Entire Moors steam fleet now either operational or under overhaul

WITH several locomotives freshly returned to traffic and several more advancing through the overhaul process, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s shed staff at Grosmont are not resting on their laurels. Two further locomotives are now being prepared for overhauls to commence in earnest.

Work has recently picked up again on Lambton No. 5, with the boiler, tanks, cab and bunker all prepared for lifting, so that the 0-6-2T can be inspected in more detail.

It is known that a great deal of work will be required on the cylinder block valve faces, which may be better dealt with by casting and fitting a new cylinder block. Should this prove to be the case, the pattern used to cast a new block for fellow Lambton tank No. 29 was designed so it could be modified to produce the correct design to suit No. 5.

Following the recent sale of ‘Black Five’ No. 44806 to NYMR supporter Peter Best, as exclusively reported in our issue before last, dismantling work has started on that engine too, with the first of the boiler cladding removed. It is thought that extensive boiler work will be needed but that the bottom half of the 4-6-0 requires relatively little attention.

The NYMR is now in the possibly unique position – given the size of its locomotive fleet – of having all of its fleet of steam locomotives either in steam or under overhaul and none in a queue awaiting attention.

However, the diesel overhaul queue consists of just one locomotive, Class 24 No. D5061. Class 25 D7628 continues to be the mainstay of NYMR services, supported by Class 37 No. 37264, while Class 24 D5032 continues to undergo a major overhaul. For the last two seasons, the active diesels have been supplemented by hiredin Class 26 No. 26038, which has returned to its home on the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway.