On Sunday I went to Rowsley to see Dave Rolfe and catch up on what's been happening, unfortunately no pictures as my car was so full of stock after a sales event that day that the camera wouldn't fit in it!
I'm pleased to say the radiator room is very close to being finished, the only tasks that need doing before the radiators can go back in in are:
- Weld four stub pipes into the floor, and fit new rad drain pipes
- We need to source four one inch angle pattern valves from our spares stock.
- We also need to buy four short 1" ID rubber hoses.
- Source 8 new half inch rubber hoses for the radiator breathers.
- Need to clean up two breather pipe manifolds and fit.
- Need to source and fit some 6mm X 3 inch rubber sheet, which acts as a seal/draught divert around the radiators.
- Put another coat of paint on the floor in the rad room.
- Put another coat of paint on the roof.
- Straighten and refit airline to air tank on end wall.
Apart from that it's about done, I was particularly impressed by the air operated louvres, which actually work! This made me realise that, as we are aiming for the next major step of being able to fire up the engine in 50030, we do need the compressors, as loads of the gear in the 50 is air powered, not just the brakes. We have recently discussed with our electrical contractor the work needed to overhaul two compressors for use in 50030 (from the several we have in stock, and the ones still present in 50029 and 50030). Based on this progress we are going to try to arrange to have the radiators refitted at the back end of October...
