‘Patriot’ boiler contract awarded
West shed at Butterley is home to preservation’s newest player in the boiler making business.
A new boiler firm is to emerge at the Midland Railway – Butterley, with its first contract being to complete the boiler for ‘Patriot’ No. 5551 The Unknown Warrior. Heritage Boiler Steam Services (HBSS) has been set up by Robert Adamson and Andrew Wilcock, who are renting part of the Princess Royal Class Locomotive Trust’s West Shed at Swanwick Junction. Both are former chargehand boilersmiths at LNWR Heritage of Crewe, Mr Adamson having started there as an apprentice, while Mr Wilcock served his apprenticeship with Ian Riley. LNWRH was building the ‘Patriot’s’ boiler – but announced in May that it was ending all outside contract work, owing to a shortage of boilersmiths (SR468). With assembly of the Fowler ‘5XP’s’ inner firebox completed at Crewe, both it and the boiler barrels were expected to move to Swanwick in late November for work to recommence in December. With an estimated timescale of 14-16 months, completion is now anticipated in early 2019, with the locomotive hopefully steaming for the first time later that year. Although several contractors were explored, LMS-Patriot Project Chairman David Bradshaw said: “The most obvious were too busy, some were too expensive and some couldn’t deliver in an acceptable timescale. We believe we have a good deal from guys who are fully committed.” Also due to move from Crewe to Swanwick, initially for storage, is the firebox for the Great Western Society’s replica ‘County’ No. 1014 County of Glamorgan (originally from ex-Barry ‘8F’ No. 48518) although formal agreement has not yet been reached for HBSS to assemble this engine’s boiler. While the ‘Patriot’s’ boiler will be the initial priority, HBSS will also carry out boiler work on the PRCLT’s two BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4Ts, Nos. 80080 and 80098, and will seek further boiler contracts. The firm will also be able to undertake other engineering work, such as building tender tanks or fabricating dragboxes, added Mr Wilcock. “With Crewe ceasing contract work, we saw a gap in the market, so we’ve done this with our own financial backing,” he said. “We will look to take on more staff as work comes in. “We’ve already worked on the ‘Patriot’ boiler and are up to date on where the job is. We are honoured to have been given this opportunity and are very grateful to the group for giving our new company such a prestigious job.” The £250,000 ‘Raising the Pressure’ appeal to pay for the completion of the ‘Patriot’s’ boiler has passed the halfway mark, with over £125,000 raised since its launch in August (SR471). The Royal British Legion has withdrawn its endorsement for the ‘Patriot’, designated the ‘National Memorial Engine’. See page 8.