ON THE WAY BACK
Nos. 7 (Owain Glyndwr) and 8 (Llewelyn): Both 2‑6‑2Ts are expected to return to service at the Vale of Rheidol Railway this year, alongside the third class member, No. 9 (1213). 1340: Following its temporary stay at the Great Central Railway (SR462), the Great Western Society’s Alexandra Docks Railway 0‑4‑0ST Trojan was moved to nearby Locomotive Maintenance Services on January 18. It is to undergo a contract overhaul with the aim of returning it to steam this year, to alleviate a motive power shortage at Didcot. 2999: Approximately 90% of the backhead fittings are now in place on Steam Railway appeal ‘Saint’ Lady of Legend, while the live and exhaust steam injectors have been fitted beneath the cab. Cladding and lagging of both cylinders is complete, and the regulator box has had its valve faces machined. The handrails have been fitted to the boiler, incorporating the front section from donor ‘Hall’ No. 4942 Maindy Hall, whose original smokebox is also being reused. Its outside steam pipe apertures are being plated over to suit No. 2999’s inside steam pipe arrangement. 4953: Pitchford Hall has been moved from the Great Central Railway to the new Loughborough premises of Locomotive Maintenance Services, which is carrying out its contract overhaul for the Epping Ongar Railway. 5526: The South Devon Railway is now expecting to have its ‘Small Prairie’ back in traffic for the main summer season, but it will not be ready for Easter, as hoped. Sister engine No. 5542 will therefore work for ten days, including the Easter period, to provide cover. 6989: Fitting of the cladding to the boiler barrel of Wightwick Hall is complete at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, and attention has now turned to the firebox cladding, starting with the front corner sections. The cylinder and valve chest covers are complete on the fireman’s side and almost finished on the driver’s side, while the first sections of the handrails have been trial‑fitted. When No. 6989 returns to steam ‑ hopefully this year ‑ it will initially run with a Collett 4,000‑gallon tender hired from No. 6984 Owsden Hall (Swindon & Cricklade Railway). Construction of its own tender will recommence once the engine is in service. 7029: Tyseley Locomotive Works’ celebrity Clun Castle is to return to the main line in 2017. 30070 (DS238): This ‘USA’ 0‑6‑0T is expected to return to service at the Kent & East Sussex Railway in March or April. Its boiler is now receiving its lagging and cladding, having passed its hydraulic and steam tests. As revealed in SR463, it is to be painted in Longmoor Military Railway blue, in the guise of the LMR’s example No. WD300 Major-General Frank S. Ross. 30825: The Essex Locomotive Society’s Maunsell ‘S15’ 4‑6‑0 is expected to return to steam in the autumn. 30926 (926): ‘Schools’ 4‑4‑0 Repton is now coupled to its tender at Grosmont, and its smokebox has been trial‑ fitted. Its boiler is currently inverted while the last patch screws are fitted to secure the firebox foundation ring, after which it will be turned the right way up for the tubes and stays to be installed. It is planned to have the boiler back in the frames during March, and the locomotive moving under its own steam again in April. 31065 (65): The unique SECR ‘O1’ 0‑6‑0 has been rewheeled and its refurbished cylinder block fitted with the valve gear now being assembled. 31874: Following re‑wheeling on December 1, the unique ‘N’ 2‑6‑0 has had its motion fitted. It is hoped to complete the overhaul this year, to main line standard for the Swanage Railway’s planned services to Wareham. 34072: With the boiler returned to the frames of 257 Squadron in November, the superheater header and regulator valve have been fitted, and the superheater elements and cab fittings are being installed. The air‑
smoothed ‘Battle of Britain’ will steam this year, although owning group Southern Locomotives Ltd does not now expect it to be ready for the ‘Strictly Bulleid’ gathering at the Swanage Railway on March 31‑April 2. 34101: New firebox plates are being pressed for rebuilt ‘West Country’ Hartland at the South Devon Railway, as part of a ‘batch‑build’ for other Bulleid ‘Pacific’ boilers (also including Nos. 21C123 Blackmore Vale, 34039 Boscastle and 34059 Sir Archibald Sinclair). No. 34101’s bottom half and tender remain in store at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway awaiting the return of the boiler from Buckfastleigh. 35018: Expected to run for the sumer end of Southern steam commemorations, there’s still finishing‑off work to be tackled on British India Line at Carnforth. 