The front balance weights come off!

A picture report from Matt Holloway on the removal of the front balance weight

Matt Holloway has been busy with the cutting torch again!  This time he has been removing the last remaining parts from the front of the frames, consisting of the balance weights and framework that holds both the weights and front buffer beams in place.

A shot showing the molten slag which has been blown through the remains of the rivet from the 

previously drilled blow through hole which thus weakened the rivet allowing it to be driven out

The picture above shows the results of Matts labours. Initially a hole was drilled through the rivet (see earlier post) and then the rivet was burned out with the slag running through the drilled hole.  The example above shows the solidified slag which had been blown through during the operation.

The counter weight removed, well, half of it!

The balance weights were removed with the aid of a small portable hand powered platform. the second weight was removed by the same method.

The LHS counter weight ready to be removed with all rivets drilled, Gas cut and driven out! two 

temporary bolts only remain which are holding it in place!

Having taken the weights off, the damage caused by a shunting incident where one of the locos in the raft was not at all keen on moving!  The angle steel in the picture below shows the bending caused during the shunt.

More rivets to be removed to allow the front end to be dismantled!

The rivets and angles in the above picture were removed allowing the angles and plates to be removed from the frames. The picture shows the left hand side of the loco.

A pic of the front end showing both counterweights removed.

This is how the loco looked after the weights were removed, and before the plates and angles were removed. The next stage was to remove the remaining ironwork.

And the front end dismantled complete!

The front end of the loco is now devoid of all of the headstock/drag box assembly.

The kit of bits marked up for the dismantled front end

From a future works point of view we will next be removing the footsteps so that they can be restored to their former glory. Following this the side valances will be removed and stored.  This will then enable us to start marking up of the frames at the rear for cutting.  This will be carried out once the two frame cracks that are located adjacent to the centre driver axle boxes have been dealt with. This should be the last bit of cutting.  We should then hopefully get to the restoration tipping point of now repairing and starting to rebuild our little 27!  



Our main thrust for fundraising at present is to fund a set of cylinders for 27.  The total cost of which is expected to be in the region of £15,000 for a fully machined set of castings.

If you would like to donate towards the cost of restoring this pretty little loco, there are a few ways to do so. For further details please go to the restoration page for the loco on the Bluebell Railway web site at the following address:

http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/loco_news/oh_27.html

or for an instant donation you can use the just giving page at the address below:

www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Project27

Thank you for your continued support and with your help we will have the loco working in a few years, resplendent in Southern Railway green.

Clive Emsley