TWO STANDARDS ARE MAKING STEAM AGAIN
Two BR Standards have fires in their bellies again after decades out of action – and will return in new liveries.
‘2MT’ 2-6-0 No. 78022 was lit up in Haworth yard on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway on August 21, in preparation for its official insurance examination the following day. With this test successfully passed, the locomotive made its first short runs in Haworth loop that afternoon – its first moves under its own steam since December 31 2000, when its previous boiler certificate expired.
It was hoped that it could enter traffic in early September, to be run-in on light mid-week trains, following final painting in BR lined green – the first time an example of the class has been so adorned in preservation.
The former London Midland and Eastern Region machine never carried green in service, but the Group’ have applied a fresh coat of GWR green to the ‘4575’ 2-6-2T at Didcot to improve its appearance. A similar cosmetic restoration has also been carried out on unique surviving ‘61XX’ 2-6-2T No. 6106. 6023: King Edward II stepped in for additional running days at the Dartmouth Steam Railway during August, following a motion failure on resident No. 7827 Lydham Manor. One of the ‘Manor’s’ top slidebar bolts sheared off and fouled the crosshead, bending it and breaking off the end of the motion bracket. Repairs are being made with the aim of returning it to service by the summer’s end. 7828: Boiler crinolines, lubrication pipework and the lagging and cladding for the firebox backhead have been refitted to Odney Manor’s boiler since it returned to the West Somerset Railway livery is authentic for the class, having been applied to many Western Region examples during overhauls at Swindon Works. The overhaul has been carried out by the KWVR with support from its owning group, the Standard 4 Locomotive Preservation Society (also owners of ‘4MT’ 4-6-0
No. 75078), who carried out its first restoration from Barry condition. Society Secretary Roger France said: “The locomotive did just short of 20,000 miles in its last eight-year stint – October 1992 to December 2000 – but we are hoping it will be even better this time around.” Unlike No. 78022, the Severn Valley Railway’s ‘4MT’ No. 75069 has not steamed in the 21st century, having been withdrawn in 1994 – but the day before the ‘2MT’ was lit up at Haworth, the first fire was ignited on the Class 4’s grate at Bridgnorth in preparation for an out-of-frames steam test. following overhaul at Riley & Son (E) Ltd (SR483). It will not be ready for service in time for the WSR’s Autumn Steam Gala of September 27-30, but may be on display. 30587: The National Collection Beattie well tank (based at the Bodmin & Wenford Railway) is to visit the Avon Valley Railway for its end-of-season gala on November 10/11. The LSWR 2-4-0WT and the other guest – LBSCR ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T No. 32678 from the Kent & East Sussex Railway – have been chosen as suitably period machines to mark that weekend’s centenary of the end of the First World War. 928: Repairs to the inner firebox of Bluebell-based ‘Schools’ 4-4-0 Stowe are complete and the final axlebox has been machined for the bottom half.
34059: Sir Archibald Sinclair’s boiler was delivered to the Bluebell This test was successfully passed on August 30, after which the boiler would receive its cladding and be reunited with the frames for piping-up. A new chimney is also to be fitted. Also in contrast to the ‘2MT’, No. 75069 ran its last stint of preservation service in green, which it never wore in BR days – but will carry authentic lined black when it re-enters service. Railway on August 9, having received a replacement firebox at South Devon Railway Engineering. It will now be re-stayed, and the tubes and superheater flues refitted, with a view to returning the rebuilt ‘Battle of Britain’ to steam within one to two years.
4 516 3 : Loud bangs echoed round the 45163 Ltd restoration shed at the Colne Valley Railway on August 18, as the top section of the ex-Barry ‘Black Five’s’ wasted rear dragbox was removed for replacement.
Kent & East Sussex Railway engineer Lawrence Donaldson, who will be welding in the new sections, said: “After I’d cut it and we were wondering how to get it out, I said: ‘Bring me your biggest hammer!’
“We think we’ve uncovered all of No. 45163’s unholiness now,”
he added, referring to the fact that once this job is done, repairs to the ‘5MT’s’ frames will be complete and thoughts can turn towards re-wheeling.
