First of three Butterley ‘Jinties’ on final straight
OUT of three LMS 3F‘Jinty’0-6-0Ts currently being overhauled by the Midland Railway Trust at Butterley, No. 16440 (47357), built by North British in Glasgow in 1926, is the closest to returning to traffic.
Not steamed for about 15 years, No. 16440’s boiler passed a full steam test at the North Norfolk Railway before transportation to the Riley & Sons Ltd workshops at Heywood, where the frames, chassis and motion were fully overhauled. A smokebox and ashpan were manufactured and fitted onto the completed frames.
Locomotive Maintenance Services in Loughborough manufactured new safety valves that were all installed before the ‘Jinty’ returned to Swanwick for final fitting-out.
Since returning, the overhauled driver’s brake valves are fitted and the sandboxes are now on. The boiler insulation and cladding has been attached. Various boiler fittings that were prepared off-site have been fitted, including the water gauge frames, the small ejector shut-off valve which has been machined and lapped, then polished, and the blower, and sanding valve. The two water tanks are now on, and the coal bunker is receiving new angle iron and platework that is currently being welded into place. The cab roof is waiting to be lifted on after the bunker is finished and fitted.
The ‘Jinty’ is intended to be outshopped as No. 16440 in LMS lined maroon livery and LMS crest which it first carried when restored at Derby Locomotive Works in the early 1970s.
The overhaul has been made possible with a ring-fenced legacy so No. 16440 is expected to be working later this year.
Once in traffic, progress will continue on No. 16528 (47445), waiting its turn inside the Swanwick Junction workshop for overhaul. No. 16528, built by Hunslet in 1927, has never steamed in preservation.
After having made progress for many years, work came to a grinding halt when the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed in March 2020.
After the frames departed last June for overhaul at Riley & Son Ltd, a complete replacement of the rear section of the frames was necessary, similar to that undertaken on
No. 16440, has now been completed.
The six axleboxes have had new crowns fitted and white metalled, essential for progressing towards reuniting the frame with its wheelsets. Other ongoing work has included the weight shaft bearing journals being machined and new piston rods heads. The steam brake cylinder has been bored out, and new cylinder and valve cover studs fitted.
Investigations regarding repairs to the boilers of Nos. 16410 (47327), built by North British in 1926, and 16528 have recently taken place. No. 16410 is currently residing in the Swanwick workshop waiting to have its wheels removed for tyre turning and allow a full assessment of frame/motion works required. A trust spokesman said: “The MRT board continues to work on plans to secure the future of our railway and support our volunteer workforce. A part of this vision is to create a strong home fleet of steam locomotives which include our fleet of Fowler 3Fs Nos. 16440, 47445, 47327 and also our BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0s No.73129.”