Before any permanent fixing is done the foreman of the shop has to go over and test the whole of the work, taking measurements longitudinally, transversely, and diagonally to see that frames, cylinders and cross stays are perfectly square and that all dimensions are correct in accordance with the drawings.
If everything be found in order, all the holes are broached or reamered out to finished sizes, so that where the cylinders or stays are to be united to the frames all the holes in both parts coincide exactly. All bolts and cold rivets connecting these parts to the frames are turned and made a tight driving fit in the holes. The cylinders are bolted to the frames since they may have to be removed for repairs at some future period, and the same applies to the hornblocks, but the motion plate is cold-riveted. The plate g is usually hot-riveted. Various brackets may now be fastened in position, amongst which are angle brackets placed outside the frames at right angles to them. Long angle irons are riveted to the top of the frames. These angle irons and brackets carry the plates which form the platforms along each side of the engine. Occasionally these platforms are placed above the level of the tops of the wheels, but it is more usual for them to be below this level, in which case there are rectangular holes made in them through which pass the upper portions of the wheels. These holes are covered with segmental casings, known as “splashers,” which cover in
