Restoration

The loco has been under the Trust's ownership since 2016 and this page provides a timeline for each year of restoration.

2020

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The locomotive frames have all received a covering of at least one-coat undercoat on top of the anticorrosive that was applied when shotblasted - the shade of grey shown will later be replaced with a correct Venetian red!
Old Tyres off – the gas burners are being positioned around the old tyre. When the heat has been applied for a while a quick tap with a sledgehammer and the old metal falls off.

New Tyres on – the process is reversed to fit the new one – the tyre is heated and then the wheel centre dropped in – cooling and contraction makes a snug fit then a retaining system (the Gibson Ring) is fitted to make completely secure.

2019

Axleboxes cleaned – prior to refurbishment work which will be undertaken when the newly turned axles return from work at the South Devon Railway. The axle dimensions will be measured and the axleboxes matched to the most suitable one to ensure we can obtain the maximum wear from existing components and have to replace as few as possible. The wearing surface can be seen (the curved piece) and can be re-metalled if the bronze part is not too badly worn.
This pair of new drawhook shackles were acquired, even though it will be some time before they are needed - we will take every opportunity to join in with bulk purchases of items that will be required – these shackles were part of a batch manufactured by the West Somerset Railway and bought by many loco owning groups
The loco frames and wheelsets were shot blasted and covered with an anti-corrosive coating – 50 years-worth of rust removed by thecontractors - the image shows the bare metal before at least three coats of the anti-corrosive paint was sprayed on then the volunteers moved in to start the undercoating to get the maximum protection before the marquee was removed.
Here the wheels have just been removed – designed to provide full access for the shot blasting – in this image the frames are lifted on the 50 ton jacks ready for the accommodation bogies to be placed underneath – ensuring the frames are mobile and can be shunted outside the shed - the shot blasting must be carried out in a secure area - in our case we hired a marquee - to ensure the balsting medium can be contained and not damage any other equipment.
A new pair of accommodation bogies has been manufactured to ensure that we can remain mobile while our wheels are sent away for the required work – these are the bogie frames prior to delivery – the wheels were in the machine shop at Toddington having the axle holes drilled and final assembly.
Manufacture of our new cab gets underway – the part completed structure is pictured on display at the May 2019 GWSR gala.

2018

Work begins on the Eccentric Strap manufacture – the first task was to obtain the blank metal and have the rough shapes flame cut then the precision machining can begin.  An early task was to produce a drawing of the finished product and then plan how to get the blanks cut from the minimum size plate. In the background to the image are the eccentrics themselves that the straps must be machined to fit (these components are central to the timing of the way steam is admitted to the cylinders).
The old cab is dismantled, the plate work is so badly corroded that non is reusable – as many parts as possible were salvaged, especially grab handles and the angle iron framework which was treated and is being reused - the old metal platework was kept for use as templates. Though the new platework is being prepared from original drawings we are aware that the ironwork recovered is not identical to those drawings.
Heritage Lottery Grant secured – training and development projects get underway.

2017

Boiler work - once the boiler was removed from the frames and placed on the ground, work could start to  get years of rust removed with a needlegun and then anti-corrosive protection applied. Volunteer Roger Tipton hard at work.

Pair of expansion links acquired – nearly new and surplus to another owning group’s requirements – half the price of new.

Non-destructive testing of the boiler undertaken - to establish detailed restoration requirements and where platework needs to be replaced. We are already aware that the lower firebox outer steel platework, some doorplate and throatplate will have to be replaced but no further unwelcome news.

2016

The Restoration Story begins, but to start you have to take everything apart!

Boiler lifted out of the frames - easier to say than do as 50 years of rust and corrosion was holding it in. The boiler was then placed on stands to allow full access to start restoration process. This image is actually of a later lift when we had to move the boiler so that building work could start at Toddington on a new welfare block for the volunteers – you will see that the boiler has now been preserved with a coating of anti-corrosive paint.
Old Cab removed – this is essential to allow the boiler to be lifted from the frames.

Smoke box removed – badly corroded and not re-usable, but the chimney was salvaged.
Old boiler tubes removed, these cannot be reused and must be removed to allow full internal inspection of the boiler, the tube plate that these are fixed to at the front of the boiler is scrap and was cut away to make tube removal easier. Wheelsets swapped – replaced with a historically accurate set from another locomotive.
Remains of Ashpan removed - the image shows the ashes from the last fire from 1963 still in evidence - the bricks in the pile were part of the "brick arch" from the firebox - the large hammer is one of the "precision tools" that was needed to remove the ashpan.
Brake rigging dismantled – all parts catalogued, cleaned and given coat of anti-corrosive - all of these items had to come off before the loco coulod be lifted off its wheels.

 

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