top of page

RESTORATION

December 2018 - Over recent weeks the 2nd shaft bearings have been cast,machined and trial fitted. Now onto the crank bearings.

49212710_2237776656504725_47053780198652
48428695_2237776693171388_47725602977412
48404782_2237776729838051_62253273334362

October 2018 - Each week something is happening, this week sees the arrival of our long awaited new firebars.

Firebars (2)
Firebars

September 2018 - Another significant milestone has been made, the 1st and 2nd shaft gears have come off the CNC and have been keyed and splined.... let's hope they sound as good as they look

42560392_2182227318726326_37795598688814
42521848_2182227362059655_53552353179661
42619391_2182227408726317_83235862710625

September 2018 - This week has seen the reassembly of the crank. All balance weights refitted. The U bolts releaded. The big end journals have been machined and test fitted. The first gear spline has been machined to remove all wear. Now we wait for the new gears to come off the CNC

41729587_2175572566058468_64823068059878
Crank
41673896_2175572616058463_31178689394476

September 2018 - Each week progress is made, some bits are obvious other parts are never seen. This week has seen the return of the original crankshaft, now confirmed as straight and crack free. All journals have been built up and polished. All gear selectors have new selector arms and shafts. The flywheel/ 3rd gear hub has been bored and trued up. Just to machine the splines and it's ready for the new gears!

41256313_2171352669813791_63720407834527
41026234_2171352613147130_78316032347990
41148426_2171352696480455_53933880579173
41129120_2171352719813786_80985558490451
41165875_2171352753147116_21983515140769

July 2018 - It might be getting cold outside but progress is warming up. Line boring of bearing journals complete. Cross heads all reconditioned with a modern day mod.

July 2018 - Has been a busy couple of weeks in the machine shop. Turning of all the gear blanks and making of the new 2nd shaft.

June 2018 - completed the crosshead rail alignment and are now ready for line boring of the crank and second shaft bearings. The bellytank is now refitted. Material for the first 2 shafts gears is on its way. The Pyle National Generator has been rebuilt and 3D modelling of the gears is complete after working off the original drawings. We also recently had another 6nhp Fowler join the stable, 9918 will serve as the yardstick for the standard of mechanical workmanship required for 9890

Aveling & Porter

Aveling & Porter 8524, Fowler 9890,Fowler 9918

Alignment of rails in progress

All gears are modelled with the gear tooth profiles detailed ready to go into a cnc

Belly tank refitted.

Original Fowler Drawings

Original Fowler drawings detailing what's required gear and shafts wise

Pyle national generator rebuilt ready for installation

May 2018 - The crank now removed from the flywheel. Just to remove the 2nd gear and it will head away for building up of all journals. With the new 1.5" ground bar arrived, alignment of the cross-head rails can we done, this allows us to get a datum for line boring the crank and second shaft journals in the horn plates. Also the Belly tank now all painted ready for refitting

Cranks and the 1.5" ground bar ready to be used

Original crank on left, spare crank on right

May 2018 - Rails now surface ground and hardened ready for alignment. All new pre-war nuts made to make the cylinder look abit tidier. The recently sourced set of connecting rods and big ends that will replace the beaten up original ones. New lagging now on ready for paint.

April 2018 - Resleeving the valve shafts. Making new gland pushers. Building up and remachining the valve carriers. Reaming and making new eccentric pins. So hopefully no more valve clicking

April 2018 - All top motionwork is removed and ready for extensive rebuild. New gears, new bearings and ground crosshead rails and much much more.

April 2018 - Backside cylinder caps sandblasted rebushed. Lp cylinder cap rebushed and painted. and new pre-war nuts made

March 2018 - Governor rebuilt, new bushes, new shafts, new pins, new thrust washers and new paint!

March 2018 - Barrell cleaned and two pot  enameled applied

March 2018 - The bottom is installed and riveted in

March 2018 - Once removing the belly tank, we found that the steering drum was cracked, so a new drum has been made and the mounting brackets bored out and trued up.

February 2018 - Firstly we dropped out the bellytank to repair the bottom, so it could for the first time in 60+ years hold water again.

Belly Tank

February 2018 - Eccentrics - cleaned, painted and new oilers machined up.

2017 - It was decided that rather than do a bit here and a bit there, that a full nut and bolt restoration would occur

2014 - In 2014 the decision was made to replace the firebox, front tube plate and complete a tombstone repair to the backhead. Two years later, with a steam ticket in hand Colin Stevenson drove his engine once more.

1963 - 1967 - The 9890 underwent a 4 year restoration after the purchase of the engine from P A Pilcher in 1963 

bottom of page