The construction of Samson’s cylinder block and valve chest owes quite a lot to experience from work on No.18 and also the book ‘Traction Engines Worth Modelling’ as well as the photograph and two engravings of course.  After Dave’s experience hand finishing the valve faces on No.18, in their inaccessible location (certainly for machining), the decision to create a lamination of components on Samson has proved to be well based.

Below: The three main components of the chest – from left to right we have the port face (which fits over machined steam passages on the cylinder bloc), we then have the valve chest in the middle complete with valve rod and glands and finally the valve chest cover on the right.

Below: The valve chest assembled on to the port face.  The slide valve itself remains to be made.

Below: The three layers sandwiched together.  We will probably fit a brass ‘builder’s plate into the cavity on the cover plate, though haven’t yet decided what this should say!