Restoration of McLaren Traction engine No. 767 

Update 28th July 2008

Over the last month we have been working 7 days a week to try and get on top of this momentum job. As you will see from the pictures we have made a huge dent in the outstanding work. We are feeling somewhat exhausted but as I have stated this must be completed as soon as possible. Hopefully by next week I shall be steam testing and running the engine.

Until the boiler has been certified, I cannot fit the Belly Tank and as the steering gear fits on the bottom of the Belly Tank we have no steering.

As always there are bound to be adjustments and modifications to be made here and there but everyone is getting excited to see this finally run, including myself.

As you can see we have manufactured and fitted all the rear suspension, complete with rear axle and Tender. We have manufactured and fitted all the valve rods, piston rods, cross heads, crankshaft, set the valves, manufactured and fitted the whistle, fitted the lubricator, manufactured regulator lever and also the blank for the final drive gear. We have repaired the winch drum as there was a big piece missing out of the side of it and manufactured a pawl for driving it. We have manufactured the driving pin for the rear wheel, also all the cylinder drains have been fitted along with the necessary operating arms.

The Tender and Belly Tank have been painted and the wheels lined.

At present I am busy making up the reverser arm so that the engine can be run.

A lot of this work is of my own design as there are no drawings and this has been very pressurising but nevertheless I think I can say we are on the downhill run.

Regards
Keith

The pictures depict the following

0842 Rear suspension, tie bars and springs and top collars



0844 Belly Tank painted



0845 Rear wheel lined with drive pin fitted

0846 Winch repaired



0847 Gauge standard (safety guard yet to be manufactured) and test cocks fitted along with rear suspension



0848 Connecting rods, valve rods and crosshead and motions fitted



0849 Whistle and lubricator now fitted along with main regulator arm

0852 Starting to line out Belly Tank

0852 Starting to line out Belly Tank

0854 Manufacturing reverser



0855 Pinion gear blank

0856 Rear axle in position