Help raise last £200k to steam T3 in 2023
THE Swanage Railway group – which is rebuilding LSWR 4-4-0 No. 563 – said it will need to raise another £200,000 if the locomotive is to steam in 2023.
No. 563, which was gifted to the Purbeck line in 2017, is currently undergoing restoration at the Victorian locomotive specialist workshop Bill Parker’s Flour Mill at Bream, in the Forest of Dean.
In December, a specialist went to the Flour Mill to weld the bushes into the outer firebox, paving the way for the reassembly of the firebox and boiler, and with it, completion of the heart of 1893-built No. 563.
£300k so far
In a message to supporters, the Swanage Railway Trust 563 Locomotive Group said:“While the Flour Mill has been very good to us and paced its schedule according to our means, if we are serious about having No. 563 back in steam early in 2023 we need to tell them to‘go full steam ahead.’At the same time, the tender has recently started the journey to restoration by Herston Works, and we will start to incur costs there too.
“Just 14 months ago, we were earnestly starting our fundraising efforts as the Swanage Railway recovered from the first wave of coronavirus. It’s down to the incredible generosity of our supporters that we’ve been able to achieve so much in such a short space of time.
“To date, we have raised more than £300,000, most of which we have spent or allocated to specific tasks, such as the tender.
“We anticipate that we need close to another £200,000 to finish the restoration.
“That’s a substantial sum still to raise in a short time, although as the prospect of crossing the finishing line comes ever closer, we hope that our loyal supporters will feel even more inspired to help us get there.
“T3 supporters who are also members of the Swanage Railway Trust will also be aware that the trust has thrown its weight behind our efforts and made No. 563 a priority project to the wider trust membership.
New bogie springs
“The continued support of our ‘parent’ is a welcome acknowledgement of what we have achieved so far and how important the locomotive is to the future of the railway. But with many demands on the trust’s purse, we cannot rely on their efforts to get us over the line.”
As the next step in restoration, in order to ensure that No. 563 is overhauled to the best possible mechanical standard, the group has opted to fit four new springs to the front bogie as the originals are of unknown age and service life.
It is intended to place an order for five springs, including one spare, in the near future.
They are priced at £2184.60 each, or £8738.40 for the set.
➜ Supporters wishing to sponsor one or more of these springs will receive their own ‘stay’ from the T3’s firebox, alongside an exclusive print of No. 563 at Corfe Castle, produced by Kevin Williamson.
There are also other individual components available to sponsor from £50 to £50,000, from new stays and boiler tubes to the complete repaint into LSWR Drummond livery. All sponsorships will come with a gift certificate and a letter of thanks.
➜ Anyone who wishes to donate to the ongoing appeal is invited to visit www.563locomotivegroup.co.uk/donate or www.swanagerailwaytrust.org/t3-appeal