Sandringham New Build

Nice! Looks almost as though it's a development of Mr. Blenkinsop's locomotives...

Well done, a big step forward!


Richard.

 

The (almost) finished article - the first new driving wheel for a B17 in 87 years. 6’8” and weighs a lot! 5 more to go in the next weeks once this one has been thoroughly tested. Doesn’t it look superb. To help the Trust finish the rolling chassis, which needs now axles and roller bearings, please donate or join them as a member at www.b17steamloco.co.uk.

 

A lot is happening with progress on the construction of 61673 Spirit of Sandringham

Hot after the news that the Trust had ordered the steel forgings for the tyres (driving and front bogie wheels), the Trust has announced that they have also ordered the steel forgings for the two plain axles (intermediate and trailing wheels) from Railway Wheelsets Ltd. This is a long lead time item and once received will give them all the major components for two wheel sets, which can then be machined and fitted to the frames.

They have also announced the launch of a special Facebook only appeal which, while understanding that many will already be involved with, and donating to other projects, they can still donate the price of a cup of coffee to the B17 buffer refurbishment fund. Just a few pounds from every person will help them get the buffers they already own refurbished and ready for fitting to the frames. Just transfer a pound or two to the B17 Steam Locomotive Trust Account. Account name: The B17 Steam Locomotive Trust, no: 53357821, Sort Code: 20-41-12, noted as Buffers, so they can allocate the money correctly. A photo of the buffers is attached.

Finally the Trust has been left a significant legacy from a member who has recently passed away. A small part of this legacy includes 63 professionally differently named and numbered OO models of B17s, either Hornby or Bachmann based. What a wonderful display as the attached photo shows. There are also a considerable number of other railway models which will be sold to benefit the Trust. The actual value of the financial benefit of this legacy will remain confidential for the time being.

 

Following casting, all 6 of Spirit of Sandringham's driving wheels have been moved to ADA Machining Ltd in Greater Manchester for proof machining (removing excess material) to near final dimensions to prove the integrity of the castings.
The wheels will then be returned to William Cook for the completion work to be carried out. This will include non-destructive testing (NDT) of each wheel to determine if flaws or imperfections are present and if detected, these can be pinpointed for detailed investigation and further action. Tests will involve magnetic particle inspection (MPI,) radiographic test (X-ray,) ultrasound test (UTS) and final inspection measurement, leading to product release. The Trust will then arrange final machining to precise sizes and tolerances in accordance with the design requirements.
The tyres are already on order.

 

Just a few photos of work progressing on Spirit of Sandringham in the past 7 days. The first two show the hornblocks being machined at the premises of CTL Seal in Sheffield, while the third shows one of the 6’ 8’’ main driving wheels undergoing final inspection after proof machining at ADA Machining in Ashton-Under-Lyne

 

Two of 61673's newly machined Hornblocks at CTL Seal - Sheffield ready for fitting to the frames. Alongside are the buffers donated to the B17SLT by the now disbanded Engine 61662 Appeal - these will shortly be refurbished and mounted on the frames.

 

Nice that some components from the 61662 project can be used again, and will at least see service on the same class of engine.

Richard.

 

CONSTRUCTION UPDATE NOVEMBER 2022 (apologies for the first photo being out of order but it is late!)

Hornblock Assembly
Machining of the six Hornblocks has commenced at CTL Seal. This activity is planned to be complete by the end of January 2023. The second and third pictures show the first hornblock undergoing machining while the fourth shows the first two after completion.

Trial fitting to the frames will take place when all six are machined.

Plain Axle Assemblies and Roller Bearings
The plain axle forgings have been acquired from Railway Wheelsets and are being inspected at Unilathe before quotes can be revalidated for machining. The roller bearings are on order from Timken and due for delivery at the end of 2022. Cannon axlebox machining, and the associated fastener manufacture, is underway at Daniela Works Ltd. (DWL), Shildon (see fifth photograph below) and should be complete at the end of December. Quotations are awaited for spacers and the plate liners from Timpsons and Unilathe respectively.

Crank Axle Assembly and Roller Bearings
The machining of the Coupled Axleboxes and special fasteners is well under way at DWL. As with the Plain Axles, the roller bearings will shortly be available from Timken. It is the supply of the forgings for the two stub axles and the crank pin that is causing concern. These have been severely affected by the situation in Ukraine, and raw material prices. Once there is an indicative programme for the forgings with stable prices, orders will be considered for the forgings for the sweep webs, and then the machining of all the crank axle components.

For both the Plain and the Crank Axle assemblies, the six coupled driving wheels are currently undergoing non-destructive testing at William Cook Cast Products after being proof machined at ADA Machining Ltd. (see fifth photo below)

Driving Wheels Suspension System
Discussions are required with Ricardo Rail for approval of the proposed springing system before requoting and manufacturing can commence. The bushes are already being machined at DWL (see first photo below) who are also quoting for the fasteners, cover plates and pins.

Bogie
The forgings for the tyres are complete and with South Devon Railway Engineering (SDRE). The roller bearings from Timken should be delivered by the end of the year. When the design activity on the cylinders has been completed, design work will start on the bogie frame in early 2023. Quotes for the pattern for the 12-spoke wheels and their casting from William Cook Cast Products (WCCP), are awaited and then casting of these can proceed.

