The Sapphire Project

In our workshop among general work we have a “minimal gauge” steam locomotive underway. Half owned by one of our staff members, Ryan Lamb, Sapphire is inspired by a combination of River Irt and Northern Rock, two of the locomotives on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. The wheelsets were completed in the first half of 2016, the boiler currently on order. The cylinders have been bored and are now being profiled. When finished it will arguably be the latest and biggest 9 ½” gauge steam locomotive ever built. Dimensions are as follow:

Cylinder Bore: 100mm

Wheel Arrangement: 2-8-2 Tender

Design Weight: 1&1/2 tonnes

Working Pressure: 150psi

Length: 8 foot

Width: 32 inches

Height: 52/54 inches

Boiler Diameter: 14 inches

The Sapphire Project: A New Build

*PROGRESS UPDATES*

13th January 2016

The leading and trailing truck wheelsets are are now together after being shrunk onto their respective axles. They have then been profiled in the lathe.

21st January 2016

The top hat bushes are in the process of being turned down for the driving wheels to be shrunk on.

26th May 2016

After a long pause to carry out other maintenace on the railway, attentions have once again turned to continuing the build of Sapphire. In recent weeks, the driving wheels have been shrunk onto the top hat bushes and subsequently have gone into our new lathe to be profiled.