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Index > News > 7 Plank Mineral Wagon Project - Page 1 Update 15th May 2002 Words & Pics © Gerry Leyman Mineral wagon frames back on their wheel sets (15th May) and rolled it out of the shed for the first time - pics coming soon with a full update. - Gerry
All joints have come up really tight now and the frame is flat and very rigid. Well the work continues and the next job is fitting the corner brackets and buffer brackets and "W" irons. Once all these are in place the frames will have to be partially dismantled for bolt holes to be drilled, before they are finally reassembled for the last time (we hope). The new springs are still awaited but should be delivered soon. Timber is starting to dry out well now with few shakes and is becoming lighter and easier to handle, two of us are now able to lift the headstocks without the use of the crane. We have forged and threaded the counter sunk bolts for the buffer supports as well as some longer ones. Easter is now looking a bit optimistic for having it back on its wheels due to the huge amount of iron work to be done. But hopefully by early summer we will be able to push it out of the shed and take some clear photo's here for the web site.
Update 27th October 2001
Simply click on the above images to enlarge The current state of play with the 7 plank mineral wagon. The main frames are nearing completion. All but one of the longitudinal struts have now been cut and should all be in by the end of next week (one of the photos photo shows one of the last two stood at the end of the frames waiting to be fitted on 251001). The tie bars are cut, screwed and painted and will also be in by next week. Once the frames are uptight we can measure the diagonals and cut and fit them in the next few weeks. New steel ties for securing the headstocks to the sole bars are being made as are spring hangers. We have three good 'W' irons but one is badly corroded so it has gone off as a pattern for a new one to be made. The springs have been inspected and found to be severely corroded so will have to be sent of for inspection to see if they can be refurbished or need new ones to be made (this will be a major expense). Progress has been slow during the summer as first I was away for 7 weeks in Australia and as soon as I returned Edward went off on a three month world tour. We will all be back in action by mid November so things should speed up! Peter thinks we may be able to get the frames back on the wheels by Easter 2002 but there is an awful lot of work to be done before then. One problem we are experiencing at present is the tannin in the oak is causing all new iron and steel to corrode very quickly, all holes have been burnt with a hot iron to try and stop this with very little success. It even burns through the paint and grease within a week. If anyone anywhere has any ideas how we can combat this we would be very pleased to hear from them. Regards Return to S & D News & Information Page
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A milestone was passed on the 15th January 2002
when the last of the diagonal beams were fitted and the main frame was complete.
Following the fitting the tie bars were tightened up and the headstocks pulled
fully on. Then came the critical moment when the diagonal measurements were
taken to check that the frames were square. What a relief they were within 1/4
of an inch which the team feel is quite good over a 16 ft wagon, especially as
the timber can be that much out itself.
