With Wheel Centres and Cranks fitted to new, extended axles, the wheelsets for NG/G16 129 have returned from Ballarat to Puffing Billy. The cranks have still to be keyed to the axles, before they are sent out for quartering. This is done by machining the crank pin holes until they are at 90° to each other, about the centre line of the axle.
Once the quartering is complete, the tyres will be machined and shrunk onto the wheels, and crank pins shrink fitted to the cranks. A special jig has been designed and fabricated, allowing the crank pins on the driving axle to be fitted in the correct orientation. This will ensure that when fitted, the Return Cranks for the Walschaerts Valvegear will be in the right position.
The Pony Truck wheelsets are following, as soon as the new wheel centre casting has been machined to replace the faulty one.
