Components continue to be delivered to Darlington Locomotive Works, machining of these then takes place followed by assembly on the frames….

Manganese steel hornblock liners after delivery to DLW for inspection – Bob Hughes

A hornblock is prepared for a trial fit – David Elliott

The three leading coupled axlebox hornblocks are offered up – David Elliott

Tha fabrication for the combined frame stay and motion bracket has been delivered – David Elliott

The smokebox door ring is seen during machining – David Elliott

Although thay may not be obvious, the P2s possessed splashers, albeit rather small and hidden under the footplating.  Work to fabricate and fit these has been progressing well at Darlington Locomotive Works – all photos by Bob Hughes.

 The pony truck centre stay is trial-fitted to the frames – David Elliott

Hornblocks nearing completion and ready for fitting – David Elliott

Eight machined tender wheels – David Elliott

Machined pony and Cartazzit truck wheels – David Elliott

Cab trial fitted to the footplate – David Elliott

Drilled and profiled tender frames – Mandy Grant

Splashers taking shape – Tony Lord

The splasher viewed from the underside – David Elliott

Wesley Atkinson at South Lincs Foundry has completed the pattern for the Kylchap double chimney.  It may look simple but the fabrication of this pattern and the cores has consumed many man hours and pattern making is one of the biggest expenses in the casting process.  We think the effort has been worth it for the finished article is superb!  You can sponsor this important pattern for £2400 or 40 monthly payments of £60 – contact Mark & Mandy Grant by emailing  

On the basis that a picture is worth a thousand words, here are a selection taken by Wesley Atkinson.

 

The first of the large frame stays which have been re-designed as fabrications is presently being manufactured by North View Engineering Solutions in Darlington. This is the Frame Stay and Inside Motion Bracket.

Apart from holding the frames together, it also supports the inside cylinder slide bars. On the original P2 design it also had a saddle incorporated to support the front of the boiler where it joins onto the smokebox. 

Apart from the decision to use Tornado’s shorter boiler causing the saddle to be in the wrong place, firmly attaching the back of the smokebox to the frames, in addition to bolting the front of it to the saddle on the top of the cylinder block gives the potential for cracks in the smokebox. This arises from the smokebox becoming much hotter than the frames when the locomotive is operating setting up severe stresses due to the smokebox expanding more than the frames.

Original P2 frame stay and boiler support

Modified stay for No. 2007

This problem was avoided with the A1 design by supporting the front of the boiler (and hence the rear of the smokebox) on a sliding foot to permit expansion. We are using the same arrangement for Prince of Wales. Meanwhile the next of the large frame stays, the Intermediate Frame Stay which as well as being redesigned as a fabrication has been modified to carry one air brake cylinder and an air pump instead of the original two vacuum cylinders has been ordered from North View Engineering Solutions.

Application of the Finite Element Analysis simulation package recently acquired to use in conjunction with Solidworks 3D CAD has indicated that the revised design has similar strength margins as the original, even with the addition of a 370 kg air pump.