Thursday 24 November 2011

A riveting time


Hammering a red-hot rivet in
Much earlier this year, I managed to miss one of the slate wagons being riveted as I was doing trackwork.

Today I was more fortunate and managed to witness the spectacle of red-hot glowing rivets being hammered about.

Two slate wagons have already been restored and have run on the two-foot line as a demonstration train this year, this will be the third wagon.


Firstly the rivet is heated with an oxyacetylene torch


When glowing red and at the "point of sparkle" (around 1,000°C), it is ready to be picked up with tongs


It's then hammered into the pre-drilled hole


A dolly is then placed over the rivet head and held in place by a very heavy bar whilst the other end is hammered over



Inside showing the end that's hammered over

Outside showing cooled rivet head

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