THE ROSTER
LOCOMOTIVES IN FOCUS
VoR No. 7 (Owain Glyndw^ r): With the new inner firebox (supplied by Hatch Heritage & Steam Engineers of Swindon) fitted to the Vale of Rheidol 2‑6‑2T, the next stage during May was the riveting of the foundation ring. W24: Calbourne is not expected to enter service on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway this year. Winter maintenance on the ‘O2’ 0‑4‑4T included fitting a new regulator head and re‑metalling of the eccentrics, but additional work is now to be undertaken on the motion. 3672: A limited edition print has been commissioned to raise funds for WD 2‑10‑0 ‘Dame Vera Lynn’ at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. 100 of the prints, signed by Dame Vera Lynn herself and artist John Francis ‑ plus a further 400 signed by the artist only ‑ are available at £100 each plus £5 postage and packing. To order, email dameveralynn@nymr.co.uk All proceeds go to the ‘We’ll Steam Again’ appeal for the wartime freight engine, which has raised £73,000 to date. No. 3672’s tender tank is being prepared for removal, after which quotes will be sought for the fabrication of a replacement. 4253: Following the re‑wheeling of the ex‑Barry 2‑8‑0T at the Kent & East Sussex Railway in March (SR466), other components to be refitted to the frames have included the brake hangers, vacuum brake cylinder, front sandboxes and cab footsteps, steam heating and vacuum brake pipework. 5553: Pete Waterman’s GWR ‘4575’ 2‑6‑2T has been moved into the workshop at Rowsley on Peak Rail, where it is being dismantled prior to its overhaul. 6000: An exhibition marking this year’s 90th anniversary of King George V has opened at Swindon’s STEAM Museum. It runs until December 31. 7812: With its Collett 4‑6‑0 No. 7812 due to be withdrawn from Severn Valley Railway service at the end of the year, the Erlestoke Manor Fund has most of the money in place for a two‑year contract overhaul at Tyseley ‑ and has launched a ‘Final Mile’ appeal for the remaining £35,000. All donors will receive two free tickets on No. 7812’s ‘return to steam’ special, and will be entered into a draw, in which the first prize is a 7mm scale ‘45XX’ 2‑6‑2T No. 4507 by Masterpiece Models. Second prize is a footplate experience course on No. 7802 Bradley Manor, and third prize is a voucher for a Vintage Trains excursion. A range of items are available for sponsorship, including boiler tubes at £25 each and steel firebox stays at £50 each. For details, contact EMF 7812 Final Mile, 11 Pipers Grove, Highnam,
Gloucestershire GL2 8NJ, or email erlestokemanorfund@gmail.com 30926: All of Repton’s boiler tubes are in place, and the first firebox stays are being fitted. 31027: It has been decided to replace the frame plates on the Bluebell Railway-based SECR ‘P’ 0-6-0T, with an order for the new frames to be placed shortly and delivery expected in the summer. New cylinders are also to be cast, along with a set for sister engine No. 178. 31874: A new front tubeplate has been riveted into the boiler of the ‘N’ 2-6-0 at Adam Dalgleish
Engineering, and a replacement firebox backplate is ready to fit, which in turn will also allow the insertion of new sections to the firebox side sheets. The bottom half of the ‘Woolworth’ is complete at the Swanage Railway’s Herston works. 34070 Manston: Having passed its final 14-monthly boiler examination, Southern Locomotives Ltd’s ‘Battle of Britain’ is now cleared to run at the Swanage Railway until July 2018. 35018 and 35028: Both ‘Merchant Navies’ have made their first main line trial runs following restoration and overhaul (see News). 41313: The Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-2T has steamed for the first time in preservation at the East Somerset Railway (see News). 45025: Reassembly of the front end of the oldest surviving ‘Black Five’ continues at the Strathspey Railway, with the front bufferbeam and bogie mounting stretcher riveted back into place. 45170: A generous donor has funded a new smokebox door for the Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s ‘8F’, replacing the Turkish example currently fitted. 63395: All four driving wheelsets of the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group’s ‘Q6’ 0-8-0 were removed on Grosmont wheeldrop in early May, allowing the axleboxes and the underkeep lubrication pads to be examined and the latter to be renewed where necessary. The wheels themselves were sent to the South Devon Railway on May 24 to be fitted with new tyres, which were obtained by NELPG several years ago and have been stored at Buckfastleigh since. 65894: Following major repairs at LNWR Crewe, including a new smokebox and copper firebox tubeplate, the boiler of NELPG’s ‘J27’ 0-6-0 was expected to return to Darlington Hopetown works in early June. Work on the locomotive’s frames is largely complete, and the new tank has been bolted to the tender frames. 69023: Having passed its insurance steam test on May 9,
NELPG’s ‘J72’ 0-6-0T headed to the Wensleydale Railway for the season, hauling its first trains there on May 20. Since early January, it has had its axleboxes overhauled by Ian Storey while NELPG volunteers have attended to the big end bearings, pistons, valves, cab fittings and safety valves at Darlington Hopetown works. 71000: Duke of Gloucester’s slidebars are being modified as part of its overhaul at Tyseley Locomotive Works, with a pattern maker preparing drawings for the changes to the rear cylinder covers. Trevor Tuckley, chairman of the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust, explains: “Currently the two external slidebars are fixed to the chassis by a central bracket, as per rebuilt ‘Merchant Navies’ and ‘West Countries’. We intend to secure the slidebars to the rear of the cylinders as per LNER practice, in order to reduce piston ring wear and provide a more rigid set up. During tests in BR days with the locomotive running on the Swindon rolling road, it was said that holding a pencil against the side of the slidebars scribed a circle, indicating that the slidebars were flexing up and down slightly.” Drilling of the holes in the Riddles ‘Pacific’s’ new firebox tubeplate has been completed and an order placed for the boiler tubes and bottle ends, while the boiler shell has passed its Vehicle Acceptance Body inspection. All of the roller bearings on the locomotive and tender have also been inspected and declared fit for use, and the frames painted; while design work for the electrical system, incorporating TPWS and OTM-R equipment, is in hand. The internal layout of the locomotive’s Mk 2 support coach is being reviewed in order to provide the best conditions for support crews. Membership of the trust currently stands at 319, with the target being 350 by the end of the year. To join, visit www.theduke. uk.com or write to The Duke, Folgate House, Folgate Road, North Walsham, Norfolk NR28 0AJ.