The £34,000 appeal to buy a new set of valves and pistons for the Kent & East Sussex Railway engineer Lawrence Donaldson with the removed section of the rear dragbox from ‘Black Five’ No. 45163 at the Colne Valley Railway on August 18. locomotive has passed the halfway mark with £20,000 raised, and the parts are being produced at Riley & Son (E) Ltd, where the expansion links and die blocks have also been re-ground. Cheques payable to 45163 Ltd can be sent to 4 Whitlock Drive, Great Yeldham, Halstead, Essex CO9 4EE, and shares in the locomotive are available (see www.45163.co.uk).
Cylinder cladding is being fitted to the ex-Barry ‘5MT’, along with the drain cock operating rods, while the rear valve covers and snifting valves are in place and the slidebars are being machined. A new casting for the blastpipe base has also been delivered. 45170: With the overhaul of Caledonian Railway 0-4-4T
No. 419 nearing completion
(see News in Pics), the Scottish Railway Preservation Society has dismantled the tender of its ex-Turkish State Railways ‘8F’ 2-8-0 for restoration, and a new smokebox is being made for the engine by Locomotive Maintenance Services of Loughborough, in a joint order with Greg Wilson’s ex-Barry No. 48173 at the Churnet Valley Railway. More information about the project can be found at www. srpssteam.com/8f-45170/8f-appeal 45293: A pair of forgings for the leading coupling rods have been ordered for the other ex-Barry ‘Black Five’ at the Colne Valley Railway, owned by the British Enginemen Steam Preservation Society. Funds are being raised for their machining, as well as sending the cylinders away for overhaul; donations can be sent to Treasurer Ron Mills, 261 Pettits Lane, North Romford, Essex RM1 4NX. Another part delivered for the motion recently was a union link – although this, and a drop link obtained from an ‘8F’, have subsequently been exchanged for the original parts from No. 45293.
Following the refitting of the bufferbeam (SR477) a set of LMS-pattern buffers from a Class 08 diesel shunter have been fitted – the first time the engine has had them since the 1970s, when its originals were removed in Dai Woodham’s yard.
45305: A replacement patch has been welded into the outer firebox wrapper of the ‘Black Five’ at the Great Central Railway. It is hoped to have the Stanier 4-6-0 back in steam for the GCR’s Autumn Steam Gala of October 4-7, working alongside visiting ‘West Country’ No. 34092 City of Wells, Thompson ‘B1’ No. 1264 and resident Hawksworth ‘Modified Hall’
No. 6990 Witherslack Hall
(plus other residents) in a 1948 Locomotive Exchanges-themed event (SR482). 46428: The driving wheels of the ex-Barry Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2-6-0 have returned to the East Lancashire Railway after having their tyres turned at the South Devon Railway. A new smokebox door has also been delivered.
48305: The overhauled boiler of Roger Hibbert’s ‘8F’ was lifted back into the engine’s frames at the Great Central Railway in midAugust, following its steam test on June 19 (SR482).
73082: BR ‘5MT’ 4-6-0 Camelot has returned to service at the Bluebell Railway after four months out of action for cylinder repairs (SR480/483), its first train being the 11.10am from Sheffield Park on August 19. It is booked to make its first visit to another preserved line at the West Somerset Railway’s Autumn Steam Gala on September 27-30 (see News).
80097: Since the boiler was lifted back into the frames of the ex-Barry ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T at the East Lancashire Railway on June 5 (SR481), its cab roof, rocking grate mechanism, damper controls, injectors and their pipework, clack valves and the superheater header and elements have been fitted, along with lagging of pipework. The steam pressure gauges, injector controls, steam brake and blower pipework are all fitted, with the regulator, blowdown valve, steam-heating and vacuum brake gear, cab windows, floor and seats to follow.
80151: With 99% of the stays fitted to the boiler of the Bluebellbased ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T, attention has now turned to fabrication of a new ashpan. The next stage will be to replace a number of crown stays before installing the smoke tubes and superheater flues, which have been delivered to Sheffield Park.