Mid Hants Railway Loco Shed

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From: Andrew Jones
Sent: 01 July 2009 22:22
Subject: 9F working party Sat 4th July
Hi Tony 
I am currently working on the 9F to try and get it back into traffic with the aim of having it running for the Steam Gala.  To do this, we need some volunteers!  I was hoping you might be able to put this on the main loco website - Bob Allen has said this would be a good idea to reach a wide audience. 
I realise that it is short notice, but I am attempting to organise a working party for Saturday, 4th July for any existing volunteers to come and help out.  Cleaning parts, painting, and re-assembling the loco are all on offer to those willing to assist.
We are currently putting the cladding back on, and once this is done it will be a matter of re-assembling the jigsaw of parts. 
I am at Ropley working on the loco from Monday to Friday if anyone has any questions, or would like to lend a hand mid-week. 
Kind regards 
Andrew Jones
MHR MPD Volunteer & Steam Loco Driver
 

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30th June 2009:         New piston for 9F#92212 Movie linked to the photo shows also the new cylinder covers (2.3MB, 30th June 2009)
	Ceramic fibre insulation going onto 9F #92212
A4 #60019 Bittern goes to Southall the end of the week
#850 Lord Nelson was having some minor caulking done inside the firebox so was noisy to be near. Several school parties were conducted around the Loco Yard and kept their distance so that the Inverse Square Law would work to their advantage.	Photos and movie (30th June 2009): Tony Wood

 

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16th June 2009:     Bob and Peter refit the crinoline on 9F #92212 in the boiler shop.   In the main shed, Duncan was painting some of the cladding and Steve was making replacements for some life-expired sheets for the firebox.   The 45 ton steam crane will be at Ropley on Thursday to lift the cab onto the 9F - the smaller steam cranes can't lift it across two tracks* *17 June 2009 08:05 The smaller cranes are perfectly capable of lifting across two tracks and one was originally booked for the job, but as we are also now lifting the Black 5 boiler on Friday it was easier to bring only one crane down. Regards Colin Chambers Managing Director

Movie:   The yard before Bittern departed on service train duty     (3MB, 16th June 2009)

Movie:    Gavin was refitting the clack valve on #850 Lord Nelson    (1.7MB, 16th June 2009)   Photo and movies (16th June 2009): Tony Wood

 

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11th June 2009:   From: Andy Netherwood Sent: 12 June 2009 19:29 Subject: 9F steam test The steam test on #92212 boiler was successfully completed yesterday, 11th June 2009, with no problems other than a few leaking small tubes at the firebox tubeplate and a few little sizzles from about four foundation ring rivets. The steam test was conducted at 260lb/in2 (i.e. 10lb/in2 over full working pressure) and held for about an hour.  Spud and Gavin were really pleased with the results as they did do most of the work on the boiler. Today we refitted the superheater header and the superheater elements, tested this week to 400lb/in2  Andy       Photos (11th June 2009): Andy Netherwood

Myra lights it up

Spud and Gavin

260 lb/in2

 
 Boiler of 9F #92212 is prepared for 10-year boiler certificate
 

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9th June 2009:         Lord Nelson has been moved up to the boiler workshop to allow preparation for routine boiler inspection.
9F #92212 had been shunted outside to have a warming fire lit.   Movie (2MB, 9th June 2009) The smoke had an easy path through because the superheater header cover plate is off and superheater elements are still out. Duncan was putting green anti-corrosion primer on bare metal inside the cab.
Bob Deeth came by to discuss crane requirements for refitting the cab of the 9F next week.
The Bubblecar was working as one service train today  Movie  (2MB, 9th June 2009)   (and Wadebridge was hauling the steam service.)   #5224 was having a brake fault diagnosed and the remedy (to a sticking valve) was later tested.
Patterns have arrived for casting replacement cylinder covers for #73096
Steve Humby fits a valve for steam to heat lubricating oil on Black Five #45379       Photos and movies (9th June 2009): Tony Wood         Building Dept and Wednesday Gang are nearing completion of new picnic area fencing

