THE ROSTER
LoCoMotIves IN foCus
Dunrobin: South Devon Railway Engineering is constructing replacement driving wheelsets for the former Duke of Sutherland’s 0‑4‑4T, which is undergoing a contract overhaul at the Severn Valley Railway for use at Beamish.
1369: The overhaul of the unique ex‑Weymouth and Wadebridge ‘1366’ 0‑6‑0PT is nearing completion at the South Devon Railway, with the bottom half finished and new pannier tanks produced. Its boiler has had a new three‑quarter section welded into place on the firebox backhead, while the firebox foundation ring is being riveted into place and the stays fitted.
However, the boiler overhaul suffered a setback when a new set of tubes were delivered but found to have been stamped with a material batch number, rendering them fit only for scrap. A replacement set has been obtained with some difficulty, as GWR tubes are an odd size.
Explained South Devon Railway Trust director Richard Elliott: “The depth of the stamping was such that it represented a fair percentage of the permitted wastage on tubes, so they were half worn‑out before we started, and could have failed or started to leak early. The issue has been taken further by higher authority.”
It had originally been hoped to finish the engine in 2018, but Mr Elliott said: “We’re now aiming for February half‑term week – we have lots of other routine stuff to deal with, as well as the rest of the running fleet!”
4150: The boiler of the ex‑Barry ‘5101’ 2‑6‑2T entered the workshops at Bridgnorth on October 30, with work commencing immediately to remove its old stays and make new injector delivery pipes. The overhaul of the boiler is the biggest remaining task in the 40‑year restoration of the ‘Large Prairie’, which arrived at the Severn Valley Railway (from the Dean Forest Railway) in 1978 and is the last ex‑Barry engine still to steam on the SVR. Its owning group, the 4150 Fund, is putting the finishing touches to the engine’s bottom half at Bewdley, including fitting the cylinder cladding, drain cocks, and cab controls.
4920: Although removed from its isolated siding and placed under cover at the South Devon Railway in April, Dumbleton Hall does not yet have a place in the overhaul queue at Buckfastleigh. However, one small step has been taken towards returning it to steam – the pressing of a replacement firebox backhead, in conjunction with two more, for Hagley Hall (see below) and ‘28XX’ 2‑8‑0 No. 2807 (which is in traffic at the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway, but reaches the end of its current ‘ten‑year’ boiler certificate in 2020).
Richard Elliott, chairman of the Dumbleton Hall Preservation Society and a director of the South Devon Railway Trust, said: “The DHPS is obviously keen to see it run as soon as possible, but we accept that the SDR has more pressing priorities. However, the DHPS is looking at ways of raising money to move the job on in the background.”
4930: In a carefully planned logistical exercise that was dryly described as “widespread geographical reorganisation in its overhaul”, Hagley Hall’s driving and bogie wheelsets were transported back from the South Devon Railway (where their tyres have been re‑profiled) to the Severn Valley Railway on October 30. The lorry was also carrying a newly pressed firebox backplate and throatplate for the Collett 4‑6‑0’s boiler.
On arrival at Bridgnorth, the wheels were unloaded. Their place on the vehicle was taken by four newly cast cylinders – two for Hagley Hall and two for Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd’s ‘2884’ 2‑8‑0 No. 3850 – which were on their way to a West Midlands engineering firm for machining.
On the final leg of the journey, the boiler platework was delivered to Northern Steam Engineering at Stockton, which is overhauling No. 4930’s boiler.
Donations to the project can be made by texting ‘HALL29’ and £amount to 70070. Funds are being raised by the Friends of Locomotive 4930 Hagley Hall, whose website is at www.4930hagleyhall.org.uk
5539: Hugh Shipton’s GWR ‘4575’ 2‑6‑2T should have a complete ‘rolling chassis’ by the end of 2019, says John Buxton, managing director of the Barry Tourist Railway.
The ‘Small Prairie’, formerly one of the ‘Barry Ten’ collection and previously based at Llangollen, is being restored in the BTR’s ‘Barry New Works’ – which is working on the locomotive five days a week.
Since its frames were placed back on the driving wheels last June (SR469), No. 5539’s pony trucks have been refitted, along with most of the brake gear, and the valve gear will follow to complete the bottom half; the boiler remains at Llangollen for overhaul. Said Mr Buxton: “We’ve got all the bits for it,
with the help of the Llangollen and Dean Forest railways.”
