Draw-bar Recovery (1)

Sentinel 7109's cab is cramped at the best of times. When the regulator assembly is eventually mounted on the rear of the boiler, cramped will be an understatement particularly when trying to get from one side of the cab to the other. Adding to the obstacle course is an odd shaped bulge by the floor below where the regulator will be.

Bulge - can be a battle when crossing!

If you click the image, you'll see that it has suffered many footfalls in time and is badly rusted near the foot plate floor. A stronger replacement cover plate will be made in due course.

So what is it that is so important to be given pride of place where you really don't want it?

It houses the rubber cushioning for the rear coupling's draw-bar.

Draw-bar cushioning

And in more detail:

After a good clean-out

When the cover was first taken off, there was an inch or so depth of general rusty scale and carp-related material which had to be removed. The cause of this was clearly due to water running down the outside of the cab rear on to the top of the buffer beam and in through a convenient slot left for the purpose.

Water ingress slot

Quite why this slot is there is unclear unless the cover plate was originally hooked through the slot from the inside as its top fixing? Even though not used in that way, it's not a very clever idea as water had seeped in over the years causing the rusty scale etc.

Slot from the inside

The slot will be blocked with a weather-proof sealant before finally making and fitting a new cover plate. In the meantime, it's had a good coat of red oxide primer ready for a black top-coat to keep the rust at bay.

Somewhat smarter than before!

Coming soon: making the new cover plate when, this time, I don't forget the camera when rolling its curved shape and bending its flanges!