To remove the boiler, we had to call on a little help from our neighbours and their heavy lifting gear. It took three separate lifts to move the boiler to where we wanted it.
The bulky boiler lifted by crane. The 'firebox' end of the boiler was the heavier end by far; you can see it tilting slightly in the picture on the left.
The boiler was placed safely on the ground, and preparations were made for the second lift. The boiler has to be positioned on its' side to allow the team access to work on it. Rolling the very heavy boiler onto its' side is a very delicate operation, as any knocks and bumps could damage the structure. As seen on the right, small baulks were positioned next to the boiler to control the movement.
The third and final lift moved the boiler from the floor to a waiting trolley. Again, you can see on the left just how much heavier the 'firebox' end of the boiler is!
We can all relax once it's safely on the trolley. Of course, it's opened up an even bigger list of jobs to do, such as removing the ash pan / lower firebox, and the injectors.
Here's the first clear view we had of what was waiting for us under the boiler:
Watch the boiler lift from start to finish on our photo album.
Here's the first clear view we had of what was waiting for us under the boiler:
