welding the round door, however with the smoke box door being both a prominent and iconic part of the P2 design, there was doubt that a satisfactory finish could be achieved by this method.

Other methods considered including CNC machining the door out of solid 8″ thick plate, however this was significantly more expensive that the method actually used.  Having seen the quality and surface finish that South Devon Railway Engineering (SDR) was achieving with firebox back heads, throat plates and tube plates, they were asked to quote for making the smoke box door. After some discussion an acceptable quotation was received and male and female press tools made using the 3D CAD model. 

10131502 Male and female smokebox door tools SDR 30 9 15

Male and female smoxebox door formers at the SDR – David Elliott

Following a trial pressing in mild steel, the definitive smoke box door was pressed from Cor-Ten steel – the corrosion resistant steel used on unpainted metal bridges and sculptures such as the Angel of the North.  For the first stage of pressing the plate was clamped flat over the female press tool and the domed male press tool pushed downward to dish the plate. The plate is then unclamped and re-heated and the flange round the edge of the door formed by pushing the male tool right through the female tool. The wavy edge is then cut off to leave an accurately shaped pressing.  Sarah Anne Harvey’s photos show the process: 

10201501 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201502 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201503 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201504 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201505 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201506 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201507 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201508 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201509 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201510 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201511 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201512 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201513 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201517 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201518 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201519 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201520 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

10201521 SDR Sarah Anne Harvey

Construction continues

04/11/2015
Further progress has been made with the footplating and driven bolt work. The machining of the coupled horn blocks is nearing completion.  The cab “flat pack” has been ordered and the curved plates are in the process of being rolled or press-braked into shape.
 
09301501 footplate curves DE
 
The characteristic flowing footplate appears – David Elliott
 
09301501 Hornblock castings DE
 
Machined hornblock castings – David Elliott
 
10131503 Steve Wood bores a buffer casing 28 9 15
 
Steve Wood bores a buffer housing – David Elliott
 
10131507 Mick Robinson torques a 1in nut
 
Mick Robinson torques a 1″ nut – David Elliott
 
10131506 Mick Robinson fits drag box wing plate 13 10 15
 
Mick Robinson fits a dragbox wing plate – David Elliott
 
  • Building a new class P2
  • Design Study
  • Construction
  • P2 Progress

Construction Archives

  • April 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • March 2019
  • December 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • February 2014

Latest News

  • Tender construction continues
  • Boiler(s) update
  • Suppliers sought for cylinder block for No. 2007 Prince of Wales
  • Pony truck delivered
  • New railway art unveiled in Darlington

Log in

Make a donation

Contact

The P2 Steam Locomotive Company
Darlington Locomotive Works
Hopetown Lane
Darlington
DL3 6RQ

01325 460163

Darlington Locomotive Works – The Works are open to the public on the first and third Saturday of each month, the latter a day that coincides with NELPG also opening their doors to visitors – 11:00hrs to 16:00hrs. NOTE, DUE TO THE CURRENT SITUATION, THE WORKS ARE CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Social Media

  • The P2 Steam Locomotive Company
  • @Gresley_P2_2007

Twitter

Gresley P2 2007Follow

Avatar
Gresley P2 2007@Gresley_P2_2007·
16 Apr

THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WAY THERE - HELP US TO RAISE A HEAD OF STEAM AND JOIN THE BOILER CLUB TODAY!

So far, The Boiler Club has received pledges of £450,000 (excluding Gift Aid) from 225 supporters - 75% of the 300 needed!

Click here to sign up online: http://ow.ly/ELR950Endyj

Reply on Twitter 1382992174632083457Retweet on Twitter 138299217463208345713Like on Twitter 138299217463208345736Twitter 1382992174632083457
Gresley P2 2007@Gresley_P2_2007·
11 Apr

Did you know that you can now sign up as a P2 Covenantor, join any of the P2 clubs, contribute to The P2 Support Coach Appeal or make one off donations online ?

Click here to sign up today: http://ow.ly/GH8m50DJECp

Reply on Twitter 1381170228915224576Retweet on Twitter 13811702289152245763Like on Twitter 138117022891522457620Twitter 1381170228915224576
Gresley P2 2007@Gresley_P2_2007·
9 Apr

The A1SLT wish to extend our deepest sympathies to Her Majesty The Queen, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and the whole Royal Family following the very sad news of the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

http://ow.ly/p9Oo50EkD4h

Reply on Twitter 1380509567914762247Retweet on Twitter 13805095679147622472Like on Twitter 138050956791476224719Twitter 1380509567914762247

© 2021 The P2 Steam Locomotive Company Limited. Registered in England no. 08549849.