Overhauls, restorations and running notes

GWR & CONSTITUENTS

5029 Improvements to Nunney Castle during its overhaul have taken a step forward, with the casting of a new superheater header for No. 5029 at Timsons Engineering in Kettering. The two-row superheater 1932-built ‘Castle’ will be getting an upgrade to a three-row superheater and mechanical lubricator, as found on the later members of the class from 1946. Some examples also received such a modification during BR days.

SR & CONSTITUENTS

563 The tender wheelsets from the Swanage Railway Trust 563 Locomotive Group’s ‘T3’ (below) have now been sent away to have their journals polished. As these journals form part of the shafts at the end of the axles, which come into contact with the bearings, they need to be as smooth as possible. However, before this job could be undertaken, the wheels needed to have their old paint removed so corrosion could be removed and then undercoat applied; a task performed by group volunteers. While the wheels are away, attention is being focused on renovating the axleboxes so the tender frame can be successfully reunited with its wheels later this year.

34081 Another year of traffic beckons for the Nene Valley Railway’s ‘Battle of Britain’ after 92 Squadron passed its annual exam, with only the replacement of five stays necessary.

35011 The project to restore General Steam Navigation back to air-smoothed original ‘Merchant Navy’ condition with chain-driven valve gear has recently involved the front bogie being removed for work to begin on its renovation.

LMS & CONSTITUENTS

828 After its failure last summer with a hot rear driving axlebox, the Caledonian Railway ‘812’ class has been out of service at the Spa Valley Railway awaiting the availability of the railway’s lifting jacks. However, repairs are now planned for January and February, for a planned return to traffic during the first half of 2023. The 1899-built 0-6-0 is due to return to its Strathspey Railway base in October.

46428 The Bury Standard Four Group’s restoration of the Ivatt Class 2 ‘Mogul’ has recently meant the base and top of the new dragbox being prepared for the assembly to be welded together. The new cab is also being constructed ready for welding and bolting together, while the reverser mounting bracket has been refurbished and bolted in place on the main frame, and a new main springs buckle made.

LNER & CONSTITUENTS

60009 Union of South Africa will be heading north during January from the Bury Transport Museum, to take up residence at its owner John Cameron’s proposed new museum in Fife. The ‘A4’ has been on static display at Bury since May 2022, after its withdrawal from service on the East Lancashire Railway owing to a fault with its boiler tubes (although its boiler ticket has since expired). With planning permission for the Fife visitor venue now granted, it is expected to open to the public during this year. No. 60009 is expected to share its new home with fellow Gresley engine, ‘K4’ No. 61994 The Great Marquess, which is also owned by John Cameron.

60163 Football may not be coming home after all, but Tornado’s boiler (above) is. The ‘A1’s’ most major component arrived back at Darlington Locomotive Works during midDecember, following its ninemonth overhaul at DB Meiningen in Germany. Keeping it company were the rebuilt lubricator and air pump. The next step, after preparation and tests, will be for the cladding to go back on, after which Locomotive Maintenance Services in Loughborough will reunite the boiler with its frames, ready for No. 60163 to return to traffic in spring.

61673 New-build ‘B17’ Spirit of Sandringham should have all six of its hornblocks completed by the end of January. Forgings for the tyres are also now with South Devon Railway Engineering, while design work on the bogie frames is due to begin imminently. Meanwhile, William Cook Cast Products (which has constructed the six driving wheels) is due to make the pattern for the 12-spoke bogie wheels; the locomotive was to have ‘GNR Doncaster’ ten-spoke bogie wheels using a pattern lent by the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust, but a member of The B17 Steam Locomotive Trust then offered to fund the pattern for ‘NER Darlington’ 12-spoke ones, as fitted to ‘B17s’ in service. The design of the cylinders

and motion should also now be virtually complete (the 3D CAD representation here, below left) shows the cylinder liners, middle cylinder cover and pistons as they will be when in place).

BR STANDARD

72010 The new-build ‘Clan’ now has its first wheels. At the end of November, South Devon Railway Engineering pressed the bogie wheels for Hengist onto the axles, using a hydraulic press utilising a minimum of 61 tons of force to do so. On the bogie frames themselves, fitment of the axlebox guides has begun, while the drilling of fastening holes for the bogie bolsters is also under way.

75029 Work is progressing on the Standard Class 4, which has been out of traffic on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway since 2015 following a crack in its firebox. ‘The Green Knight’s’ boiler now has a lower throat plate section, after which the plate will have its stay holes marked and drilled, the rough edge to its foundation ring profile ground off, and its washout plug bosses fitted. This will allow the welding-in of new copper material around the tubeplate.

80072 The ‘Ashpan Appeal’ has been launched to help raise £3,000 for a new ashpan for the Llangollen-based BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T, currently being overhauled after it last steamed in June 2019. During the ongoing rebuild, the existing one was found to be very life-expired. For more details on making donations, contact paulbaileywincham@ yahoo.co.uk

80097 New large flue pipes for the BR ‘4MT’ 2-6-4T are due to arrive during February, following their unexpected failure in autumn 2022, just four years after the locomotive’s restoration; the normal life of the 21 tubes is in excess of ten years. The engineering team on the East Lancashire Railway have been busy preparing the locomotive for their fitment in the lead-up to delivery. Although the Bury Standard 4 Group has now raised enough money to pay for the 157 small boiler tubes that had to be replaced following the premature failure of some during May last year, it still needs to raise funds for the cost of the large ones (SR538), estimated to be around £40,000. To help, go to www.burystandard4group. org.uk/donations

INDUSTRIAL

1604 After almost 15 years of restoration, the end is in sight for the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway’s Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0ST with the return of its rebuilt boiler during December. The job was performed by an outside contractor, but the ex-British Sugar Corporation engine (below) will be put back together by the MSLR’s Brockford workshops for final testing and certification. When it returns to traffic at some point during 2023, the locomotive will be renumbered from

No. 1604 to 4, to reflect that it is the fourth Hudswell Clarke to be owned by the MSLR. The others, Nos. 1 to 3, were scrapped by the LNER when it absorbed the line during the 1920s.

1982 The Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway Society’s Hunslet 0-6-0ST has had its boiler lifted at Weybourne on the North Norfolk Railway prior to overhaul. The society used its own 1971 Grove Allen crane to perform the operation, as its first task following its own refurbishment. The plan now is for the chassis of Ring Haw (above), a former Nassington Ironstone Quarries engine, to be sent away to a contractor to be refurbished, while the boiler will remain at the NNR for work on it to be undertaken.

2413 The restoration of the ex-Stanton Ironworks Company Hunslet ‘50550’ class 0-6-0ST continues at Norchard on the Dean Forest Railway. The rear end has now been completely rebuilt with new steel sections between the frames, as well as a cab floor bufferbeam sections. A new bunker and cab are now needed to complete the back of Gunby. Imminent forthcoming work will involve removing the cylinder block for overhaul.