Sentinel Ann back in steam after marathon overhaul
ANOTHER steam locomotive has joined the East Lancashire Railway’s (ELR) operational fleet, six months after new owners brought it to the line for restoration.
Sentinel 0-4-0VBGT No. 7232 of 1927 Ann arrived on July 28 and, following a fast-track overhaul, moved under its own power for the first time on February 27 – 214 days later.
Believed to be the oldest original example of a Sentinel locomotive, earlier ones turned out by the Shrewsbury manufacturer were rebuilt from engines that had been turned out elsewhere.
Ann was delivered new to British Tar Products at Irlam, near Manchester, and worked there until 1969.
Preservation
It entered preservation that year on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway, but lay derelict until a metalwork teacher took it to his school as a project for pupils in the 1980s. Some restoration was carried out before Ann was returned to the line, whose treasurer, Ian Douglas, restarted its rebuild in 1995.
Three years later, Ann steamed again and was used to heat carriages on winter mornings. It was given the fake identity of a Sentinel which ran on the LMS as No. 7164.
Out of service and waiting another overhaul, it was moved to Bury following a change of ownership and work started immediately.
The engine unit underwent considerable work, including lapping in all the tappet valves, the overhaul of all the cylinder relief valves and oil changes.
Ann’s bottom end was all in good order; new axlebox pads and a spring overhaul proved to be the main tasks here.
The chassis was repainted from red into black, and the chains and sprockets were freed up and cleaned.
The boiler presented a much sterner job. When the inner and outer shells were split, it was discovered that the inner firebox was the wrong shape.
By a stroke of luck, joint owner Callum Porter was approached by a friend who works at a Land Rover garage which has a Sentinel steam waggon. The garage was having a replacement boiler made, but the inner shell of the old one was still serviceable and fitted Ann’s outer shell.
Boiler
Callum and the boiler contractors cut the bottom six inches from the new inner firebox and replaced that using the same from the firebox which has been removed from Ann.
Finally, the boiler was filled and it passed a hydraulic examination on February 19. A fire was lit in it for the first time later that day. The following week, the boiler was clad and all the fittings and pipework fitted, before it was lifted back into the frames.
Ann’s initial steam test took place on February 27, and another test on March 4 saw the boiler inspector issue a 10-year ticket. March 14 saw Ann steamed to test the by-then complete vacuum system, and the brake valve was found to be working. Ann was then taken out for seven hours’ shunting.
Callum said: “It’s been a superb project. I’ve worked on steam engines for 10 years now, but have never worked on anything like this.
“It surprised me just how advanced the design is and how powerful and controllable it is to drive.
“It’s unbelievably efficient when it comes to coal and water, happily doing a eight-hour day shunting on no more than a quarter ton of coal and less than 150 gallons of water.”
Having lost its fake LMS livery, Ann has been repainted into the bronze green of British Tar Products.
It is hoped that its public duties will include brake van rides.