Barry Standard restoration passes pony truckmilestone
THE restorationofToddington Standard Locomotive Ltd’s ( TSLL) BRStandard4MT 2- 6- 0No. 76077 passed an important milestone despitethe coronavirus lockdown, with the completionand wheeling of theponytruck.
The ex- Barry scrapyard locomotive’s frames are being restored at LocomotiveMaintenance Services ( LMS) in Loughborough and, although volunteer working parties have been suspended, staff have been able to continue thanks to social distancing measures.
TSLL engineering director Andrew Meredith, who is alsoamember of the LMS team, said:“The pony truck presented a few interesting difficulties because there is historic damage consistent with a derailment. We know that the locomotivewas overhauled at Eastleigh in 1964 and we have found components on the pony truck from other class members and from an Ivatt 2- 6- 2T.
“However, not all the damage was repaired at that time, so that has nowbeen rectified. The whole assembly is as good as new and ready to fit under the locomotive.
“This is a truly exciting point inour progress and the first time the pony truck has been a complete assembly in over 30 years. It demonstrates to our supporters that there is now real momentum in this project to see the engine back in steam.”
Progress
Other progress includes trial fitting of the buffer beam, production of a newframestretcher which has also been trial fittedand significant repairs to the frontdragbox, including the replacementof corrodedmetal – thus the frontend of the engine is getting closetocompletion. The teamhas recently acquiredfurther components, includingafull set of buffers ( which are identical tothose fittedtoClass 08 diesel- electricshunters).
Meanwhile, further smaller components such as machining castings for replacement oil boxes and driving axlebox dust shields have been progressing in supporters’home workshops, as highlighted last issue.
TSLL chairman Chris Irving said:“For us, this is a real achievement. When we acquired the locomotive, it was essentially a giant kit of parts – but with several parts missing. Seeing the pony truck complete is a huge boost to the morale of the team at a time when little work is going on anywhere in the heritage railway industry.
“It demonstrates our determination to reflect the commitment of so many shareholders to see the engine returned to service as soon as possible. There is still a long way to go of course, but we are bit by bit, component by component, getting there.”
TSLL is devising a new component sponsorship scheme, with contributions to pay for parts being converted into shares, although a permanent recordof which pieces ‘ belong’towho will be maintained.
The project has also received a boost, with more than £ 25,000 shares invested in the locomotive over recent weeks.
Chris said:“This means that restoration work for the coming months can press ahead – this is real momentum which I’mconfident will continue. At present, we are very muchon schedule and I hope that with the gradual easing of coronavirus restrictions we will be able to resume volunteer working parties at both Toddington on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway ( G/ WR) and at Loughborough.”
Background
Built at HorwichWorks in 1956,
No. 76077 is oneof four members of the 115- strong class to surviveand the last of the quartet toberestored. After arriving at theGW/ R in1987, having been retrieved fromBarry scrapyard by Chris Hinton, itwasdismantled. Some restorationworkwas carried out but for various reasons, workstopped and the engine’s componentswere loaded on to wagons. Itwas storedaway frompublic sight, pending resumptionofwork, to be largely forgotten for30years. TSLL was formedin 2018 with the aim of restoring it to running order.
➜ To purchase shares or sponsor components, visit www. standard76077. com