FRAME PLATES NOW CUT FOR RE-CREATION OF IRISH ‘MOGUL’
Cylinder pattern to be made and drawings discovered as RPSI project gathers pace.
Plans by the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland for an LMS (NCC) 2-6-0 rebuild (SR462) have taken a significant step with the cutting of a set of frame plates.
Although the RPSI is not officially confirming anything, it is understood that the frames have been cut by TATA Steel in Britain, and that a cylinder pattern will be made from wood, meaning that it could be used again in the future for the RPSI’s ‘WT’ 2-6-4T No. 4.
The frames are believed to have been shipped to Northern Ireland for drilling and machining, and this process was due to be completed during August.
The RPSI board is understood to have approved in principle the reconstitution of an LMS (NCC) ‘Mogul’, which is preferred to a second ‘WT’ tank because it offers something new.
None of the Class ‘W’ 2-6-0s survived the end of steam and the last example, No. 97 Earl of Ulster, was scrapped in 1967.
Peter Scott of the RPSI locomotive department said the project primarily involved the rebuilding of an LMS ‘G8AS’ boiler to serve either as a spare for No. 4 or for a possible NCC ‘Mogul’.
He said: “Copper plate for this project was acquired some years ago and work has concentrated on renewing the firebox. It is progressing as time permits.
“The boiler project has been partly funded by the RPSI and partly by private sources.”
Mr Scott said opinion was swinging behind the ‘Mogul’ as being more attractive than a second ‘Jeep’.
He added: “The two types have their obvious strong and weak points. For example, the ‘Jeep’ is less dependent upon turntables, but the ‘Mogul’ has greater coal and water capacity and is a much simpler and more basic locomotive.
“Both classes used the same basic boiler, cylinders and motion, and performance was similar.”
He added the RPSI was in the fortunate position of being in possession of about a quarter of the value of the locomotive in existing parts, something which made the project more viable than, for instance, a new GNR(I) ‘VS’ 4-4-0 or a Great Southern Railway ‘400’ class 4-6-0.
He went on: “Substantial preparatory work is currently under way, mainly pattern equipment for items like the cylinders and motion brackets.
“Advantage was also taken of the opportunity to order a set of tyres along with those recently acquired from South Africa for No. 4.
“To date this work is being privately funded, but for meaningful progress to be made, a funding appeal will clearly be necessary, and would logically follow the current appeal for completion of the overhaul of GNR(I) ‘S’ class No. 171.” (SR493)
A bonus has been the discovery of original drawings for the Class ‘W’, some of which Mr Scott said had been located already in the society’s possession, with the rest coming from other sources.
He said: “Thanks go to everyone who has helped, including the donation of several vital parts ranging from a chimney [SR477] and part of the valve gear to a brass plate indicating the direction of the reverser.”