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From: Andy Netherwood Sent: 04 June 2009 20:15 Subject: 9F latest Hi Tony The 9F's boiler passed its official hydraulic test today with no problems.  The completed copper firebox tubeplate after I had finished beading the tubes. Note the extensive superheating capacity of this boiler :  5 row, 35 element superheater.  Also the completed D&M Class J exhaust steam injector; not technically correct for this class as it would have had a Class K type but this obviously was unavailable so a Class J (standard on many ex-LMS classes) was fitted instead with slight alteration* to the pipework.  Andy *More than a 'slight alteration' IMHO!  ... tw
	Photos (4th June 2009): Andy Netherwood      Boiler to 9F #92212 is prepared for 10-year boiler certificate

 

26th May 2009:   #5224 arrives at Ropley under Bighton Bridge with a down train   Movie   (3MB, 26th May 2009): Tony Wood     On the footplate of ex-GWR 2-8-0 tank #5224 up the hill from Ropley to Medstead & Four Marks on a service train     Simon Baggott (Driver), Tom Homewood (Fireman), Ian Giles (Cleaner: fired for the run)                      Movie  (25MB, 26th May 2009): Tony Wood In the yard at Ropley, Bob Shearman and team were removing the left hand crosshead from #73096;    and ...  Keith Bynam's P-Way gang were freeing and oiling the Ropley yard points     Movie   (4.3MB, 26th May 2009): Tony Wood #34007 Wadebridge arrives at Medstead & Four Marks loop with a down service train   Movie   (4.2MB, 26th May 2009): Tony Wood

Spud says it takes a working day to get each mudhole door fitting properly. The boiler of #92212, about half-full of water now, will be filled and hydraulically tested once Andy has finished fitting boiler-tube ferrules. Any tube to tubeplate leak will be revealed as water is added and sealed by expanding that tube a bit more.     Photo (26th May 2009): Tony Wood

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19th May 2009:
	Ex-GWR 2-8-0 tank engine #5224 arrived at MHR this morning and was hauled up to Ropley.   Movie:   #5224 arrives at Ropley  (2.6MB, 19th May 2009) Movie:   Footplate and controls of #5224  (5MB, 19th May 2009)    Photo shows the GWR way of checking water level in the boiler: one gauge glass; upper and lower cocks. The upper gauge is boiler pressure; the lower shows steam pressure in the heating system for the carriages; and the brass gauge on the left shows water level in the tanks.   Movie:   A4 Bittern departs Ropley with an up train and #34007 Wadebridge exits the yard - driven by participants in today's Footplate Experience (Introductory)   (6.6MB, 19th May 2009)
Movie:  Thomas returns to Ropley after his holiday in Denmark  (2.8MB, 19th May 2009)   (His face is covered for copyright reasons)        Odense photos Movie:   A4 #60019 arrives at Ropley from Alresford with a service train, crosses with the Bubblecar and departs for Medstead & Four Marks  (18MB, 19th May 2009)
	The Building Dept have put up some rather nice posters at Ropley including this Cuneo.   (I got chided for mispronouncing "Cuneo" in the messroom: it should* be "coo-knee-oh" with equal emphasis on each syllable. *The authority quoted is a daughter of the great painter ... tw)       Photos and movies (19th May 2009): Tony Wood

   

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12th May 2009:           The broken LHS cylinder has been removed from #73096   (See reports below: 21st April, 15th April, 26th March, 17th March & 14th March)
A4 #60019 was having its fitness to run examinations today and Andy was setting the safety valves Movie (8.8MB, 12th May 2009) Gavin was in the cab as fireman and called the pressures from the gauge. The front valve was set to perfection but the rear one was reluctant to operate as it should  so the loco had to be failed. Movie (3.3MB, 12th May 2009)   Once the boiler has cooled, that valve will come out for investigation
The Urie Group have arranged some protection from the weather during work in the firebox for #30506.   The Group have put a temporary roof on the tender for #30499 for the same reason - looks comical but does the job.
Hugh Caldwell was making a piston for rebuilt J94 #10 Douglas    Movie (2MB, 12th May 2009)
	Photos and movies (12th May 2009): Tony Wood

