Corris Railway Falcon gains a tank
CORRIS Railway new-build 0-4-2T No. 10 Falcon has taken a step closer to its targeted steaming date of September 24 with the assembly of the saddle tank and completed cab.
Cut by Optimised Metal Fabrications of Rochester, the steel for the tank was delivered to Barnshaws Plate and Section rollers in Wolverhampton for shaping.
Once this had been undertaken, the complete tank was able to be assembled by Corris volunteers in the East Midlands at the start of July, after which it was then taken to the Alan Keef Ltd workshops to join the rest of the locomotive coming together there.
Using the CR’s volunteer workforce to assemble the tank resulted in a saving in expenditure, but the cost of the tank was still £2500.
Meanwhile, the cab – the plating for all four sides of which had previously been trial assembled and fitted to No.10 – finally gained the roof panel.
Assembly of the smokebox interior began in late June with the steam and blast pipes fitted; CR volunteers paid a visit to the Talyllyn Railway to inspect No. 3 Sir Haydn (the design for which Falcon uses) to compare details.
A mechanical lubricator has been purchased and delivered and the firebox door assembly, which had been produced by a CR volunteer, is in place on the backhead.
The September target date is only for the engine to be in a position where it can be steamed for testing.
It is hoped that the locomotive will be ready for the 140th anniversary of introduction of steam services to the Corris, which takes place in 2023.