Wadebridge was in the wheeldrop shed at Ropley, with both outside valve chests opened up and piston valves removed for examination; and today we removed the middle cylinder valve chest front cover and took off the left rocker shaft bearing to examine the bushes on the middle valve gear.
The outer piston valves and bushes look to be good but there is some wear in the middle cylinder bushes - too soon to say how bad but they are renewable. Getting to them is a pain, especially the inner cylinder, for which various dismantling is needed including under the frames behind the outside cylinders, in the smokebox where the spark arrestor, blower ring and blastpipe has to be removed, and between the frames behind the middle cylinder where it is hard to even see the rear valve cover, let alone remove it.
Work to fit the speedo is proceeding - the crank is now fitted to the rear driving wheel centre, the drive generator and wheel setting box are ready to clean up and paint, and conduit for the cable to the cab is being supplied.
The defective injector has been sent for examination to Gamble's.
John Prosser
