Update on the restoration of 15F 3052 at Reefsteamers from Engineering Director, Shaun Ackerman
We have faced a few minor challenges with 3052 in finding the correct size and thickness of copper rings (ferrules) for 3052’s firebox tube ends, which delayed installing them through January. They could have been manufactured from copper sheet internally, but there are always risks involved in this and I made the concise decision rather not to go this route but to use the copper rings which were manufactured for us. They do come at a huge price though because of the process to extrude and manufacture them, which was dealt with by us in honouring this contract.
With the copper rings having arrived late last week from our supplier and all the tubes having been swaged, we will get on with and start installing the tubes in the next week. We anticipate this process to take around two weeks. Thereafter we will have another inspection and hydraulic test later in February.
3052 underwent an extensive washout before the restoration began. Photo by Dave Richardson
The following work has been done since November 2015:
1. Welding up by a coded welder of some lateral gouge marks in the firebox end tube plate, tube holes, which were of concern to us in that they could possibly be leaking areas for the new tubes when installed.
2. The re-grinding and dressing of these tube plate holes to accommodate the new boiler tubes.
3. All of the no. 1 and no. 2 boiler wash out plugs as well as all the larger syphon tube plugs have been annealed, wire brushed and inspected. 14 small plugs in total where found not to be fit for further service and were replaced. 8 small plugs had their threads chassed to rectify the threads.
4. Further de-scaling of hard scale has been done on the boiler barrel as per the inspector’s instructions.
5. All boiler fittings have/are receiving attention:
The clack valve has been stripped. The removable seat was recut as well as the valve and then lapped in to suit and seal.
The clack and pipe threads were also checked for defects and cleaned.
The 2x blow down valves were stripped and checked and found to be in a satisfactory condition and have been cleaned and reassembled.
The 2x water gauge column valves have been stripped and cleaned. The valves have been lapped in and are now satisfactory and will be fitted with new PTFE seals to eliminate the old graphite packing materials.
The 4x safety valves have been stripped, cleaned and assessed for defects. The seats have been lapped in and they will be reassembled.
The vacuum brake ejector has been worked on and this is ongoing.
The hydrostatic lubricator has been worked on and this is ongoing.
3052 at Ficksburg in 2008. Photo from Sandstone Collection
The following work is envisaged within the next two months to complete the restoration:
1. The tubes will be installed and expanded into place on the front and fire-box ends.
2. Preparations will be done on blanking off the entire boiler for hydraulic and visual inspections.
3. The wash out plugs will be fitted and secured once all the boiler shell wash out plug hole threads have been assessed and/or re-tapped.
4. The tube ends will then be beaded over and a coded welder will do the tube end bead welds in the fire-box.
5. The smoke-box table plate, breaker plate and sieve plates will be fabricated and fitted into the smoke-box.
6. The front door will be refitted and sealed up.
7. The brick arch will be rebuilt.
8. After the blanks have been removed again, the fittings will be refitted along with the removed copper pipes.
9. Cab fittings like the refurbished ejector and lubricator will also be fitted.
10. The x-ray of all axles.
11. The main pressure and vacuum gauge SANAS calibrations and certifications.
12. The boiler will then receive the official BI steam test and setting of the safety valves.
13. From here, and if all is fine, the locomotive will be thoroughly tested within the depot before going out on the mainline for a load test.
A sight to be repeated in 2017? 3052 steams past NGG16 No. 113 en route to Ficksburg. Photo from Sandstone Collection
Regards,
Shaun Ackerman
Director of Engineering – Reefsteamers Association (NPC)