35025: The Brocklebank Line Association has declined an offer from Churnet Valley Railway Operations Manager Greg Wilson to purchase its ex‑Barry ‘Merchant Navy’, currently partially restored at Sellindge in Kent. 35028: ‘Merchant Navy’ Clan Line has had the main steam pipe, and all the tubes and flues, fitted to its boiler at Crewe. Its new middle big end bearing is almost complete, and the outside valves are being set. 41313: The Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s second Ivatt ‘2MT’ 2‑6‑2T is now expected to emerge from its contract restoration at the East Somerset Railway by June. 45428: Repainting of the ‘Black Five’s’ frames is complete at Grosmont, with the reversing gear now the subject of attention. Its boiler is still awaiting inspection by the insurance firm, but its tender has been in service, temporarily running behind No. 44806. 45596: As unique double‑ chimney ‘Jubilee’ Bahamas prepares to return to the main line later this year, its support coach (BR Mk 2 Brake First Corridor No. 14060) has been sent to Nemesis Rail of Burton‑on‑Trent for a contract overhaul. At Tyseley Locomotive Works, the replacement front barrel ring was fitted to the boiler on January 19. 48173: With the completion of ‘S160’ 2‑8‑0 No. 5197, the restoration of Greg Wilson’s ex‑Barry ‘8F’ 2‑8‑0 has commenced in earnest at the Churnet Valley Railway. Material analysis of the boiler and frames is being undertaken in preparation for repairs, and drawings are being produced for a new tubeplate, while collection of replacement parts continues. 48305: Fettling of the axleboxes continues on Roger Hibbert’s ‘8F’ prior to its re‑wheeling at Loughborough on the Great Central Railway. 55189 (419): The big end brasses of the Caledonian Railway 0‑4‑4T were machined at Bo’ness during February. It is hoped that the unique locomotive will be complete by the end of the year. 57566 (828): Having had their new tyres fitted by Riley & Son (E) Ltd, the tender wheelsets for the ‘Caley’ 0‑6‑0 returned to the Strathspey Railway on February 8. The locomotive is expected to be back in traffic for the first weekend of the line’s operating season on March 25/26. 63395: The unique ‘Q6’ 0‑8‑0 will be in steam for its centenary year in 2018, with its owners, the North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group, having reached agreement with their insurance company for the engine to run until 2024. This is dependent upon all its superheater flue tubes being replaced, and the superheater elements themselves being removed for inspection and to have new ends fitted. This work will be carried out at Grosmont by NELPG volunteers over the next two months, with the assistance of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, with a view to having it back in service in time for the NYMR’s peak summer season. 65894: Adam Dalgleish Engineering has completed the fabrication of the new tender tank for NELPG’s ‘J27’ 0‑6‑0, while the locomotive has had its valves set at Hopetown Works. 68030: This pseudo‑BR ‘J94’ 0‑6‑0ST (actually Hunslet W/No. 3777) has moved to Llangollen from the Churnet Valley Railway, where it had arrived for overhaul last summer. The CVR stated: “Despite the best endeavours of the board of directors to reach an acceptable contract with the owning group, they themselves have declined to proceed with the signed heads of terms from last summer. “Despite this disappointment, everyone at the CVR wishes the group well with the restoration of what was the first steam locomotive to arrive at the embryonic Churnet Valley Railway in 1977. It is hoped that the locomotive could still visit the CVR, once it regains its operational status.” 73156: The cab framework has been lowered onto the ‘5MT’ 4‑6‑0 and pipe runs are being tackled on the largely reassembled engine at Loughborough. 80097: The East Lancashire Railway was expecting the boiler of this ex‑Barry Riddles ‘4MT’ 2‑6‑4T to receive its hydraulic test during February. 80135: A possible contender for steaming at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway by the end of the year is its popular ‘4MT’ 2‑6‑4T. 80151: 60 years after it was released into traffic at Brighton shed on January 18 1957, the youngest surviving Standard ‘4MT’ tank was in Sheffield Park works at the Bluebell Railway, heading towards a return to steam later this year. Its frames are ready for rewheeling following the fitting of a new frame stretcher, while the firebox has had new lap seam sections welded into the doorplate and tubeplate. A new throatplate section has also been fitted, along with repairs to the foundation ring, and the life‑expired outer wrapper is to receive new platework. 90775: BR black paint is being applied to the M&GNJR Society’s WD 2‑10‑0 and its tender. Final jobs outstanding include fitting of the superheater elements, chimney, petticoat pipe and some motion parts, as well as making the vacuum ejector pipe and setting the valves. 92134: With its bottom half restored and its boiler nearing completion, the single‑chimney ‘9F’ could return to steam at the East Lancashire Railway towards the end of this year (see feature, pages 36‑41).