New year, new thread... January, March 2016 (no February)

[craig@STW]

OK, lets have a look at whats been in production since our return after the christmas break...

the 6inch foden cylinder accessory kit is almost done with things like the steam chest covers being done before the break. all we have to do now is the trunk guides. these will be starting on their last opp on Monday...







the other main kit this month is the 6inch rear bed...









we have also had a few 6inch front wheels on the machine for drilling...



we are also making good progress on the 4inch rear Axel kit...



and the 4inch roof kit is mainly bought in wood but we have been working on the brackets and support struts...



the next batch of "open ended" DCC cylinder blocks have been started...



other stuff on the machines include 4inch eccentrics...



and two inch eccentrics straps...



also a rare photo of our SCC control model...

[hippy dave]

Any idea with delivery of 6 inch foden rear bed kit, cheers

[craig@STW]

not sure as lots of manual work to do. im guessing that the plan is to get it out this month simply on a cash flow basis, but thats only my best guess.

[hartshaulage]

ooo shiny eccentrics for the 4.5 foden, im really hoping that this will be the year to steam

[hartshaulage]

Any news on February production what your hoping to get done

Russ

[Heavyhaul]

Morning Craig,

What's happened to production update photo's not seen any for a couple of weeks ?. I take it the new machine is working well, and we shall be getting two kits at the end of February as stated in the letter from Dean & Steve.

Keep up the good work.

Regards
Steve Honey. (Heavyhaul)

[Pitpup]

Hi Craig...any update on the availability of the reworked 2" Burrell Kit 10. ?

[Mark the spark]

Hi Craig
any new updates on kits this month?
thanks

[Mark the spark]

Hi Craig
any chance we can get some updates

[Pitpup]

Updates please.....we love them 😊

[Mark the spark]

Please Please Please can we have some updates on kits
thanks mark

[hartshaulage]

I don't think there on here much these days, i think there more concentrating on getting kits ready than the forum

Russ

[Mike King]

Maybe just the updates without the pictures would begood.
Mike

[Steam Traction World]

Hi all,

I have asked Craig to add some more updates on as soon as he can.

Please bear in mind that he does spend all day manufacturing parts and does tend to do the updates during his own time on an evening or on a weekend (he does have a family also). I have given him a bit of free time to do updates during his normal working day, as i do feel they are important but as with everyone at STW he is conscious of the knock on effect of missing kit deadlines while not doing his normal job of machining the parts (kits not going out, customers disgruntled, cashflow etc).

He also occasionally forgets to take photo's when he is concentrating with his head stuck inside a machine and needs reminding. (although it's harder to take photo's easily when i've just banned phones from the factory floor!)

Something will hopefully appear shortly.

Dean

[lynnr]

Hi Dean

Do you need a PR person and generally good egg.

[Steam Traction World]

Hi Lynn,

It feels like we always need someone in some capacity as regardless how many people we have there isn't enough hours in the day. Thanks for the offer however by the time some one collates the information for a good egg like you to do something with and then sends it, they may have well posted it in the first place. The only other option is to take some one on and we aren't in the position currently to employ another non production based person as not making parts doesn't pay the bills.

Dean

[sonick45]

I think no news is good news in this instance.
If Craig is too busy making parts rather than taking photos and typing updates this can only be a good thing.

I do however think this part of the forum has grown into something very important to customers and their journey to finally completing an engine.
I suspect a number of customers have no engineering or steam preservation experience and thus seeing photos of parts and knowing one is going to be coming there way soon keeps the flame alive while occasionally lead times get drawn out.

Like Lynn I would be more than happy to help out if I can. Although as you mention its counter productive unless you're there taking the photos and posting them.

Maybe an idea would be, at the end of 1 or 2 week intervals a production update that is simplified could be posted. So there are no gaps of nothing.

