Hunslets - On the home run - early March

Hi, I have been very busy in the workshop since I last put up a post.  The boilers have been made and tested, all the gas system, gas tanks, valves, burner and pipework has been made and tested.  Over the last week the boilers and gas systems have been erected onto the running chassis.

It all fits together  but the smokebox still has to be bolted to the footplate.

Most importantly the burners have all been installed into the flues and they all work very nicely, lighting first time and burning well.  What remains now  is to make all the banjo unions and bolts, complete the water filling system, safety valves and purchase the pressure gauges and fit them.  That is quite a lot of work, but once done all that remains is plate work. There is nothing left to do that will be critical to the performance of the locos.

Here is the batch, 11 locos, space is getting short!

You can see from the photos how once there is a smokebox and chimney the Alice Class Hunslet starts to appear.  It is clear why I cannot make more than 10 or so locomotives at a time, there is no space , I just run out of surfaces to keep all the bits on! When will they be finished? I was hoping for the AGM and that is still my goal but failing that they will all be gone by the end of May making space for the next batch.