‘DUKE’ IS MOVING CLOSE TO REASSEMBLY - NEXT YEAR
Less than a year since Duke of Gloucester arrived at tyseley Locomotive Works, the overhaul of the unique BR ‘8P’ 4‑6‑2 is already approaching a turning point ‑ with the dismantling stage almost complete, and reassembly set to begin in 2017.
Moved to Tyseley from Crewe on October 12/13 2015, No. 71000 was last seen in one piece at the works’ open weekend on October 24/25 - but presented a very different appearance at this year’s event on September 16-18. With its bogie and trailing truck removed, the Riddles ‘Pacific’ is now an ’0-6-0’ and once the driving wheels have been removed for attention, says BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust Chairman Trevor Tuckley: “We’ll have virtually finished taking it apart - and then the plan is to start putting it back together in January.” Between now and January, all three of the locomotive’s cylinders need to be re-bored, and the steel bar has been ordered to make replacement cams for the Caprotti valve gear. The copper has also been obtained to produce a replacement firebox tube plate. No. 71000’s Caprotti gear proved a popular attraction at the open weekend, when the valve box was opened up and the camshaft rotated by hand to give visitors a view of how the poppet valves work. The goal is to have the locomotive back on the main line by the end of 2018, carrying the early ‘cycling lion’ crest for the first time in preservation - but, as revealed last issue, modified to read ‘The Duke’ instead of ‘British Railways’. Said Trevor: “Contrary to what we thought, everyone who has contacted us about the new logo has been very supportive - and the members are over the moon.”