An STW employee could jump on the interweb and post in a standardised format progress made, however small so customers know how things are going. Doesn't have to include photos but now and again, yes.
Its all about transparency in a world where we do everything at a million miles an hour and expect you to be working around the clock to deliver.

In reality Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are traction engines.... ;-)

[Capricorn1]

It boils down to a question of priorities with a limited number of staff available.
For those outside the trade a series of photos placed in a gallery showing the progress of items such as a boiler, cylinder block, crankshaft etc going through the manufacturing / machining process would be interesting, however there are a limited number of times we need to see a pallet of wheel rims, raw castings etc.
How about a one liner informing us of which kit is in production for which model, the planned dispatch date and the next kit in the queue.

The Traction Talk forum is a good source of entertainment / inspiration / enlightenment.

[craig@STW]

I'M HERE

all i can say is, im sorry about the lack of updates. yes im busy, yes i post in my own time and yes i do have a family, but in reality it only takes a few mins to post and i really don't mind doing it. truth is... i just keep forgetting. i just don't seem to be able to remember more than a few things at a time these days my head has been spinning these last two weeks after looking for, finding and buying a classic mini, a chance to get into an old hobby that i enjoy as much as you guys enjoy your engines, so i understand your frustrations when you don't get what you expect to see on here.

i will try, think i just need more pressure/reminding from dean and steve.

anyway, since the last up date Mark has more or less been flat out on the cylinder blocks for the showmans/road-loco. this has to have been the largest number we have ever done in one run...



when you think that the third operation on these takes around 1hour 40 each, you begin to see why they have taken so long. the new machine has helped...



well mark finished these yesterday and all are packed apart from these few...



and i have been working through the accessory kit to go out with the blocks. piston glands...



steam chest covers...



front covers...



slide valves...



some people may have noticed that the block is now open both ends, the section that was removed is now machined from cast iron bar instead of being cast. unfortunately i don't seem to have a photo of these (will try and get one)

something else that went out (long ago ) was the 6inch foden artic "bed". a major kit for the manual section...





and the wooden bed for the long-wheelbase version. actually an easy kit for us as most of it was sub-contracted wood...





im also in the middle of making some crank-shaft weights for the 6inch...

.

the manual section are just starting on the 4inch foden "bed" kits...



and i have been machining some 4inch foden roof struts, i think this kit is going out on monday...



im now concentrating on the steering kits for both the Showmans and 4inch Burrell. these are very similar kits and are being made side by side. bottom steering shaft brackets...



parts for one of the bu brackets...



and chain shafts...



also managed to do some Burrell front wheels...



and as always, boilers are in constant production...



and yes, the new machine is a big help. although the old one still did the job it was becoming unreliable with constant age related brake-downs on simple things just wearing out. mainly electrical components. the new one is much faster... scary fast

[Mark the spark]

thanks for the update craig
its nice to see whats in the pipeline
got my cylinder today and very pleased with it
keep up the good work
mark

[Steve Traill]

The pic with all the DCC cylinder blocks is impressive! a lot of work there.

[craig@STW]

huge amount of work, and unfortunately not all of them were usable

[craig@STW]

OK, here is the missing photo of the new showmans/road-loco cylinder end plate. this basically replaces the missing part of the now open-ended casting, including the slide-bar mounting points...

[Tony King]

Well done Craig, so good to see "stuff" again.. Always fascinating seeing what You guys do in the factory there & as always VERY IMPRESSIVE!!
Many thanks!
Regards
Tony

[craig@STW]

ok, some parts from this week...

we are just about finished on the BU and SCC steering kits...





chain shafts...



steering shafts...



putting some missing holes in the foden 4inch rear bed sheetwork...



more work on the foden 6inch crankshaft weights...



another batch of safety valves...



6inch foden water pipes...



and we are now starting work on the next BU2 kit, 2nd shaft flanges after turning...



and after finishing the DCC cylinder blocks, Mark is machining a mixed batch of boilers ready for the boiler inspector...

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