Just a quick update, today we fitted the hand brake column this included drilling a 4’ ½ hole in the timber floor and 4 x ¾ holes. As per usual we did not have any ¾ bolts the right length so 4 were dyed down and a split pin hole drilled in each.   As you can see it’s very tidy up that end after Dave attacked it with a hover.  Martin was busy drilling the holes out on the STD brake van so riveting can start sometime soon hopefully.  The last 2 castings (as seen in the last update) for the sand boxes have arrived and will be machined very shortly.

 

Hand brake column fitted very tidy down there

 

Todays happy gang

 

 

 

Over the last few weeks we have been fitting the floor timbers, this has taken time due each timber having to have each end recessed to avoid hitting the rivet heads so they can fit flat against the chassis, as you can see 95% is completed all we need to fit now is under the vacuum cylinder end.

The cabin sides have been given a top coat of brown, the plan is to 2^nd coat it when the floor has been completed. 

The axle boxes are coming along, all have been machined and new inserts are being made to make up the wear, these will be screwed to the boxes and machined to suite each horn guild.  All the horn guide faces have now been grinded flat.

The castings for the sand box bottoms have been cast and machined awaiting fitting when the plugs are completed.

 

 

Ground horn guides

 

Packed up waiting to be jacked up higher to allow fitting of the wheel sets when axle boxes are completed

 

Veranda timber

 

Cabin end

 

New casting

 

Fitted awaiting sand box tops

Axle boxes sleeves awaiting screwing and final machining

 

 

After a few weeks of doing odds and sods yesterday we had the 1^st timber delivered for the floor, all has been moved into the toad.  We cut 33 lengths to the correct length and at end of play today 6 planks were fitted.  Andy has started to machine the axle boxes ready for plating them to build the wear up.  Hopefully within the next few weeks the floor will be completed and the veranda sand boxes.

 

 

Timber after delivery for the floor

 

1^st face machined set up in the mill for other side

 

After machining

Before machining

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have trial fitted one of the buffer shanks, over the years all 4 have been bent where they bolt on to the buffer beam creating a dished effect. Since we straightened the beam none of the buffers will sit nicely on it now, Andy has spent a few hours turning them so the backs are flat, the down side to this is the thickness has been reduced. To overcome this problem we are going to fit some packers to the backs so they are to the correct length.

 

 

We are planning to have another riveting session next week hopefully this will see the veranda end finished.

 

With the assistance of Jon and Marcus, over the last 2 months we have been concentrating on riveting the toad together, so far the entire cabin end has been completed and 80% of the veranda end. 

 

A month ago we experimented in steam bending a 2x2” ash roof hoop.  The 1^st attempt was 90% successful but after a few modifications to the jig and constructing a steam box today we successfully bent another,  2 down 5 to go. 

 

The cabin end ballast and sand box holders have been constructed and waiting riveting.  We are currently building the veranda end sand boxes but since the previous owner striped them most parts have been lost over the years before reaching Bitton.  Luckily a visit to the SVR and Didcot for a few measurements and photographs have helped

All 4 new springs have been fitted, we are aiming to get the wheels back under during February at some point hopefully.



Over the last few weeks we have been setting up for riveting all the new plate work into place, this has included making some long series 1/2 and 5/8 rivet snaps to get into the tight spots on the frames. To date after 1,  1/4 days of riveting we have put in about 200 rivets along the cabin sides and veranda bottom.

 

The dust seals for the rear of the axles boxes are in the process of being made, the old method used to be a sheet of ply wood with some leather attached around it to try and keep dirt out and as much oil as possible in, when we restored the Midland Open we decided to use some engineering plastic instead of the ply as an experiment this proved successful and is now being tried on the toad.  Now the hole for the journal has been cut the next process is to mill them to the correct thickness so they fit in the back of the axle box castings and radius the corners.

 

 

The springs are now ready for collection to be overhauled this week, hopefully most of them can be repaired

 

Over the last few weeks between working on the toad a few of us have been cleaning up the buffer beams on the BR Std brake van, the draw hook, the screw coupling have been taken off inspected, cleaned and painted. The 2 photos below show the Bath end completed and the bottom shows the Oldand end equipment in the work shop being painted