   

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28th April 2009:   Bob Millard was using a gas axe on cylinder bolt heads to remove the damaged left-hand cylinder of Std5 #73096 (see 15th April report below)   A4 Bittern was having its annual boiler inspection today.   Thomas was being prepared for his holiday in Odense in Denmark.     One front cylinder cover of two new ones for 9F #92212 has been machined.  The boiler has all its tubes in and the firebox end is done. At the smokebox end, all the flue tubes have been expanded and the smaller smoke tubes are now ready for expanding.
Hugh Caldwell was making end covers on the tender axleboxes for Std 4 #75079     Movie   (4.9MB, 28th April 2009)
	Photos and movie (28th April 2009): Tony Wood

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21st April 2009: Alexander was our youngest Ropley volunteer today and brought his Mum too. He explained our shunting operations to her as David and your webmaster parked Lord Nelson and Bittern beside the signalbox. Frank and his team (including Stuart who popped in from Perth - Oz! - to help) were on the wheeldrop checking Wadebridge's tender springs. Movie  (8MB, 21st April 2009)   Once other locos had been moved, #34007 was drawn out and a warming fire lit for Footplate Experience duties next day.
	Another of the secrets of Duncan and Roger: the container where they can paint and allow stuff to dry without dust spoiling the finish.   The green bits are from the Class 11 0-6-0 diesel shunter, brown bits from the coach you can see in the main shed photo (15th April) and the black bits are main steam pipe cladding and dome cover for U-Class #31806. The grey bit is part of the valve-chest cladding of #31806
The piston rod of #73096 was scrap so was gas-axed for ease of removal.   (See also reports: 15th April, 26th March, 17th March & 14th March)
	Andy Netherwood was in the smokebox of 9F #92212 expanding flue-tubes with a high-torque pneumatic drive.   Movie  (8.4MB, 21st April 2009)        Boiler to 9F #92212 is prepared for 10-year boiler certificate
	Myra and Gavin were working on the fittings removed from A4 Bittern for its annual boiler examination.   The linked shot is of Bittern's mud-hole doors which were being cleaned up by Paul Carroll and Will Stones. Movie  (1.7MB, 21st April 2009)
Steve has nearly finished lubricator pipe runs from mechanical pumps on Black Five #45379   Piping up the sanders can be done after the boiler has been lifted on.     Photos and movies (21st April 2009): Tony Wood

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15th April 2009:                 The middle section of the boiler for Black Five #45379 remains uninsulated and unclad ready for the crane slings when it is fitted.   Duncan was painting the three clack cover sections with a 50:50 mix of undercoat and gloss - his secret basis for the much-admired Mid Hants shiny finish!     Restoration of Black Five #45379
Re-tubing the boiler of 9F #92212 begins with the flue-tubes. These are bigger to accommodate the superheater elements
Morley Slade was busy with the electrics of the wheeldrop; it's looking pretty foolproof but the fools are ingenious!
The area around the three S15 boilers is being cleared in preparation for extending the boilershop in both directions. This one is for Urie S15 #30506
In the yard Bob Millard had a team preparing for removal of the shattered LHS cylinder of #73096. He was taking a gas axe to the main steam pipe bolts. Previous photos
	Photos (15th April 2009): Tony Wood

 

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4th April 2009:       Loco Shed staff and volunteers are preoccupied with our current Thomas event.   Loco footplate crews new to 'Lord Nelson' - erring on the side of caution - have been known to run short of oil for the 'Detroit' hydrostatic lubricator   Thomas has the same system but single, not quadruple.
	Photos (Ropley, 4th April 2009): Aria Tabatabai, (Loco Shed Ranger)

