GWR tank set for debut at new Swindon & Cricklade home
THE Swindon & Cricklade Railway is aiming to have GWR 0-6-2T
No. 6695 ready to enter traffic during the summer.
Following the overhaul of the boiler at the Flour Mill workshop at Bream in the Forest Of Dean and its delivery on February 10, significant progress has been made since it was reunited with the chassis for the first time since 2018.
All of the cladding cleading is now in place and the process of painting is well underway prior to the side tanks being fitted.
All valve gear and rods are in place, and the piston rods and heads have all been replaced with brand new items manufactured by the West Somerset Railway.
Once the side tanks and cab roof have been fitted, it is planned to move No. 6695 to Hayes Knoll shed for final assembly and painting in GWR Hawksworth 1946 livery.
Funds are still required to enable completion of the overhaul, however. Donations and enquiries regarding shares in 6695 Locomotive Ltd should be addressed to: 6695 Locomotive Ltd., Cherry Tree House, St. Martins Road, Poole, Dorset BH16 5NQ, r via the website at www.6695loco.co.uk, or 6695 Loco Group on Facebook.
Nigel Clark, of 6695 Locomotive Ltd, said: “All being well, No. 6695 should return to traffic during this summer.”
Outshopped from Armstrong Whitworth’s Newcastle works in October 1928, it was originally posted to Tyseley shed and then moved to Leamington in April 1929, hauling outer suburban passenger services from Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon and Leamington.
In September 1934 it was switched to freight work at Oxley.
It was later shedded at Wolverhampton Stafford Road, Swansea East Dock, Landore, Neath and Radyr (Cardiff ). In November 1961, it the last scheduled through passenger train from Neath General to Treherbert.
No. 6695 was withdrawn from service in July 1964 after completing more than 620,000 miles and sold to Dai Woodham’s scrapyard. It was bought by the 56XX Tank Group (later the 6695 Locomotive Group) and moved from Barry to Swanage, where it was dismantled for overhaul. Its restoration was completed at Herston Works in 2006.
In 2015 it was damaged while being transported on a low-loader and subsequently dismantled and prepared for its next 10-yearly overhaul, which began on the West Somerset Railway. In December 2019 it was announced that the locomotive would be based on the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, which had reached agreement with the locomotive’s owning group.