Smokebox
Indicative costs for the smokebox have been requested from Locomotive Services of Loughborough and a fundraising appeal launched in support of this.

Cylinders
Design work on this package of work is planned to be completed by the year end. The designer will then move on to the design of the bogie. The cylinder design has focussed on creating fabricated cylinders and saddle to replace the original castings. (see below)

 

Very interesting reading, a lot of activity to report on there. well done!
Is Daniela Filova still associated with the A1 Team then, or has she gone fully independent now?

Richard.

 

DWL still does work for the A1 SLT but I am not sure what the contractual link is between them, sorry.

 

Daniela is featured in the latest edition of Trackside mag.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Daniela has also a nice webpage https://www.danielaworks.co.uk/

Knut

 

Thank You for your input Gents, much appreciated!

Richard.

 

The 12 spoke bogie wheel pattern for 61673 Spirit of Sandringham has been completed by William Cook in record time - the order was only placed in December after the decision was made to go for the 12 spoke NER Darlington practice, rather than the 10 spoke Doncaster one. The pictures below show both sides of the finished pattern. An order for the casting of the 4 bogie wheels will be placed very shortly and some of the drawings for their manufacture are also shown below

 

Nice work! What was the thinking behind the choice of spoke numbers?

 

I believe that in order to help reduce costs it was considered borrowing the wooden pattern for the 10 spoke bogie wheels used by the A1 Trust for Tornado (these being of the same diameter). Although it was thought that some B17s ran with the 10 spoke wheel, no photographic evidence could be found - so thanks to the generosity of a B17 Trust member who has funded the cost, it was decided for the sake of historical accuracy to use the original Darlington 12 spoke design instead.

 

Are Hornby now going to have to re-tool their new model?

 

The machining of the Cannon Axleboxes has now been completed at Daniela Works in Shildon; the first two photos shows them ready to be shipped to North View Engineering, who have been making the Hornblock Plate liners. The second two photos show the plate liners being machined and finished. You can easily see where they will fit on the Cannon Axleboxes. Once united with the Hornblocks, now machined at CTL Seal, they can be trial fitted to the frames.
In the meantime, elsewhere the CAD designs for the bogie chassis and the smokebox are well advanced.

 

Construction Update April 2023

While the B17 Steam Locomotive Trust continue the work to create the wheelsets for the main coupled driving wheels, they have opened up two new construction ‘fronts’, starting detailed work on the bogie frames & assemblies and the smokebox.

Front bogie: The CAD consultant working on the cylinder design has been paused at a suitable point and is now working on the bogie frame design. The first CAD drawings of this are shown here.
The bogie wheel patterns are now complete; an order will be placed for the casting of the four wheels as soon as the B17 drawing of the axle is completed for submission (along with the B17 drawings of the bogie wheel and wheel/axle set) to Ricardo Rail, for approval.

Main Driving Wheels: With all the machining and the testing complete, one was delivered to CTL Seal for the recent Open Day – the remaining five will be delivered as soon as space has been allocated.

Roller Bearings: The delivery of the remaining bearings has been made, so now all the tyre steel and the Timken roller bearings for all wheels (bogie, driving and tender) are in stock at South Devon Engineering.

Hornblock Castings: Four are fully machined and ready for trial fitting to the frames; the remaining two await machine time at CTL Seal. Trial fitting is planned with the first four shortly.

Cannon Axlebox Assemblies: The first stage machining on the main castings is complete and manganese steel back plate liners have been received from the raw material supplier, ready to be weld attached. Both Cannonboxes have been shipped to LMS Loughborough to weld these 32 liners into position, after which they will be returned to Shildon for finish machining of joint faces and internal bores.

Note the two pictures show the tapered bolts that have been manufactured for these assemblies and even the hex nuts, being a size now not made, are manufactured from round bar.

The completed Cannon axleboxes will then be shipped to CTL Seal for trial fitting with the hornblock on the frames.

Smokebox: Putting the Face on the loco! Work on the CAD version of the existing LNER drawings of the smokebox, including the smokebox ring, smokebox door + fittings, smokebox door hinges, chimney, cowl and liner, started at the beginning of April. Once the drawings are complete and the design approval has been granted, final quotations will be requested and manufacturing can start. Shown below are the first two CAD drawing just received – much detail of course still has to be added before quotations can be sought.

Driving Wheel Suspension System: With the successful full funding of the £32,000 ‘Spring in my Step’ appeal, discussions have recommenced with Owen Springs to validate the original quote, whilst submitting the design changes to the regulatory authority; this is necessary because of changes from the original designs due to increased spring axle weights from the original drawings.

Buffer Refurbishment An order has been placed with CWE Ltd. near Scunthorpe, to refurbish our two ex-LNER buffers.

 

November update on the construction of 61673 Spirit of Sandringham. This is an extract from the latest edition of the Trust's magazine, The Spirit.

The Trust have almost a third of a million pounds in the bank ready to pay for the numerous items that are currently being cast/manufactured or on order.