The two tender frames erected
The 4200 gallon tender frame close up
And a view from above
The 3500 gallon tender frame. Note the simple design compared with the later type
And a view highlighting the riveted dragbox, a difficult assembly
The loco and tender frames exhibited at Harrogate in 2007
The LNER tender with axleboxes
Two dozen spring hangers part machined
Part machined hangers on the drawing
Spring hangers almost complete
Machining the backs of the hangers
All nearly finished
A Spencer spring block top being machined
Spring blocks in various stages of manufacture
Sets of six blocks in various stages of final hand finishing
Spring plates halfway through bending
The plate roller made for the job
Plates bent, drilled and ends chamfered ready for assembly
A top plate in the jig for soldering the retaining bars in place
The GNR frames with springs in place
The LNER frames ditto and ready for the tank. April 2008
October 2008 Once the tender frames were erected the next step was the tanks. Here is the sole plate for the GN 3500 gallon tender marked out for drilling and cutting out the holes
Now clamped to the milling machine the holes for the blind bushes for the holding down studs have been drilled and a start is being made on the larger cut outs.
All the machining operations done and the angle fitted for the side and end plates and the blind bushes in place.
The side plates have been bent and are standing on the sole plate. The gap at the back is to be filled with a narrow strip with lap straps riveted in place. This is easier than attempting to make the two sides meet in the middle. They can be machined exactly the same and the gap can be accurately measured for the filler plate.
This is one of the internal splashers required because the large diameter wheels foul the sole plate
The sides now in place and fixed with countersunk screws. These are preferable to rivets as riveting, apart from being awkward, causes distortion of the plates.
A side view of the tender showing the screws. The vertical plate inside is a stiffener to strengthen the body as the driver will ride on a seat on the tender.
The tender back showing the filler piece in place
A view with the front plate and top angles now fitted
This is the well tank on the milling machine for cutting the opening for the strum box where the filters live and water is drawn off by the locomotive’s injectors. The well is of riveted construction with flanged end plates. Made in two halves it has an external lap strap which is visible when the tender is completed.
These are the vertical stanchions that carry the coal rails round the top of the tender and were bent up and drilled for the rivets on a former.
The top flares have been fitted ready for the coal rails and the coal space plates have been bent up and fitted. The cavities at each side form cupboards
Now advancing well the coal rails are in place and all the beading has been fitted and riveted and soldered. The front plate is complete with the cupboard doors and is being checked for fit before being screwed to the angles
A view of the tender from the rear without the coal space plating
The 4500 gallon tender had gone through a similar process prior the the GN tender, but for some reason I had neglected to take photographs. Here is a front view. The platework is held together with screws at this stage. Although this version of the Group standard tender was welded, the beading was still riveted on and these can clearly be seen.
Rear of the 4500 gallon tender
Side view of the 4500 gallon tender
Boring the holes in the tank top
Top view of the two tenders before final soldering
Front view of both tenders
Rear view of both tenders
Both tenders will be fitted with water pick up apparatus given time. The fixing points are incorporated in the bottom of the tanks and this is the top of the riser pipe. Whilst it is unlikely ever to be used for taking water it serves as an overflow for when the tank is being filled and saves water being sprayed all over when the tank is full
Now that all the main components have been made and fitted together, they were dismantled and cleaned ready for final assembly and soldering. This is the 4500 gallon sole plate.
One side plate erected
And the inside view
Front back and side plates erected ready for soldering showing the internal stiffeners.
The tenders were substantially complete by March 2009 requiring only the fixtures and fittings – brake gear, water valves and the like, so work returned to the locomotives. The horn stays were fabricated next so that the horn gaps could be secured for final machining. Here is a set of frames on the milling machine for this operation.
A close up of the machined horn faces
And now with the horn stays in position
Now the frames were ready for the axleboxes a length of cast gunmetal was milled to size.
Here is the short length ready for cutting into individual blocks
Twelve squared blocks ready for machining
Chain drilling the axlebox to create the split bearing
After saw cutting each side the material is broken out using a taper punch
An embryo axlebox
Axleboxes in various stages
After machining the slots the under trays are machined to fit and the box is centered in the four jaw chuck and bored to size
Boring in progress
Milling the axlebox sides
Twelve axleboxes machined all over
An oil tray ready for milling out
And the finished article ready to have the filler and fixing lug fitted
An axlebox front with the oilseal carrier fitted. A plaited wool seal will go into the brass ring to prevent dirt getting in to the bearing
Machining the oil grooves on the horn faces of the axleboxes
Completed oil grooves. The two small pins securing the underkeep and the larger pin for suspending the leaf spring can bee seen
An axlebox ready for final fitting.Next the axles. This was February 2010 a year from stopping work on the tenders
Note 1 –
After the first year’s work on loco frames, I decided to start on the tenders. There’s nothing worse than getting a loco complete and ready to run, and then having to start on the tender – bitter experience!