6686: The wheelsets have been removed from the GWR ‘56XX’ 0‑6‑2T at the Barry Tourist Railway, and the frames are being needle‑gunned and painted. A quote for tyre turning has been obtained from South Devon Railway Engineering.
6990: Great Central Railway‑ based Witherslack Hall is visiting the Severn Valley Railway to bolster the steam fleet for the Santa Specials. The ‘Modified Hall’ was due to arrive in late November and stay until early January.
7828: Odney Manor is expected to return to traffic on the West Somerset Railway in December, in the guise of ‘Norton Manor, 40 Commando’, reprising the identity it carried in 2011 in honour of HM Royal Marines 40 Commando, who are based at the nearby Norton Manor camp.
W8: ‘Terrier’ Freshwater was steamed for the last time at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway on October 31, to test a new set of injector cones that had been manufactured from solid bar in Havenstreet workshop. It will remain on public display in ‘Train Story’ during December and still appear externally complete, says Locomotive Foreman Andrew Summers, but work will have started to strip out the boiler tubes, smokebox and cab fittings for its forthcoming overhaul.
825: The boiler of the Essex Locomotive Society’s ‘S15’ passed its out‑of‑frames steam test at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s Grosmont works on November 2.
34039: With the completion of the replacement fireboxes for ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair (Bluebell Railway) and ‘West Country’ No. 34101 Hartland (North Yorkshire Moors Railway) the boiler of Great Central Railway‑ based No. 34039 Boscastle has reached the head of the Bulleid boiler queue at South Devon Railway Engineering. Its firebox backhead has been cut away in order to remove the inner firebox. 45379: The Mid‑Hants Railway’s out‑of‑ticket ‘Black Five’ is the second steam locomotive to be based at Locomotive Storage Ltd’s facility in Margate, having arrived there by road on November 1. The Stanier 4‑6‑0 joins Jeremy Hosking’s ‘A4’ No. 4464 Bittern, which arrived there from Crewe in June (SR481).
32650: barely had ‘terrier’ 0‑6‑0t ‘sutton’ been re‑wheeled at the spa Valley railway (sr486) than its tanks were also fitted, as pictured in tunbridge Wells West shed on october 28. the tanks have been “almost completely rebuilt in‑house” and the overhaul of the stroudley engine’s boiler is to commence before the end of this year.
No. 45379 will remain there indefinitely while it awaits its turn in the overhaul queue at Ropley, and is not expected to enter the works until after BR ‘5MT’ No. 73096 is recommissioned (see SR485).
71000: New sets of Caprotti inlet and exhaust cams are to be produced for Duke of Gloucester, to the original 1954 design, reversing a modification made during the last overhaul of the unique Riddles ‘Pacific’.
The three-cylinder ‘8P’ retains its original inlet cams in the centre cambox, but both outside cylinders and their camboxes were removed before the engine went to Barry scrapyard, and had to be made new in the engine’s first restoration, completed in 1986. One of the original cylinders was sectioned for the Science Museum and can now be seen at Crewe Heritage Centre; the other was scrapped.
Trevor Tuckley, chairman of the BR Class 8 Steam Locomotive Trust, explains: “When the ‘Duke’ was rebuilt in 1986 it was decided that all the camboxes would be manufactured to the original 1954 design. But during the 2004 overhaul it was decided to modify the exhaust cams to include a 15º retardation.
“The reasons for this and the results obtained are not known. It has therefore been decided to manufacture completely new inlet and exhaust cams to the original 1954/1986 profiles, taking advantage of more modern machining methods, materials and heat treatment processes.”
The ‘Duke’s’ driving axle bearings are undergoing inspection at Tyseley Locomotive Works, and the tender tank will shortly be lifted off the frames for the overhaul of the running gear to commence. The main line electronic equipment (TPWS and OTMR) has been ordered and the electrical installations on the tender are being designed, while gauging of the engine is also under way to ensure maximum route availability.
92134: The boiler of the unique surviving single-chimney ‘9F’ was lifted off the frames at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on November 6 for final work, including fitting the superheater elements, superheater header, and the ashpan. The ‘Spaceship’ is a contender to be the next ex-Barry locomotive to return to steam after ‘Modified Hall’ No. 6989 Wightwick
Hall at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre.