The B17 Steam Locomotive Trust has sent RailAdvent a short update on progress in 2022 on their aims to build 61673 Spirit of Sandringham.
Two events have been held at CTL Seal in Sheffield in 2022.
The first one was on the 23rd April which saw one of the cast driving wheels on display along with a cleaned and primed chassis.
Last weekend (8th October) the group held their first AGM at CTL Seal for the first time since the group moved to Sheffield from Llangollen in October 2020.
Available for viewing at the AGM was two of the newly machined hornblocks.
Additionally, work is in progress at different locations and the material needed in the enar future has been acquired:
- Steel forging for the two plain (intermediate and rear) axles.
- Steel forging for all Coupled and Bogie wheels.
Additionally, roller bearings for all of the locomotive's axles have been ordered.
Machining is currently underway at no less than three different UK sites:
- The Cannon Axleboxes and Coupled Axleboxes castings.
- The Hornblock castings.
- The Hornblock liners.
The driving wheels have now been proof machined and measured and are currently undergoing non-destructive testing.
This means that the group are well on their way to completing the wheelsets for the to plain axled wheels, and attention has now turned to the bogie which the trust have two significant parts for.
The first stage is the manufacturing of the 12 spoke bogie wheel pattern and then casting four wheels whilst the final design of the frames is made.
Finally, designing of the three cylinders as fabrications is close to completion.
You can find out more information on how you can support the B17 Steam Locomotive Trust at https://www.b17steamloco.co.uk/
