Heritage - news

Keith Stevens reports on Progress McLaren Agricultural Engine

1st September 2007

Our main focus this month regarding the McLaren Traction Engine No. 767 has been restoring the crank shaft and piston rod guides and crossheads which required a lot of work in re-machining almost every part. The main job has been designing a former to form the backhead which has
equally taken a log of planning and physical hard work.

You can now see the finished former before fettling and final finishing (11 bottles of oxygen and 96kg of handigas later with lots of blood, sweat, tears and hammering). I am still awaiting certain boiler plates and are just setting up for drilling the horn plates. The front tube plate has been away for stress relieving and is now ready for drilling and finishing.

Just to let you know I am going to England to see my son Philip and will be away from 27 August until 14 September. My workshop will still be open and my staff keeping up work on the McLaren. I myself am looking forward to a week or two of rest and hopefully return re-vitalised.

0516 - Setting up crankshaft in Lathe