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2nd April 2009:     The driving axle has been put into the frames of Black Five #45379       In the boilershop, Andy was doing dye penetrant* tests on the flue-tubes for U-Class #31806 after brazing-on copper ends which fit into the firebox tubeplate. The part being tested is cleaned (Movie (670KB)); a red dye is sprayed over and left for the prescribed time to penetrate any flaws and then wiped off. The developer is sprayed next and dries to leave a layer of white powder which takes up and reveals any dye lurking in faults.   (*Magnetic particle inspection doesn't work on copper of course)       Spud, in the firebox of 9F #92212, was riveting over set screws (See 31st March photos, below. You can also hear his riveting in the yard walk movie!)
Movie (880KB)	With a Diesel Gala later this year, perhaps we should have more photos and movies about them on these pages.
Movie:  (15.4 MB, 2nd April 2009)    A walk around the yard today:  the locos in sunshine; the arrival from Medstead of the Thumper on test; and Ropley duty signalman Clive Jackson letting it into the yard.   Photos and three movies (2nd April 2009): Tony Wood

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31st March 2009:   Another mega-shunt* at Ropley for most of the day in preparation for the Thomas event next week. *But we've had movies of mega-shunts before ...     #92212 in the boiler-shop:   Poised uncomfortably on top of the boiler of the 9F, Spud was blueing-in the faces between regulator body and main steam pipe. He grumbled at the quartz-halogen inspection lamp, moved for this shot from the firebox through a flue-tube hole.    Boiler to 9F #92212 is prepared for 10-year boiler certificate
Work today on the boiler for Stanier Black Five #45379:   Trevor Page was at a capstan lathe turning out these unions for lubricator pipes    Movie (5.7 MB, 31st March 2009)
More about cladding   Movie (2.7 MB, 31st March 2009)   Drilling the smokebox doubling plate  (see 26th March photo)   Movie (3.8 MB, 31st March 2009)     Photos and movies (31st March 2009): Tony Wood

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26th March 2009:         John and Mike were making cladding bands for #45379 whilst Steve finished making the clack covers
	Peter and Brian were preparing #73096 for removal of the left-hand cylinder.   Note stripped thread in the hole - just three turns of thread the other side are OK.       #73096 in 1963    ( Photo © Benjamin Jowett )
Also
	Bob Preston has now welded the two sections of the smokebox floor together and the fixing holes were drilled and reamed by his team   (see also 23rd March report)
Haven't discovered who made the set of little oil pourers out of tin cans but there was general agreement today that they are delightful and just right for filling loco oil reservoirs on the motion and the steam brake.     Photos (26th March 2009): Tony Wood   Also

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23rd March 2009:     Rear section of #45379 smokebox floor lining plate was already in place today and by mid-afternoon the front section too had been clamped in. These plates are to protect the smokebox proper from the corrosive effect of smokebox ash. The square hole fits over the saddle and blastpipe. Each section weighs about 2½cwt so getting them positioned is a bit of a struggle. Bob Preston will be sitting there with his feet down the hole for a while now with a magnetic-clamp drill, making the holes for fixing bolts and studs.       Meanwhile in the wheeldrop shed the trailing wheels had been fitted over the weekend. The driving axle is on the wheel trolley and awaits its turn.         Restoration of Black Five #45379
Gavin was in the smokebox of 9F #92212 preparing the main steam pipe for the superheater header      Explanation
Boiler to 9F #92212 is prepared for 10-year boiler certificate	Flue tubes for the 9F   Photos (23rd March 2009): Tony Wood

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22nd March 2009:    

John Wright reports: Today we put the first set of wheels back under #45379 and all went very well

   

