The Ffestiniog Railway has issued a report on the latest work to overhaul Mountaineer, which is a 2-6-2T locomotive built by ALCo in the USA.

A break in the weather allowed the frames to be steam-cleaned, and they are now ready for shot blasting. The horn cheeks and adjusters have been removed and stored alongside the wheels, which were cleaned last month. Also, the bearing surfaces have been protected.

Cleaning of the tube plate holes in the boiler has been completed, and the superheater flues are due to be fitted later this month, to be followed soon after by the small tubes. To ensure the boiler is ready for hydraulic tests when the time comes, suitable blanking plates have been obtained and machined ready to fit.

To improve access inside the boiler, the smokebox door ring and blast pipe have been removed. Work has started on designing a superheater header.

The tube plates have been measured, and as the lengths of the tubes vary, the first tube has been cut as a test. New outer bearings have been fitted to the brake shaft, and the ends have been turned to suit, with only a sleeve to be fitted to the handbrake drive before that part of the overhaul is complete/

The cylinder covers are being fettled to fit, and materials for the water tank and the frame stiffening plates have been ordered. Work has started on the drag boxes, boiler barrel expansion plates, and new side windows for the cab.

Finally, although not strictly part of the overhaul project, new parts have been made to make Mountaineer‘s rerailing jacks functional again.

A talk on the project to overhaul Mountaineer will be given at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, 13th January at the Mountain Rangers Football Club in Rhosgadfan, Gwynedd.

Last April, the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways were named the ‘Best Attraction in Wales’, and won another award in December for the redevelopment of Boston Lodge works.