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While the main focus of the Strathspey Railway is running steam trains for the paying public, a small but dedicated group of volunteers has been restoring other items of heritage interest in spare moments between working on the loco fleet and improving locoshed infrastructure and facilities.

The current project is a Ruston Hornsby 48DS diesel shunter of 1948 which worked at Longmorn distillery until 1980 (even though Dr Beeching had closed the adjacent main line in 1967). Because it was presented to the Strathspey Railway repainted with advertisements for Queen Anne blended scotch whisky, it is known to most people as “Queen Anne”.

To find out more about our aims, follow this link or click the [About] button above.

This Blog was started over 5 years after the project began, so most of the initial blog entries are retrospective.

Tuesday 30 June 2020

A Few More Pictures

There obviously hasn't been any progress in the last few months, but here are a few pictures taken earlier in the year.

The one-piece bonnet doors were made by bonding the 2mm sheeting to a steel frame using industrial adhesive.
The glue is applied to the steel frame

The frame is clamped to the steel sheet
 The bonnet doors were fitted with gas struts to make them easy to open and close.

Trial fitting of gas strut and brackets

The doors are finally fitted
When the original folding louvre doors were replaced by one-piece doors prior to the locomotive being donated to the Strathspey Railway, a 2 inch gap was left front and back to provide ventilation for the engine as the louvres had gone.  To keep the new doors at the correct spacing at the bottom, special stops have been made with a powerful magnet in the end.  The magnets provide an additional closing force to prevent the doors opening of their own accord in the event of wind, vibration etc.  With the gas struts fitted, it only requires a force of a few kilograms to begin opening the doors.
The magnetic catch/stop
 More of the paintwork as been rubbed down and undercoated in preparation for the final top coats.
Undercoated cab and buffer beam