Lakeshore Railroad
In our workshop among general work we have a 2-8-2 + Tender Narrow Gauge steam loco in build called Sapphire which is getting done by one of our members of staff, Ryan. The loco is inspired by a combination of some narrow guage locos Ryan has seen at the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Work is slow as Ryan is building Sapphire in his spare time. As it currently stands the wheel sets are 80% completed. The boiler is on order and expected to arrive late summer. The next stage in the project is to machine the cylinders (which has now began), make the smokebox saddle and smokebox itself. Once all of this is done, the frames will be made and assembled, then all the parts that have been made already can be put straight on and in short order we will have a rolling chassis. This stage is expected to be achived by Spring 2017.
An estimated time for the completion of Sapphire is the Spring/Summer of 2019. Watch this space for updates on Ryans Project.
Mountaineer's Overhaul 2014/16
*PROGRESS UPDATES*
13th January 2016
The leading and trailing truck wheelsets are are now together after being shrunk onto their respective axles. They have then been profiled in the lathe.
21st January 2016
The top hat bushes are in the process of being turned down for the driving wheels to be shrunk on.
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26th May 2016
After a long pause to carry out other maintenace on the railway, attentions have once again turned to continuing the build of Sapphire. In recent weeks, the driving wheels have been shrunk onto the top hat bushes and subsequently have gone into our new lathe to be profiled.
