RESTORATION
December 2018 - Over recent weeks the 2nd shaft bearings have been cast,machined and trial fitted. Now onto the crank bearings.
October 2018 - Each week something is happening, this week sees the arrival of our long awaited new 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
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
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!
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 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 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.
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