Progress has been limited over the past 3 months while waiting for the three coupled wheelsets to be machined and returned from Tyseley.
Words by Mike Johns. Photos: Ryan Pope and Tyseley Locomotive Works.
Having originally thought that one axle would have to be replaced owing to abnormal journal wear it had been found that it could still be machined without exceeding the GWR standards so Tyseley were asked to assist by re-profiling all 6 axle journals and wheel faces on their wheel lathe.
The first photo above shows this work in progress on one of the wheelsets in Tyseley’s wheel lathe. This second photo shows the finished result with the highly polished wheel face and axle journal.
The three axles have now been completed and once returned to Williton will enable work to progress on re-wheeling 4561’s chassis.
Meantime the six main axleboxes seen in the third photo.(upside down) now have bronze liners fitted to the horn faces and the six new spring hanger forgings machined and fitted between the horns.