Mogul makes milestone at Whitehead
THE Railway Preservation Society of Ireland's LMS (NCC) 2-6-0 No. 105 project has reached a major milestone with the completion of its main frames, which have been shotblasted at the group's Whitehead base.
No. 105 is a recreation of one of a class of 15 mixed traffic tender locomotives designed by HP Stewart, the NCC's locomotive superintendent.
Based on the successful LMS Fowler 2-6-4Ts but with 6ft diameter wheels, the W class revival is making its own piece of Irish railway history as the first main line locomotive to be built in Ireland for eight decades.
Original parts
Despite the Covid-19 pandemic holding back the project for several months, work is steadily progressing using a combination of new components, such as cylinder blocks cast by Taylor's foundry at Hamilton and machined locally by Cooke Bros of Newtonards, a set of matching wheels saved from scrapped WT 2-6-4T
No. 53 and kept at Whitehead, and even an original W class chimney and connecting rod, received as donations. The group also has a suitable tender.
RPSI locomotive officer Peter Scott MBE is heading up the project, which is slotted in alongside other maintenance and construction work at Whitehead.
He said: “We are now making good progress, and major components such as the motion brackets, crosshead brackets, reverser brackets and other cast steel parts attached to the main frames have been cast, with machining under way.
“Number 105 will use either the boiler currently fitted to our 2-6-4T No. 4 or a similar spare boiler which is being overhauled for use in either locomotive.
“The basic boiler shell is the same for both the W and WT class and is a modified version of the LMS G8 AS boiler, with the firebox widened to take advantage of the wider Irish gauge. We are fortunate to have the original 1932 drawings for the class, which we are following.”
Peter would not be drawn on the possible completion date for No. 105 making the first appearance on the 5ft 3in gauge of a W class since the last 2-6-0 was withdrawn by the Ulster Transport Authority in 1965. He said the schedule remains flexible given the impact of Covid-19, the need for further funding, and the competing needs of keeping the wheels of RPSI in-service locomotives rolling. Neither would he be drawn on a name for No. 105 or if the completed engine will carry one, given that Nos. 90 to 100 were named, but 101 to 104 were not.
Naming themes
With a tongue-in-cheek nod to Northern Ireland history and politics, Peter said: “Some members of the class were named after rivers in the NCC's operating territory, but others carried names such as Thomas Somerset and Queen Elizabeth.
“There's no doubt that the selection of a suitable name should cause a bit of interest, if not controversy!
“Appropriate suggestions are welcome!”
In their heyday after delivery in the 1930s, W class members whisked the crack ‘North Atlantic Express' from Belfast to Portrush in 80 minutes, and were noted for free running and very economical coal consumption.
After the takeover of all the railways in Northern Ireland by the Ulster Transport Authority, and the class's displacement by diesel multiple units on the former NCC mainline to Derry and Portrush, they saw service on the former Great Northern Railway of Ireland Derry Road on both goods and passenger turns, and even reached Dublin on trains from Belfast.
To donate to the project or to suggest a name for the new-build locomotive, which perfectly combines the engineering traditions of the NCC York Road drawing office and the LMS Derby works, visit www. steamtrainsireland.com