30th July 2011

The day started with a meeting in the coach at 9:15 and the jobs for the day were discussed. It was decided that Kris and Graham would manufacture two exhaust port covers out of 3mm steel as a permanent piece of equipment for use now and after the restoration is finished. Dave and Jim would make a start on modifying the cooler group end traction motor blower ducting to marry up with the Brush blower motor. This motor is an overhand blower opposed to the missing orriginal which was underhand. This ment that the hole in the bulkhead had to be moved and the start of the existing ducting in the cooler group altered. First of all several pieces of steel were cut to fill in the bulkhead hwere the old motor exit was. When these had been shaped satisfactorallythey were put aside for welding in at a later date, as Kris and Graham had the welder at the coach. Then using the plasma cutter the end of the ducting was cut away. This was not as easy as it sounds as the ducting splits in to just after the bulkhead, and with the very restrictive room in the cooler group only small sections of the ducting could be cut at once. It took most of the day to complete these two tasks.

Meanwhile Kris and Graham were busy cutting parts to make the first exhaust cover when Alan came. He explained to us about turbo drains on napier turbos and that making covers wasn't necessary. It was decided to abandon making the covers and Kris and Graham went with Alan to fit some equipment to D9531, which took up the rest of the day for them.

The next working weekend is September 3/4. If you wish to lend a hand please contact Chris Tatton