focomat 1c wrote:
I guess the obvious question is ' why have you stripped it apart ? '
The first photo does not really show some of the issues I want to address. The boiler, smoke stack, and canopy are indeed in very good condition for its age, apart from the chimney which has come loose from the front smoke box. This is best glued back on, but first requires the smoke box to be removed by extracting the relevant rivets.
Secondly as can be seen in the photos below, the firebox is very corroded. The corrosion has started to swell around the drain plug and canopy rear support bracket. These support brackets are difficult to come by apparently, and so I feel it could do with being rescued now before it deteriorates any further. Again this requires the removal of the firebox rivets, and wheels.
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Once the firebox is apart I feel that it needs the rust removing, and then re enamelled. The chromed/tinned panel of the firebox is open to later review. I could leave as is, get it re chromed, or simply enamel it, depending on what I find once dismantled. The rear scuttle box is also very corroded, and much of the paint flaking off. Again I feel this needs to have the rust removed, leaving little option but to re enamel it.
The burner flame had become uncontrollable and would flare up through the whole firebox, presumably because the cotton wadding had deteriorated. I am going to replace that, along with all the fibre seals which were failing.
Despite this being my only remaining childhood toy, I have no particular emotional attachment to it. Without dismantling it, I suspect I would simply put it back up in the attic, where it will languish again.