‘Gresley’ Gets its boiler back

Sir Nigel Gresley’s overhaul took two major steps towards completion in November, when the ‘A4’s’ boiler was returned to the re‑wheeled frames at York.

The boiler arrived back at the Gresley ‘Pacific’s’ overhaul base of the National Railway Museum, and was craned back onto the locomotive’s frames, on November 7. It had undergone a contract overhaul at the Llangollen Railway, and passed its out‑of‑ frames steam test in October.

In the week preceding the boiler’s return, No. 60007’s centre driving wheelset was refitted. Its frames had previously been sitting on the front bogie, leading and trailing coupled wheels, and Cartazzi truck.

In order to get the frames into position for the refitting of the boiler, a major shunting exercise had taken place the previous day, which had involved repositioning several of the NRM’s locomotives to clear the way for No. 60007 to be moved outside into the North Yard.

Among them was GNR Stirling

‘Single’ No. 1, which made a rare outdoor appearance – but under cover of darkness, the operation taking place after the museum’s opening hours.

An adjustment had to be made to No. 60007’s ashpan, as one of the foundation ring pads was fouling it; the boiler was therefore lifted again, packed and the ashpan ground back, before the boiler was lowered again and the smokebox bolted to the saddle. Everbuild of Leeds donated the high temperature sealant used between the smokebox and saddle.

Trevor Camp of the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Trust said: “Despite two very long days for the team of volunteers, the result was a significant step forward.”

The locomotive last steamed at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on September 20 2015, and the boiler was lifted from the frames on March 24 the following year.

As detailed in SR489, the ‘A4’ is to operate with Saphos Trains during its next main line stint, under a partnership agreement between the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive

Trust and Jeremy Hosking’s Locomotive Services Ltd.