NEW-BUILD NEWS
‘County’ boiler complete in 12 months?
Almost 60% of the funds have been raised for the boiler of No. 1014 County of Glamorgan – and it is hoped to complete it within the next 12 months. In mid-February, the £125,000 appeal to build the boiler for the replica Hawksworth ‘County’ 4-6-0 had raised £72,000 since its launch in August, and Heritage Boiler Steam Services (which is also building the boiler for ‘Patriot’ No. 5551 The Unknown Warrior) has started marking out the ‘County’s’ new boiler barrels in preparation for riveting them together. These will be married to the firebox of former ‘Barry Ten’ LNER-built ‘8F’ No. 48518 to create the Swindon No. 15 ‘County’ boiler, which was closely related to that of the Stanier ‘8Fs’.
The Great Western Society’s ‘County’ project has gathered £160,000 in less than 18 months, since November 2017, and the total sum raised is over £900,000.
The ‘County’ will soon get its distinctive ‘face’, with the smokebox and its saddle produced by Goodman’s of Nottingham, and the smokebox door (sponsored by Steam Railway) to follow.
Its smokebox tubeplate is also partially complete.
It is planned to assemble the front end of the engine at Didcot Railway Centre in the near future, complete with an original double chimney from No. 1006 County of Cornwall and an 82A shedplate – Bristol Bath Road shed having been home to the original No. 1014 from new in February 1946 until September 1960.
CAD drawings have been produced and orders will soon be placed for the Hawksworth 4,000-gallon tender tank and the coupling rods, the latter starting with the front sections.
With £53,000 still to raise for the boiler, David Bradshaw, press officer for the 1014 Project, said: “We are still seeking a further 42 individuals who would be prepared to contribute £1,000 each. With Gift Aid added this will allow us to reach our target.”
For more details, contact Richard Croucher, County 1014 Project, Great Western Society, Didcot Railway Centre, Didcot, Oxon OX11 7NJ, or David Bradshaw at bradshaw.md@gmx.com