■ Earl of Mount Edgcumbe on track for summer ‘Shakespeares’

TYSELEY Locomotive Works is going full steam ahead to have GWR Castle 4-6-0 No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe ready for the summer season following overhaul.

As reported in issue 275, the locomotive is scheduled to haul Vintage Trains’‘Shakespeare Express’ on nine consecutive Sundays from Birmingham Snow Hill via Henley-in-Arden to Stratford-upon-Avon, running at speeds of up to 75mph on the return leg through Hatton and Solihull.

The firebox welding and repair is now complete, and retubing the boiler has begun. All materials are on site to enable the completion of the boiler repairs.

Meanwhile, the tender of sister locomotive No. 5080 Defiant has been prepared for movement into the workshop so its tank can be removed.

The next step is to commence construction of the new tank and to remove the whole front dragbox for renewal, the steel for which is also on site.

1, 2: The boiler and chassis of No. 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe inside Tyseley Locomotive Works. 3: Welding underway inside the firebox of Earl of Mount Edgcumbe. 4: The tender of No. 5080 Defiant outside the works. DENIS CHICK