One   Two   Three   Four   Five

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20th March 2009:   The air pump on #850 is mounted on the left hand side just ahead of the cab steps and an injector
The annual boiler inspection on Thomas was brought forward by a few weeks so as not to clash with our Easter Thomas event	Peter Williams (in red Mickey Mouse ears) was happy so Thomas gets his certificate renewed.
Cladding #45379 Photos (20th March 2009): Tony Wood Restoration of MHRPS Black Five #45379

 

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17th March 2009:        Std 5 #73096 left hand cylinder (See also our Spring Steam Gala page)
Later
Scaffolders erected a working platform around the station house chimneys today. Your webmaster likes heights so went up as soon as they finished to take this shot. The dot in the sky is a rook.     Movie (4MB, 17th March 2009)       From: Mark Ziemba Sent: 18 March 2009 22:35 Subject: Higher ! Higher ! Hi Tony As a former Mayor of Carmel once said in one of his most famous films : "Things always look different from higher up." However, what I really like about your photo of Ropley is all the different shades of green ! But then, we are on the Southern, after all ! Best regards Mark Ziemba Fleet, Hampshire
	Steve has made and fitted this complex clack valve cover for #45379. He was forming the side pieces today.     Gordon Cowper made the spherical dome bits over the actual clacks Photos and movie (17th March 2009): Tony Wood         Restoration of MHRPS Black Five #45379

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15th March 2009:     Std5 #73096:  We are investigating what caused the left-hand cylinder to fail yesterday but analysis is not yet complete. The cylinder is scrap so a new casting is required. In order to move #73096 the connecting rod and radius rod were removed within 15 minutes of arrival of the rescue loco with tools and MPD staff   ... tw       Lineside debris Photo (14th March 2009): Henry O'Dwyer*

14th March 2009:   From: Nik Tippen Sent: 14 March 2009 18:18 Subject: #73096   Hi Tony  After the shock about the Std5 today ... it was like the railway stopped.   Nik Tippen Ranger   More about this

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12th March 2009:   In the yard, Matt Oakley was cleaning the Beattie Well Tank ready for the Gala which starts tomorrow.     He was not alone; lots of ladders, rags and buckets in evidence beside the other locos.
Movie showing preparations at Ropley MPD for 2009 Spring Steam Gala:   (6MB, 12th March 2009)  The scene this morning as locos are lit with a warming fire whilst cleaning proceeds. Then, after the dissolve, it's afternoon and raining. The yard looks very atmospheric with swirling smoke and a few safety valves feathering. Photos and movie (12th March 2009): Tony Wood

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10th March 2009:   Duncan Richardson over the front dragbox of the 9F tender. Linked photo of the yard shows Frank Boait with a possible new volunteer     Photos (10th March 2009): Chris Castleman

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9th March 2009:
 

Phil was machining cylinder covers for 9F #92212  Movie  (2.4MB, 9th March 2009): Tony Wood  
If unleashed, #92212 no doubt could anytime have beaten our line speed limit up 1:60 with a full train, but now I hear Phil was with Tyrrell F1 Racing Team for many years.
 
Dick Chapman caught me discussing this with Phil   ... tw      Photo (9th March 2009): Dick Chapman

David did another of his mega-shunts and, with Pete as shunter and two 08s:

The yard was cleared for action;
The 9F tender was uncoupled from the Std4 and recoupled to the 9F to haul it out of the main shed;
The 9F was moved into the boiler shop (both the Std5 and Thomas have passed their annual boiler inspections); and
The 9F tender was shunted into the main shed for work on its front dragbox  ...  Movie   ( 28½MB  9th March 2009): Tony Wood
 
