Engineering Update - February 2014

Locomotive Frame Assembly
Work continues at Tyseley Locomotive Works on the grinding the Horn Guides ready to fit the axleboxes. A breakdown on the horn grinding rig has added time to the task, but this work is now expected to be complete in the next 10 days. Once the grinding is complete the frame assembly will be measured to give exact axle centres and the offsets established to final machine the axleboxes to fit.

On the wheelsets the lead for the balance weights is on order, about ¾ ton of it!  The weights are being filled using Tyseley’s Jubilee 5593 Koluhpur as a guide, as we do not have full information for a Patriot and all the rotation machinery on a Jubilee is the same as the Patriot.

Inside Cylinder Casting
The cylinder casting was moved from the foundry in Preston to Harco Engineering, Brierley Hill in mid January. Machining is now almost complete, only the final cuts on the main bore for the liner need to be completed. Once completed, the casting will be moved to Llangollen around the end of March for fitment into the frame assembly.

Also being machined at Harco, are the Outside Motion Brackets and Smokebox Base Side castings. The Motion Bracket castings are due to be finished and will move to Llangollen with the cylinder casting.

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Outside Cylinder Castings
The CAD models for the Outside Cylinders was completed in early February and delivered to the pattern makers. Work to make these is expected to be completed in early March. One will be sent to the foundry for the first casting to be made, the second pattern staying at the pattern makers until we are satisfied no modifications are required following cast the first. Casting of the first cylinder is planned for mid April. Quotations for the machining of these castings will be undertaken over the next few weeks.

Bogie
Work continues on several fronts on the components for the bogie.

At Boro Foundry, Lye, machining of the Bogie Centre casting in underway. Although this is a large open piece several areas that require machining are difficult to reach with the cutting head, which is going to exercise the machinist’s skills.

The Bogie Centre Slide casting is due to be machined early next month. This is the final casting to be machined for the bogie assembly, all the Horn Guides and Side Control Spring Mounts have been completed for a while.

It is anticipated that all the parts will be moved to Tyseley Loco Works around the beginning on April, with Tyseley making a start on assembling the bogie in the second half of the year.

Boiler
A design review meeting was held at LNWR Heritage Ltd. at Crewe in late February with the Project Engineering team, a representative of our boiler insurers and LNWR Heritage staff who will build the new boiler for 'The Unknown Warrior'. A full set of drawings for the G9 1/2 S design boiler, as used on the Patriot’s, have been obtained and a full review was undertaken to ensure the design conforms to today’s standards and requirements of the boiler insurer. Apart from several minor changes to internal fittings the design is acceptable. The boiler insurer commented that the design is over engineered for the original working pressure of 200psi and will easily pass at 225psi. The insurer suggested we could build and test to the higher pressure as this will give greater safety margin and also provide the opportunity to run the loco at a higher pressure at some time in the future if we decide to, although at the moment our intention is to run at the original 200psi.

Discussions were had on the forming blocks for the flanged plate for both the Inner Firebox copper and Outer Firebox steel sheets. Forming the Inner Firebox flange plate is due to start in the next month with the complete firebox expected to be complete by the end of 2014.

Tender
Thoughts on the design changes required for the new tender tank continue. Discussions with other loco groups, particularly those running on the main line, are ongoing to come up with the most suitable design possible. The tender will look like a Fowler 3500 gallon unit, but internally changes to increase water and reduce coal capacity will be made. We also need to accommodate various electronics boxes for the new signalling systems that are required for mainline running. A firing iron tunnel will be added in the coal space as it is not practical to use the original rack over the top of the coal space, especially under 25KV electric overhead wires!

On the chassis and parts recovered from the two tenders which the Project owns, a full cataloguing of parts has been made and a start on cleaning and painting these will start next month by a volunteer party. We have a certain number of surplus parts that another group have expressed interest in. During the sorting we have selected the best parts for 'The Unknown Warrior'.

Consultancy
The LMS-Patriot Project has been contacted by several loco groups over the last few months regarding our use of new technologies and processes. A Scottish loco group has contacted The LMS-Patriot Project regarding new cylinder castings that are needed for another 4-6-0 locomotive. This work is being undertaken by the Project’s design engineer, Kevin West, as a separate contract, but due to the distance from the loco location and the engineers and suppliers being used (the same as producing our outside cylinders), Kevin will be project managing the production and delivery in return for a donation to The LMS-Patriot Project. The LMS-Patriot Project welcomes talks with any owners/loco groups to share our knowledge and experience of building 'The Unknown Warrior'.

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