New frames required to return ‘J21’ to steam
NORTH Eastern railway
‘J21’ 0-6-0 No. 65033 will have both of its main frame plates replaced after severe wastage put the current frames beyond economic repair.
The work will be carried out as part of its National Heritage Lottery-funded overhaul.
The issue was discovered during the strip down of the 1889-built loco by Locomotive Maintenance Services at Loughborough.
Both frame plates were found to be severely corroded in places, with distortion affecting some areas, to the degree that the future safe operation of the loco was is question.
The Locomotive Conservation & Learning Trust, which owns the ‘J21’, subsequently looked at and sought advice on the options available, which included refurbishing the frame plates, refurbishing one plate (the left-hand) and replacing the other, or outright renewal of both.
After spending weeks considering the merits of each option and the possible conservation implications, it was decided complete replacement was the most practical solution, with longer-term benefits. envisaged
Salvage
The new frame plates are expected to push the cost of the overhaul up by around £20,000, which is on top of the additional £10,000 required to make new frames for the locomotive’s tender. These have also suffered the effects of age, hard work and open-air storage, making them too weak for further use.
The LCLT intends to salvage the front portion of the loco’s right-hand frame plate for conservation and display, it showing evidence of the Worsdell/Von Borries compound valve gear fitted to the loco prior to 1908.
For details on how to support the project visit: www.lclt.org.uk/how-tohelp.html