THE ROSTER
LOCOMOTIVES IN FOCUS
5239: All the coupling rod bearings for the Dartmouth Steam Railway’s ‘5205’ 2-8-0T ‘Goliath’ have been machined in its contract overhaul at the East Somerset Railway, and a section of the firebox backplate around the firehole is being replaced. 6430: Following its visit to the Severn Valley Railway’s branch line-themed Spring Steam Gala on March 15-17 (SR485), the Llangollen-based ‘64XX’ 0-6-0PT is to spend the main 2019 season on hire to the Nene Valley Railway, from mid-April until October.
Making its first appearance at the NVR, the Collett engine will bolster the operational Wansfordbased steam fleet, which currently consists of Bulleid ‘Battle of Britain’ 4-6-2 No. 34081 92 Squadron and Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T Works No. 1800 ‘Thomas’.
Polish ‘TKp’ 0-8-0T No. 5485 is expected to return to Wansford for running-in trials in early 2019, following an overhaul at the Flour Mill that has included the construction of a new boiler. The privately owned ‘Slask’ tank will then remain at the NVR on long-term hire.
6984: Most of the steam-heating pipework has been fitted to Owsden Hall at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway, along with the brass cab beading, and final boiler work on the ex-Barry ‘Modified Hall’ is expected to commence in the New Year. 7822: Foxcote Manor will remain on hire to the West Somerset Railway in 2019, following a bottom end overhaul at Tyseley this winter. A return to its home base of the Llangollen Railway was discussed, but the line was unable to offer sufficient hire fees, explains Foxcote Manor Society Chairman Mathew Grindley: “Following meetings with officials of the Llangollen Railway, the possible income was less than our transport costs, meaning we would have to write the first six months of the year off with no real income. In times where we need to get money in, this just wasn’t an option. The other benefit to the society was that the WSR offered to pay our transport to and from Tyseley, saving us about £6,000, for which we are very grateful.”
The work at Tyseley will include lifting the engine off its wheels, a piston and valve exam, fitting of a new left-hand cylinder liner and a replacement blastpipe – the latter cast in a joint order with the organisations that own Nos. 7802 Bradley Manor, 7812 Erlestoke Manor and 7820 Dinmore Manor.
Underlining the need for income, the group is exploring the possibility of replacing No. 7822’s firebox at the engine’s next overhaul. Although the boiler is only three years into its ‘ten-year’ certificate, it has already suffered from cracking and wastage in the firebox lap seams.
While No. 7822 was built in 1950, the boiler dates from the 1930s and was first fitted to No. 7819 Hinton Manor. FMS engineer Martin Fuller says: “Like it or not, our boiler is approaching the end of its life. We might get one more ticket out of it, although this would require significant further repairs, including substantial re-staying and perhaps a new backhead. I do believe it is possible to raise enough for a new firebox, ideally copper, but to do so we must act now to maximise earnings and minimise costs.”
W8: Although still ‘in ticket’ at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T Freshwater is now unlikely to haul a train again before it is dismantled for overhaul. Explains Locomotive Foreman Andrew Summers: “We have now manufactured all the injector parts which require testing, and we plan to steam the engine for this in the week commencing October 29,
which should be its last day’s steaming. Work on stripping it is planned to start in mid-November, so it would still be serviceable before then, but as the railway is not running, it is very unlikely to be used. If all goes to plan it will return to steam in late summer 2019, but don’t hold me to it.”
27: Network Rail volunteers have assisted the restoration of the
‘P’ 0-6-0T at the Bluebell Railway by cleaning up and repainting the cab. The horn guide castings have also been cleaned and repainted ready for refitting to the new frame plates. For more on the project, see pages 64-66.
926: North Yorkshire Moors Railway-based ‘Schools’ Repton will be the star guest at the Nene Valley Railway’s ‘Southern Steam’ event on March 9/10 next year. The olive green 4-4-0 will appear alongside the NVR’s own resident Southern green machine, ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34081 92 Squadron. It last visited the NVR in 2008, when it was in its latter-day BR green. 32650: ‘Sutton’ has been re-wheeled at the Spa Valley Railway, and its overhaul will take another step forward before the end of the year with the start of work on its boiler. The line has hired in a ‘Lowmac’ wagon to facilitate the boiler’s movement around the Tunbridge Wells West site.
Built in 1876 as LBSCR No. 50 Whitechapel, the Stroudley engine later worked on the Isle of Wight as No. W9 Fishbourne, and ended its BR career on the Hayling Island branch in 1963. It was then acquired for preservation by the Borough of Sutton (hence its preservation-era name, previously carried by scrapped ‘A1X’
No. 32661) and based at the Kent & East Sussex Railway, where it hauled the inaugural train in 1974.
Last steamed in 1994, it returned to LBSCR metals in 2004 when it was placed on loan to the SVR.
It is to return in Marsh umber livery, with its second LBSCR number of 650, but retaining the ‘Sutton’ moniker.
34101: The boiler of Britain’s youngest rebuilt ‘West Country’, Hartland, returned to the North Yorkshire Moors Railway from Buckfastleigh on October 15. The ‘Light Pacific’ was one of four Bulleid 4-6-2s to have a new firebox built as part of a bulk order by South Devon Railway Engineering Ltd, and the next job for the Grosmont engineering team in the overhaul of the Eastleigh-built machine will be to mark and drill the stay holes. 42085: The Fairburn 2-6-4T is shortly to be lifted off its wheels for overhaul at the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, and is to have its bunker replaced, while its boiler is away for a contract overhaul.
45170: The tender wheelsets of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s ex-Turkish ‘8F’ 2-8-0 have been sent to Riley & Son (E) Ltd for new tyres. The locomotive is now to be named ‘Sir William McAlpine’ (SR485).
45305: The ‘Black Five’s’ boiler has undergone its hydraulic test at the Great Central Railway following firebox repairs. If reassembled in time, the Stanier 4-6-0 could steam for the line’s ‘Last Hurrah’ gala on November 17/18, running alongside fellow 1968 veteran, ‘Britannia’ No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell – the latter making its last special event appearance before its boiler certificate expires at the end of the year.
6201: Princess Elizabeth has moved under its own steam for the first time in almost a year, following overhaul at Carnforth. The Stanier 4-6-2 had its first warming fire lit and the boiler pressure was raised to 40lbs/sq in on October 1/2, reaching 200lbs/sq in on October 3 and finally being taken up to its full working pressure of 250lbs/ sq in on October 10. The Vehicle Acceptance Body carried out a boiler inspection on October 17, after which the locomotive made its first movements. It last ran on November 11 2016, since when it has been receiving attention at West Coast Railways’ headquarters, including repairs to the firebox and outer wrapper plate. 47493: The smokebox tubeplate of Barry Buckfield’s LMS ‘Jinty’ 0-6-0T has been removed at the Spa Valley Railway, in preparation for sending the boiler away to the North Norfolk Railway in November for a contract overhaul. The tubeplate will be sent with the boiler as a pattern to produce a replacement. On the bottom half, the engine’s wheelsets have had new tyres fitted, and the eccentrics, valve gear and reverser have all been overhauled. SVR Commercial Manager Jonnie Pay said: “We can’t set any firm dates for the ‘Jinty’ and ‘Sutton’ [see No. 32650], but I’d like to think they’ll both be running again between 2020 and 2025.”
48305: Boiler and cylinder cladding has been fitted to Roger Hibbert’s ‘8F’ as its overhaul nears completion at the Great Central Railway. Most of the Stanier 2-8-0’s motion is complete, although the connecting rods remain to be fitted and the engine needs to have its valves set. Another job yet to be done is to rivet on replacement cab sheets. 60007: Part of scrapped ‘A4’ Merlin has resurfaced during the overhaul of Sir Nigel Gresley at the National Railway Museum in York, with the discovery that No. 60007’s speedometer crank is stamped ‘60027’. Withdrawn from Edinburgh St Margarets on September 3 1965, No. 60027 was sold for scrap to Campbell of Shieldhall.
After being lifted from its frames in July (SR483), No. 60007’s tender tank has received repairs to the corridor roof and new platework around the water filler space, with more new steel to be fitted into the front bulkhead. Needle-gunning of the tender frames is complete.
All six of the ‘A4’s’ coupled axleboxes have returned to York following machining at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, and are being prepared for refitting. The LNER ‘Pacific’s’ superheater header has undergone successful pressure testing, and replacement parts have been delivered for the safety valves, along with new piston and valve rings. Meanwhile, the reverser stand has been reassembled and pipework on the inside of the Cartazzi truck frames refitted following the trial-fitting of the ashpan. The latter, and the smokebox door, have been transported to the Llangollen Railway to join the boiler, which has had its gauge glass frames trial-fitted and the regulator stuffing box repaired.
45596: John Hillier of the Bahamas Locomotive Society reports that it’s now anticipated that its ‘Jubilee’ will return home to Ingrow on the Keighley and Worth Valley in December - with light engine and loaded trials to take place from Tyseley before that. In the meantime, the ‘5XP’ was in steam again at the former 84E depot where it was restored, on October 24. 60532: An almost entirely new copper firebox and outer wrapper are being produced for Blue Peter at LNWR Heritage in Crewe, including the tubeplate and foundation ring, and retaining only the throatplates from the original ’box. New safety valve pads have been made to allow the valves to sit lower on the boiler and ensure that they remain within the Network Rail loading gauge. Also being replaced are the ashpan and smokebox tubeplate, with a new tender tank and smokebox to be built.
The frames of the Peppercorn ‘Pacific’ are undergoing nondestructive testing to check for cracks, and loose rivets are being replaced, while the corroded centre frame stretcher (which carries the brake cylinder) has been removed for repair. Following the casting of a replacement centre cylinder with the assistance of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust (SR476), a pattern has been produced for six new valve liner castings, two for the centre cylinder and four for the two outside cylinders.
78019: Work on the frames and motion of the BR ‘2MT’ 2-6-0 is virtually complete at the Great Central Railway, and the overhaul of its boiler has restarted at Tyseley. 90733: Withdrawn from service at the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway in December (SR476), the unique surviving WD 2-8-0 is being dismantled in preparation for a boiler lift, with the fittings removed from the cab and smokebox.