At eleven minutes after the word was given to commence, the first rivet was driven into the frames; nine minutes later, the foot-plate casting was fixed, and at twenty-six minutes after the start the motion plate was placed in position. The cylinders came next, and occupied another fifty minutes for their insertion in the requisite place.
At twelve o'clock, when the men left off work for their dinner, they had been four hours all but eight minutes upon the task.
It will be seen in our illustration that the fundamental parts of the base of the engine are completed, while the wheels are standing on the rails at the foremost end ready for adjustment. These were inserted soon after the men resumed operations after dinner, the frame of the engine being raised by means of the jacks to a height sufficient to allow the wheels being rolled along to the necessary position. The axle boxes, connecting-rod, and coupling-rod brasses were shortly afterwards fixed.
Previous to the installation of the wheels, the boiler was brought into the shed and mounted upon the frame. It was without the smoke-box, cab, or copings, which had to be fixed subsequently. At 4.15 p.m. the men were engaged in setting the valves, which task was still incomplete when they ceased work for the day, after 8 hours 22 minutes had been expended upon the engine. The engine at this stage is represented in our illustration, being, as will be seen, almost complete.
The next morning, when work was recommenced at six o'clock, the valve setting was continued, not being completed until seven o'clock. The painters now appeared, the engineers placed the finishing touches, and at ten minutes past nine, 9 hours 47 minutes from the start, the engine was complete.
THE GREAT EASTERN RAILWAY BEAT THE WORLD'S RECORD BY PUTTING THIS ENGINE AND TENDER TOGETHER IN 9 HOURS 47 MINUTES.
While this hive of workmen were engaged upon the engine, another army of workers were just as busily engaged upon the erection of the tender.
The men worked away with a will, and in four hours they had the tender half completed, and succeeded in finishing their entire task three-quarters of an hour before their fellow workmen engaged on the engine. Fifty-two men were engaged upon the erection of the tender, comprising sixteen fitters, the same number of boiler-makers, and twenty labourers, riveters, etc.
As soon as the engine was finished it was connected with the tender and taken out of the shops to be photographed. Meanwhile, steam had been supplied, and later in the same day the trial trip was performed. This being satisfactory in every particular, the engine was immediately placed upon the regular goods service running between Peterborough and London.