Riley to assemble Churchward County wheelsets

THE CHURCHWARD County Trust has signed a contract with Riley Engineering at Heywood to assemble the coupled wheelsets for new GWR 4-4-0 No. 3840 County of Montgomery.

The contract will also include retyring of the bogie wheelsets for No. 3840 and is expected to be completed in October 2023.

Over the coming months, the trust is to launch appeals for supporters to sponsor the acquisition of the new couple wheel axles, the couple and bogie tyres and the couple wheel cranks, as well as the assembly of the wheelsets. This was announced at the group’s annual general meeting on September 10, held at Winchcombe on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway.

Work to start

Meanwhile, all of the material required for the cab, splashers, and running plate is now at Tyseley Locomotive Works and work is expected to start soon to assemble these.

Agreement has also been reached with Tyseley to commence protective works for the newly arrived No. 4 boiler to be used for No. 3840. The work will involve needle-gunning the firebox and barrel, removing the boiler slides to assess the condition of the outer firebox and applying a coat of protective paint to the whole of the boiler.

Trust spokesman David Bradshaw said: “2023 is going to be another major chapter in the building of 3840 County of Montgomery. The Forty Fund for the casting and machining of the driving wheels and the Cylinder Club for the casting and machining of the cylinders are close to meeting their targets, with just £3000 and £11000 respectively remaining of the required amounts. ➜ To support the trust, visit www. churchwardcounty.org.uk