Over the last few weeks we have steam bent all but one of roof hoops, the last one was steamed but snapped so we are awaiting a replacement length of ash.  The toad has now been covered in a tarpaulin so we can carry on painting the chassis inside, so far most of the veranda is in top coat.  The floor has been ordered and when arrives will be fitted ASAP.  The veranda end sanders have been bought down out of storage ready to be fitted, unfortunately as with most things on the toad the previous owner striped everything bare and lost several items, the latest two items are the cast flanges and the plug bars that when lifted release the sand down the pipe.  Thankfully we have one as a pattern and are getting 3 new ones machined at the moment, when these are finished the sanders can be fitted.  The axle boxes are presently being prepared to be machined, when this is completed we plan to plate the wear on the horn faces. 

 

Before steam bending

 

2 lengths of ash in the steam box

 

Matt undercoating the sand box pockets

 

Sand box tops while being painted, they have been fully overhauled

 

Sand box bottoms where the sand goes