To the casual observer maybe not much has changed but with over 400 holes previously drilled we have slowly been setting up the frames over the summer carefully aligning the various frame plates, reaming through and countersinking the various holes and over the course of 3 weekends or so started to rivet up the frames mainly concentrating on the rear drag box.
In between this on going work has continued, with much thanks to the bluebell’s workshop staff and machine shop Foreman, fettling and finishing off the final machining of our cylinder block in house. Following splitting the block and some further machining we will be ready to trial fit the block back into the frames! Also Ian Ferguson, one of our volunteer machinist’s has been busy machining our piston heads to size and re-bushing the spring hanger brackets in preparation for these being re-fitted.
The initial rivets in place for the rear buffer beam.
Some of the many rivets installed for the building up of the rear dragbox.
riveting of the rear frames and drag box.
Work continues on setting up the rear drag box with rivets in place.
Spring hanger bracket re-bushed awaiting re-fitment.
Spring hanger brackets again awaiting re-fitment with alignment tool pictured.
Re-machined Piston heads.
Re-machined piston head ring groves freshly machined by our volunteer machinist Ian Ferguson.
One of the twelve alignment buttons now permanently installed! With six of these on either side of the engine directly opposite each other, with their center’s pop marked, they are set on the horizontal axle ride height line equally spaced either side of the three axle centers.
The buttons are used as our fixed datum points to measure from and setup the various components of the engine such as the cylinder block position, finding the centers of the axle boxes for machining and fitting them, setting the centers of the coupling rods for machining and fitting, positioning and setting out all the various holes for drilling out……
In effect they are extremely important and are the datum points of the engine!
Alignment button hole drilled and machined ready for its marking out button to be fitted.
Button installed.
End of alignment button ready to be cut down to size.
End of alignment button ready to be cut down to size.
Meanwhile the rear draw hook locating plate has been riveted on.
Close-up showing the head of one of the countersunk rivets employed.
Following the recent working weekend the sandboxes have been cleaned up ready for fitment.
Sandboxes ready for fitment.
Brake hanger brackets being attended to.
Various brake components being painted up.
