New set of Patriot driving wheels are being cast
THE contract for six replacement driving wheels for LMS Patriot 4-6-0 No. 5551 The Unknown Warrior has been placed with William Cook Cast Products in Sheffield..
The replacements were necessary after cracks were found in the original 6ft 9in driving wheels, thought to have originated from the original casting process.
After a thorough investigation, it was deemed that these were not repairable.
A delivery lead time of 12-14 weeks is expected, and preparatory work on the wheel pattern has been carried out free of charge by the company.
The pattern, loaned by Tyseley Locomotive Works, was made to replace two driving wheels on LMS Jubilee 4-6-0 No. 45699 Galatea, which were cut through when it derailed in Barry scrapyard. The crank axle, one plain axle, balance weight plates and lead material will be reused but new tyres will be needed. An estimate has been sought from South Devon Railway Engineering for the wheelset reassembly.