‘T3’ fundraising Third of The way Towards TargeT
swanage Railway 563 team is on target to meet 2021 steaming date, if income continues.
WE NEEd to prEparE thE locomotivE for aN activE lifE iN prESErvatioN for at lEaSt thE NExt 20 yEarS
Nick LLoyd, 563LG secretary
The appeal to restore unique LSWR ‘T3’ No. 563 to steam is a third of the way towards its £350,000 target, with £162,000 raised to date.
Matt McManus, chairman of the 563 Locomotive Group – a subgroup of the former National Collection locomotive’s new owners, the Swanage Railway Trust – said: “We are delighted by the fundraising progress made by the 563 team. With our recent donations and standing orders, we are well over a third funded and can now accelerate into manufacturing new firebox parts and begin the reassembly process. However, we are not home and dry yet.”
Restoration of the William Adams 4‑4‑0 is ongoing at the locomotive’s engineering base at Bill Parker’s Flour Mill workshops in the Forest of Dean – where No. 563 has been based since November 2017. Despite the recent discovery of cracks on the outer backplate and the need to replace the life‑ expired firebox girder stays, “it is not envisaged that the additional repairs will add significantly to the final cost,” said 563LG secretary Nick Lloyd.
The team has made some modifications to the ‘T3’ to assist with maintenance and operation once No. 563 is in traffic. A pair of hinged plates have been added to allow the boiler to be removed without taking off the splashers, cab and parts of the running board first, while the level of the tender shovelling plate is set to be lowered to make firing easier.
Speaking in response to the question of whether such a modification is honouring the locomotive’s historic integrity, Mr Lloyd said: “We accept the criticism about the firing position, however, we need to prepare the locomotive for an active life in preservation for at least the next 20 years. Volunteer crews need to be able to work on the locomotive comfortably and moving the coal plate down a foot will make a great deal of difference.
“The locomotive will now be making further history by returning to steam and we feel that this story
will eclipse any criticism about the firing position, which will be virtually invisible to see from many viewpoints. If the engine ever permanently retires, we will be able to retro‑modify the tender if we feel it is appropriate.”
The group intends to complete No. 563’s restoration in spring 2021, but Mr Lloyd said: “Our current income levels suggest we are on target for steaming in 2021, however we need to redouble our fundraising efforts to ensure we meet our target.”
To support the project, visit
http://563locomotivegroup.co.uk/ donate/