Pipe Back

After the steam pipe down from the engines to the underneath comes the pipe beneath the water tank leading back towards the boiler.

Down to back pipe joint (sealed using a copper washer)
(Compare with this)

The pipe is supported by two orange 'U' brackets attached to the tank underside.

Brackets in orange

At the boiler end, the pipe curves upwards and towards the off-side to meet the next pipe section which circumnavigates the boiler.

Curving up and towards the boiler's off-side...

...like this!
(The engine-mounted BFP Water pipes to the boiler are on the right)

Then things get more difficult. The pipe that circumnavigates the boiler needs to be renewed as it was badly pitted with rust on arrival. Regrettable, I don't have a photo of it; however, the best I can do for now is a heavily processed and cropped old photo showing part of it.

Pipe curving down from the regulator assembly

This pipe is not simply curved in one plain but in two, i.e. it has to curve both down and round the boiler.

Mendip Steam Restorations have agreed to take on this job which will mean removing the old fittings for reuse and making the pipe in two sections. The sections will then be welded together in situ to be sure that they fit correctly. It would be difficult to do a drawing for this!

By making the two ends separately, the complexity of the curves can be reduced to a practical level.

In the meantime, I'll be fitting the exhaust pipes from the engines to the chimneys - which means the chimney repairs need doing urgently!