Construction

May boiler update

Since last year’s announcement of the placing of a £1m order for two new Diagram 118a boilers from DB Meiningen (DBM) significant progress has been made.

We recently dispatched the regulator and pilot valve castings and forged foundation ring corners from Darlington Locomotive Works to Germany for incorporation into the new boiler. Further discussions have taken place between our engineering and operations teams and DBM to finalise the locations of the increased number of flexible stays in the firebox based on experience with Tornado’s boiler.

The recent design review went smoothly and will now be submitted to DBM’s NoBo (Notified Body) TüV for approval after which DBM will send the Trust complete copies of the Technical File which defines the design for perusal by various UK bodies that we have to notify or consult. Provided these organisations do not have any significant comments, the revised design will then be fully released for manufacture. The parts that have been manufactured to date will not be affected by any of the proposed changes to the design.

Other boiler related progress to-date includes:

  • Boiler design study completed
  • Forged foundation ring corners manufactured
  • Regulator and pilot valve castings delivered
  • Superheater header cast and machined
  • Superheater elements being assembled
  • Smokebox assembled and trial fitted to the frames
  • Chimney cast and fitted
  • Boiler cladding manufactured and trial fitted to frames
  • Boiler order placed with DB Meiningen for delivery in 2021
  • DBM has completed the detailed redesign of the banjo dome to ensure that it fits under the P2 cladding
  • Revised design for the dome has been submitted for stress analysis to FEA (Finite Element Analysis) specialists, CIDEON, who’s report confirms that the design is satisfactory
  • Completion of the detailed design

Following on from this leap in progress, we would like to encourage those who haven’t yet joined The Boiler Club to help us fund the purchase of No. 2007 Prince of Wales’ most expensive component. We must reach our 300 members target in 2021. You can join The Boiler Club here.  Photos by Christopher Wörfel, DBM/A1SLT.

The drilled firebox tubeplate

A detail of the above image

One of the coned sections showing the perforations for the banjo dome steam collector

Dome top covers

One of the foundation ring corners awaiting welding

The Foundation ring with all four corners tack-welded in place

A corner fully welded up

The two completed foundation rings

Boiler barrel cones

A stack of superheater elements

Pony truck progess

We recently launched a £20,000 appeal – The Pony (Truck) Club – to fund the construction of the leading pony truck for No. 2007 Prince of Wales. We set a minimum target of 20 generous supporters willing to donate £1,000 plus Gift Aid (in up to four payments of £250) but this club has galloped away and more than 20 supporters have already signed up. We have therefore decided to extend the club by a few members to cover the considerable certification costs associated with the modified pony truck design. Please consider joining The Pony (Truck) Club in advance of the frame’s delivery to DLW, you can find details here.

The latest CAD drawing of the revised pony truck arrangement for No. 2007.

North View Engineering Solutions in Darlington are making progress with the pony truck fabrication, although this has been slowed by the COVID-19 issue.  In the meantime the pony truck cannonbox has been temporarily assembled on the wheelset bearings using a set of trial fit adjustment rings (originally made for when the similar process was carried out on Tornado’s bogie wheelsets). Daniela Filová has measured the end float of the cannonbox which enables us to calculate the required thickness of the permanent adjustment rings to provide the Timken recommended end float and to ensure that the cannonbox is centred on the wheelset.  All photos by Daniela Filová.

Pony truck wheelset on its end for measuring the cannonbox end float.

Pony truck steering arm fabrication.

Pony truck crosshead guide fabrication.

Pony truck side frames with doublers tacked on.

Cylinder design and fabrication progress

During this time design work on the P2 continues. Below you can see the cylinder block 3D CAD image, as at present, designed by David Elliott. The second image shows an interesting ‘skeleton’ view of the welds that will be used.  The 3D CAD design of the cylinder block and valve gear is now substantially complete; further progress has been made in applying the weld details to the cylinder block inside exhaust passages. Particular attention has being paid to the order of fabrication to ensure that all welds can be completed properly.

Alan Parkin has rebuilt the 3D model of the cylinder block to make it more manageable – this has meant the total file size has now grown from around 25mb to over 250mb!  The finished block will weigh approximately five and three quarter tons and will include a quarter of a ton of weld.

Although The Cylinder Club has reached its target and been closed, The Motion Club is still open and just another 15 members would see it reach its anticipated total as well.   You can join The Motion Club by making a single donation. This form confirms your personal data and your £1,000 donation – please DOWNLOAD, print out, complete and return it to us with a cheque for £1,000 made payable to “A1 SLT – P2 Construction Fund” at the address shown. To pay by credit card, please contact the office on 01325 460163 or email .

You can also join The Motion Club by making multiple donations by Standing Order. This first form confirms your personal data and the amount that you would like to donate – please DOWNLOAD, print out, complete and return it to us at the address shown. This second form confirms your bank details, please DOWNLOAD, complete in full and return it along with the monthly donation form, we will then forward it to your bank.

