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Bluebell’s SECR ‘H’class returns to steam
THE Bluebell Railway’s SECR ‘H’ class 0-4-4T No. 263 passed its official boiler steam test at the beginning of May. Minor issues revealed during the test were dealt with during the following days and it made a brief run in Sheffield Park yard, under its own power, on May 9. Test runs were to be undertaken before the ornate lining and lettering was added, but it could be in service by the time this issue of The RM is published. LBSCR bogie-first No. 142 (SR No. 7598) has returned to Bluebell service following significant work. The vehicle was originally returned to traffic in 1999 (to carry passengers for the first time in 68 years) after major rebuilding. A number of issues emerged requiring attention hence its recent workshop attention.
Restored SirKeithPark moves to SevernValley SOUTHERN Locomotives Ltd’s rebuilt ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34053 Sir Keith Park left Herston Works – where it has been restored from derelict condition – for the Severn Valley Railway on May 9. The locomotive had been offered to SLL’s home line (the Swanage) but, for reasons understood and accepted by its owners, it was not needed there. Another SLL 'Battle of Britain' – air-smoothed No. 34070 Manston – is returning to Swanage Railway metals from Herston after receiving repairs to valve gear damaged last October. Sir Keith Park will be steamtested at the SVR, followed by running in. Since the ‘Battle of Britain’ was completely untested on arrival (post-restoration) it is unknown what issues may emerge, so it is not possible to confirm formal launch or commissioning events.
EdenValley in shed appeal THE Eden Valley Railway has launched a Loco Shed Appeal, aimed at rebuilding a two-road shed previously located at Haig Colliery Mining Musuem, Whitehaven. The intention is to re-erect the shed at the EVR’s Warcop base and extend it from 50ft to 90ft in length. The total project cost will be £15,000
but work will be done in stages as money is raised. The EVR, which currently runs from Warcop station to Sandford Bridge, has been replacing sleepers and building up an embankment on its extension to Sandford Mire. The extension has yet to be officially inspected prior to opening.
Restored from dereliction, ‘Battle of Britain’ No. 34053 Sir Keith Park being manoeuvred at the Severn Valley Railway’s Bridgnorth MPD, on May 10 by 4MT No. 43106 (which was making all the steam). SIMON TAYLOR
Sir Keith Park is the fifth Bulleid Pacific restored by Southern Locomotives Ltd but is particulary remarkable in that
SLL started with the basic frames, boiler, cylinders and wheels (bought from Jeremy Hosking for virtually scrap
price). Everything else has been acquired or made and the tender has been built from scratch.
Merlin boiler almost ready for hydraulic test GNR (Ireland) V Class 4-4-0 No. 85 Merlin (owned by Ulster Folk and Transport Museum and in the care of the RPSI) is approaching being ready for hydraulic testing at Whitehead. The fitting of patch screws to replace worn lap seam rivets in the firebox is complete and wasted areas of the tube plate are being built up. An internal steam pipe needs to be renewed and a tubeplate
stay replaced, following which the tubes will be fitted. Work is about to start on new superheater elements. The centre big-end has been re-metalled (and is being machined), while the overhaul of cylinder block fittings is nearly finished. Low pressure slide valves are being bedded in. Also at the RPSI’s Whitehead works, the boiler of Great Northern Railway (Ireland) S
class 4-4-0 No. 171 Slieve Gullion has been blast-cleaned and is being prepared for nondestructive testing to establish the thickness of plates and any defects such as broken stays. The RPSI’s Hudswell Clarke 0-4-0ST Guinness No. 3 (1152/1919) is out of service awaiting overhaul. RPSI locos currently in traffic are GS&WR J15 0-6-0 No. 186 and D&SER K2 2-6-0 No. 461.
WORKSHOP NEWS Holden F5 main frame plates produced
WHEN the main frame plates for The Great Western Society’s new 2-8-0 No. 4709 were cut at Tata Steel Europe Ltd in Halesowen, West Midlands (RM Headline News, June), the frame plates for The Holden F5 Steam Locomotive Trust’s new-build 2-4-2T were also cut. At the same time, the centre frame stretcher and the guard irons for the GER class M15 (LNER/BR class F5), which will be No. 67218, were produced – all components being cut from 1in steel. The project, formed in mid2000 to produce an F5, now has the basis of its locomotive. A collection of components has been built up in advance of this significant step forward.
GWR 2-8-0T ‘returns’ for restoration completion
THE chassis of GWR 2-8-0T No. 4270 has returned to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway, having been restored at a private Midlands location. The
last November) has been shunted around the yard to check all was well. A return around August/September is conceivable if no problems arise, but entering service in time for the Santa season is more likely.
position, probably by the end of May. Completing this repair is viewed as turning a corner in its restoration. Work will now largely concentrate on putting components back onto sound frames.
Downpatrick O&K End of June for GWRPG almost set for steam test Pannier overhaul finish
This dramatic image shows the plasma-cutting process in operation producing the main frame plates for the Holden F5 Steam Locomotive Trust’s new-build 2-4-2T (from inch thick steel) in midMarch. This process is accurate and leaves a very good finish, as well as being very fast. HOLDEN F5 STEAM LOCOMOTIVE TRUST loco originally arrived at the G-WR (in ex-Barry condition) in mid-July 2003 after being bought from the Swansea Vale Railway by Jeremy Hosking. Still some way from completion, the remaining restoration will take place at Toddington with the finished loco running on the G-WR.
Norwegian to return by end of the year
THE boiler of the Kent & East Sussex Railway’s ex-NSB 2-6-0 No. 376 Norwegian (K&ESR No. 19) has been brought up to full steam pressure (out of frames) and the chassis (re-wheeled at Rolvenden
THE Downpatrick & County Down Railway’s O&K 0-4-0T No. 1 (OK12475/34) was being prepared for a steam test at the end of April. If all goes well, the cladding, tanks and cab will then be fitted. The loco, being restored by the RPSI at Whitehead under contract, is urgently needed at Downpatrick to provide steam services this season (RM, June).
FITTING new tubes to The Great Western Railway Preservation Group’s Pannier No. 9682 at Southall was completed by the end of April, with an official inspection imminent. The group anticipates completing the overhaul at the end of June, following which the Pannier is expected to go on hire to the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway.
Rear frame replacement Apprentice-owned work for MR-B ‘Jinty’ WASTAGE below the bunker of the Barclay stripped Midland Railway – Butterley’s “Jinty”No. 47445 was so severe it had spread into the rear part of the frames. The section from behind the rear axleboxes has been removed and a replacement assembly will be welded into
ANDREW Barclay 0-4-0ST 1210/1911 (bought by Ryan Pope - reported last month) arrived at the WSRA’s Williton engineering base on April 28. By May 4, it had been largely stripped with the boiler and cab removed.
July 2012 • The Railway Magazine • 69