Bit like manoeuvres with your Hornby, but bigger and takes longer!   ... tw

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6th March 2009:               Yeah right Martin !        (Martin Orford)     (This saw on recently cut thick pieces of steel amused me.  We've been clearing space for a new carriage and wagon shed beyond the boiler shop: Gavin had been cutting up for scrap an old fuel tank from a Class 33 - gas axe job; Martin was breaking up translucent corrugated GRP panels surplus to requirements and starting a tear using the saw  ... tw)
Making cladding for the Black Five (#45379) boiler   Movie (3½MB, 6th March 2009)   Reinforcing strips are added to the vertical slots* in the cladding *For the water feed pipe from injectors to clack valves     Restoration of MHRPS Black Five #45379
Addition today to farming section	Photo and movie (6th March 2009): Tony Wood

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3rd March 2009:   It's nearly ten years since Roy Archer of Applied Inspection Ltd visited us to do NDT at Ropley: Bodmin's axles had a magnetic particle inspection!   He came today to do ultrasound tests on the axles of Lord Nelson and Bittern. Bob and Peter scraped the paint off the axle ends for him and Bob Allen shunted Bittern with the 08* to give Roy access without the rods being in the way.   *Movie (3.9MB, 3rd March 2009)     Roy noting reference numbers stamped into the axle ends

Gavin's nickname at Ropley is: "Crusher":  the clue is in the photo             Photos and movie (3rd March 2009); Tony Wood

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26th February 2009:   The boiler inspector was in today to examine Ivatt #41312 in steam. He passed the loco for use at our Spring Steam Gala - its 10-year ticket had expired on 12th February.   You can see #41312 in steam in this movie of the yard (2MB, 26th February 2009)
	#73096 also passed its annual boiler examination today. The linked shot shows a patch repair to the tender still in undercoat.   Movie of this scene (850KB, 26th February 2009)
Duncan was being assertive with a recalcitrant bolt movie (3MB, 26th February 2009) on a corridor end of the RB he has in for repair; he has taken off the nut and has a jack under the bolt applying about ten tons of pressure whilst he rotates the bolt one way, then the other way. Someone, twenty years ago, didn't grease it on assembly! (Two bolts hold the corridor to the spring plungers which press them together between coaches.)  It had succumbed when I looked later.   Ropley Shed Carriage Restorations and Maintenance
Bob Allen was steam cleaning an engine on the 'Bubblecar' for odd bits of maintenance  Movie (2.3MB, 26th February 2009)
	Photos and movies (26th February 2009): Tony Wood

 

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24th February 2009:
 
Myra is a regular volunteer in the boilershop at Ropley. She describes her recent first footplate day   Movie (4.3MB, 24th February 2009): Tony Wood

#850 valvegear   Three views from the running plate just aft of the left-hand smoke deflector
A new plug has been made for the hydrostatic lubricator, this time with more metal for the spanner to grip. The old bronze one is in front.       From: Stuart Conner Sent: 25 February 2009 21:10 Subject: Lord Nelson - Hydrostatic Lubricator Hi Tony I very much enjoy your Loco Shed webpages. Is it possible to add a few details about what all the knobs and valves are for on the hydrostatic lubricator? It looks very complicated for what in theory sounds like a simple device. What exactly is it lubricating - wheel bearings, cylinders? Best regards Stuart Conner The hydrostatic lubricator provides oil to the valves, pistons and cylinders. The problem is that these components are under steam pressure, so oil needs to be forced in. One way is to pump the oil in (e.g. by the Silvertown mechanical pump on the BR Standards.) Another way is to have the lubricator and oil reservoir itself under steam pressure. The steam condenses and the resultant water sinks to the bottom of the reservoir displacing oil in the reservoir. The fireman regulates the drips of oil, visible through sight glasses as they rise through the condensed water, via the controlling valves. On an LN Class, which has four cylinders, there are four lubricators in one casting   ... tw    Diagram       Operation
Steve is working on the cladding for our Black Five #45379. These components finish the cutaway for sand bin filler pipes either side of the boiler. We used copper rivets to fit one made earlier. Seems a shame to paint over them!       Restoration of MHRPS Black Five #45379
	9F #92212         Photos and movie (24th February 2009): Tony Wood

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