In addition to the design work of the cylinders themselves, work has been progressing on the production and assembly of the cylinder drain cock gear.  For those unfamiliar with these, the drain cocks overcome an inherent problem with steam locomotives, that of water condensing in the cylinders themselves.  Since water doesn’t compress well, starting a piston-valve or poppet fitted locomotive with water in the cylinders can result in significant damage.  To allow this water to escape steam locomotives are fitted with manual (sometimes steam operated) drain valves, three per cylinder, actuated from the cab by the locomotive crew.  The drains are normally left open when the locomotive is standing and for the first few revolutions when it starts moving, allowing egress of any condensed water, hence the clouds of steam in front of British locomotives when they initially start moving (US and European locomotives often have the valves aimed outwards from the cylinder).  In addition the cylinder ends are usually fitted with a pressure relief valve but this is designed to release excess steam rather than water.  To operate all three sets of drain valves simultaneously, cross shafts and a linkage back to the cab are required, all of which have to be fitted between the locomotive’s frames or along some other route from the front of the engine to the lever in the cab, in this case on the fireman’s side.
Cylinder drain cock linkage rocker bracket – Daniela Filová
Cylinder drain cock linkage rocker bracket and in-to-out bracket – Bob Hughes
Cylinder drain cock linkage rod ends – Bob Hughes
Cylinder drain cock linkages – Daniela Filová
Cylinder drain cock linkages – Daniela Filová

Eight wheels on my tender…. Part 2!

On Monday 23rd March the newly grit-blasted tender tank was delivered to Darlington Locomotive Works, unloaded onto the Matterson jack spreader beams and duly mounted on the recently acquired and re-furbished accommodation bogies.  All photos and video by Daniela Filová

You can find out more about The Tender Club and how to join it here.  Please help fill it up!

March tender update

The tender tank has been finished at North View Engineering Solutions (NVES) and exhibits much flatter external panels than those on Tornado’s tender when it had reached this stage – it will now be delivered to Darlington Locomotive Works (DLW). Ian Howitt has made further progress in making small parts for the tender frames and Ian Matthews has completed filling and priming/undercoating the tender wheels.  All photos by Daniela Filová except where stated.

Brake pull levers take shape at Ian Howitt’s engineering works – John Taylor

The tender springs arrive at DLW

The tender at NVES

David Elliott supervises the hydraulic test of the tender tank

The tender was then grit-blasted at NVES by Ian Matthews

Early February update

Astounding progress continues to be made with the tender, axlebox and other tender castings have been produced by William Cook Cast Products, the frames are being assembled by ID Howitt at Crofton, the tender tank construction is well under way by North View Engineering Solutions Ltd, Darlington (NVES) and the tender wheelsets assembled by South Devon Railway Engineering have been returned to Darlington Locomotive Works (DLW).  All photos by Daniela Filová

You can find out more about The Tender Club and how to join it here.

The tender ‘manhole’ cover, considerably larger than the filler fitted to No. 2001

The tender tank at North View Engineering (NVE) with the beading in place

The tender tank top showing the flush-fitting top

NVE are also assembling the Kylchap blastpipe tops

January boiler update

On 16th January, a team from Darlington Locomotive Works comprising Graeme Bunker-James, David Elliott and Daniela Filová visited DB Meiningen to view progress on the boilers. All photos by Daniela Filová

Graeme Bunker-James, Udo Drees, David Elliott, Achim Decker and Christoph Wörfel looking at boiler-components.

David Elliott, Achim Decker and Udo Drees at the design review.

Firebox tube plates.

Firehole pressings.

Superheater element assembly.

Superheater ball ends.

Bent superheater elements.

Late December update

A flurry of activity during December has seen forgings made, parts machined and components fitted to No. 2007.

Robert Stephensons forged the coupling rods – Robert Stephenson Ltd.

The combined stays and spring hanger brackets were trial fitted – Daniela Filova

The Cartazzi planks were machined – Daniela Filova

…as were the axle-driven alternator components – Daniela Filova

…and the pony truck cannon box was delivered – Daniela Filova

Tender tank progress

The pre-fitting of the tender tank baseplate to the tender frames was completed at Ian Howitt’s works at Crofton near Wakefield where a total of 96 blind nuts were welded to the baseplate. The baseplate was then returned to North View Engineering Solutions in Darlington where the erection of the tender tank is proceeding rapidly.  With the main components in place, Ian Matthews bent up the complex beading for the front edges and tank sides and started fitting it in place.  Photos by Leigh Taylor and David Elliott.

Why not support The Tender Club and help fund the rapid assembly of this critical part on Prince of Wales? You can join The Tender Club by making a single donation. This form confirms your personal data and your £1,500 donation – please DOWNLOAD, print out, complete and return it to us with a cheque for £1,500 made payable to “A1 SLT – P2 Construction Fund” at the address shown. To pay by credit card, please contact the office on 01325 460163 or email .

Or you can support The Tender Club by making multiple donations by Standing Order. This first form confirms your personal data and the amount that you would like to donate – please DOWNLOAD, print out, complete and return it to us at the address shown. This second form confirms your bank details, please DOWNLOAD, complete in full and return it along with the monthly donation form, we will then forward it to your bank.