Project Update - 30 January 2016

With the tube expanding out the way, the beading of the tube ends in the firebox was required next.

Beading of the tube is a metal forming process in which the ends of the tubes are rolled over onto the tubeplate to further seal or caulk the expanded joint.

It is performed by using a beading tool and a small pneumatic hammer (Caulking Gun). Slowly but surely the beading tool is knocked by the piston in the gun which in turn knocks the end of the tube curling it towards the tube plate.



Caulking Gun

Beading Tool

Beading of a tube.

Beaded Tube

The beading of the tubes took several days to complete, once again the team all contributed to the task with excellent results.

John in action

Greg checking to see how the bead is going closing up onto the tube plate

Kirk beading one of the top row, your arms soon let you know your working up there..!!

During the boiler tube replacement, members of the Bennett Brook Railway at Whiteman Park were invited to visit Bassendean to observe the process and give it a go on the training module as they also have boiler tube replacement on their future maintenance programme. Brayden Hesford and Michael Watson have since visited and I am sure taken away an understanding of what it involves.   

Brayden expanding and flaring a tube at the firebox end of the module.

Michael expanding a tube at the smokebox end of the module.

BEADING COMPLETE

We also had the opportunity today to remove the sandbox as working around it has been a pain in the (well you know where) since the start of the project. With the aid of the recently acquired forklift and its competent operator Dom, the job of re-cladding the barrel will be so much easier. The steam dome cover was also lifted into position in readiness for the next step, the hydro.

Sandbox, down you come.

Well not really down at all, it ended up on the top of the water space
at the rear of the tender out of harms way.

So what's the next step..? The hydrostatic test, so stay tuned..