COUNTDOWN STARTS TO COUNTY OF GLAMORGAN’S BOILER BUILD
The Great Western Society is all set to begin constructing the boiler for its replica ‘County’ No. 1014 County of Glamorgan, with insurance approval received for the design of the all-new barrel. This milestone allows the GWS to place the order in the coming weeks for the rolling of the tapered barrel, which is to be produced by West Midlands firm Barnshaws with an estimated delivery date two to three months hence. An entirely new barrel is needed because, although the firebox from the donor locomotive - ‘Barry Ten’ Stanier ‘8F’ 2-8-0 No. 48518 - is almost identical to that of the Swindon No. 15 boiler, the LMS locomotives had a barrel consisting of one tapered and one parallel section, while the Hawksworth 4-6-0s had a fully-tapered design. Meanwhile, re-staying of No. 48518’s firebox is nearing completion at Crewe, while the smokebox and its distinctive door (the latter sponsored by Steam Railway) are to be produced over the winter - allowing the assembly of the boiler to take place during 2017. “And if anybody would like to donate £7,500,” quipped GWS Chairman Richard Croucher, “then we’ll get the front tubeplate done as well.” This is one of several components available for sponsorship, as detailed in SR458 (page 47). As No. 1014’s boiler takes shape, so too has the rest of the locomotive in recent months, with both the engine and tender frames wheeled and the ‘rolling chassis’ displayed at Didcot in August. The next target is to complete the base plate for the tender, allowing construction of the tank itself to begin.