3117 reunited with tender!

[John Ashworth]

FOTR's 15F no 3117 was today reunited with her tender for the first time since late 2006.

Last minute work to the cab floor and the fire grates was finished this morning, and this afternoon we used pinch bars to squeeze the tender onto the loco. The draw bar pin is in, and the loco is now officially coupled to the tender.

Connections to vacuum and water pipes still need to be made, and we'll use a jack to squeeze the spring so that more spacer plates can be put in.

3117 is now getting close to completion, but many small jobs still remain, especially on the footplate, steam turret and smokebox.

As usual it was a small crew of workers - John D, Brian, John A, Steve S, Tom, Les W and Adriaan. Contractors Pekinese, Joseph, Lucas, Nataniel and Kosie were working elsewhere on site on carriage renovation, carriage cleaning and bush-cutting.

See photos at http://www.friendsoftherail.com/phpBB2/ ... m.php?f=85

[Chris Janisch]

This is preservation at its best!
Well done all those hard workers.