Darjeeling Himalayan Railway 'A' Class No. 10 in 7.25" Gauge

It's been a while, but we have some progress.

2019 started very busy, and as the year went on it only got worse. Locomotives needed attention to keep them running, some significant work to get them going, and then my own engine needed a new boiler, all of which had to take priority over No.10.

It's gone a bit quieter now so we can look at doing some more work. I've almost finished fitting the new boiler to my engine, and while I had the gauge glass cutter out doing my own I thought I might as well do No.10's especially given that it was the last job required in order to be able to do the hydraulic test we are waiting for. The next stage is working towards a steam test, which is going to require a bit of work but we're actually really close to being able to do that too. As No.10 is only fitted with one injector I will have to be able to run her in order to fulfil the requirements of having two means of getting water into the boiler, and call the crosshead pump into action. That just needs the plumbing finishing off.

While I was doing some clearing in Brian's workshop recently, I came across a previously ignored biscuit tin. Opening it up I've found a stash of parts for No.10 which I'm very happy about as it means I haven't got to make some of the bits I wasn't looking forward to making. We now have the missing regulator handle, gauge glass protectors, spectacle glasses, the missing bits if the steam brake valve, and some safety valve tubes which I'd already made!

Last week was not a good week, but the injector is now plumbed up and ready to go. Took me 3 goes to get the mounting bracket right, half a hole pitch out the first time, and when I remade it I moved the holes half a pitch in the wrong direction....third time lucky eh

Gauge glass seals have now arrived so I can finish those off, I need to get the main steam pipes sealed off and we're pretty close then to hydraulic test and first fire

Tantalizingly close to lighting that first fire, so many little jobs left to do that just feel like they are taking forever!

This week we got the fl**ge made for the ckack end of the injector delivery pipe ready for brazing to the pipe. We also made up the spacer for the smokebox dart which was missing, so we can at last close the door properly!

Getting back in to finishing the engine

Apologies for the total lack of updates so far this year, but I've been completely unable to do any work on No.10 until recently. I started the year working overtime which meant I then didn't have time to work on the engine, and then when I finished the overtime I wasn't able to get at the engine as we'd temporarily rented out the space in the unit to someone doing some electrical testing.

Update shortly!

Recently we spent a couple of days on the stand of the 7.25" Gauge Society at the Midlands Model Engineering Exhibition on display. The summer is always a busy time for us and also very busy at work, so there's been no progress to report. Things are calming down a bit now so will be able to get back on. The tube arrived yesterday for making the whistle, and I'll concentrate on boiler fittings so we can get the test done

At the Rugby MES Narrow Gauge Rally for the weekend and it's been a very tiring day, but sister engines No.9 and No.10 have been together for the first time in 30 years since No.9 left the workshop to go to her new owners. Also visiting the rally for the weekend were B Class No.785 & 786, so photo opportunities could not be passed.

I've pulled out all the stops over the last couple of weeks to get as far as I could ready for the rally, and I'm going to take a couple of weeks break now and do some work on other things, then I'll get back to regular once a week sessions and hopefully regular updates

Painting painting painting....

The tank is back from shotblasting and is now back between the frames. Bit of an experiment for me, I've had this powder coated. They've done a good job of it, but it's not as a good as a painted finish so I won't be doing it again. The water side is treated with Isoflex liquid rubber, special primer and 2 coats of the goo. Horrible job I'm not in a hurry to do again! The cab is coming along now, first top coats going on, and this morning I've finished the bottoms of the safety valve extension tubes. I'll complete the tops once the cab goes back on and I can confirm I've got the length correct

Painting....it's all about painting at the moment, so not many interesting photos. I've picked up the well tank from shotblasting today, another £45 well spent, flat out getting that painted now so it can go back in the frames over the weekend, then it'll be boiler back on and build up ready for going to the Narrow Gauge Rally at Rugby MES at the end of the month

Trying hard to get something done every week, at the moment the majority of effort is in getting the tank finished which means mostly bringing stuff home to do. I did manage to get a second coat of high build undercoat on the roof over the weekend and it's looking good.

We are still ticking along and getting very near now to that all important first fire. I've got the water tank out of the frames at the moment, I'm adding a manhole to the bottom as at the moment the only access requires a boiler lift. It's going to get coated before it goes back in so it will be water tight.

Still ticking along, but I've not really made anything that's doesn't look the same as previous photos, so I've not taken many.