The Restoration Story
The loco has been under the Trust's ownership since 2016 and this page provides a timeline for each year of restoration.
2021
New frame stretcher – ready for riveting in place.
Badly corroded steelwork.
New replacement pieces being fabricated.
The new pieces clamped in place – ready for welding then the whole section will be riveted in place – once this is secure, the old buffer beam can be removed and the new one riveted. Below the new section, the drag box can be seen – this will also be replaced as part of the riveting exercise.
2020
The eccentric straps have progressed but there is still some way to go before these are completed
Axle boxes all cleaned ready for refurbishment
The accomodation bogies were assembled and painted - the wheels came as castings and needed machining for axles and greasing points
Help came from the Lottery Heritage Fund with a grant for additional small tools (to reduce sharing) and lots of PPE to ensure we could make progress as soon as some restrictions were lifted
This time its Tina in full protective equipmemt using the angle grinder - these rivets are not giving up without a real fight!
Work continued to remove the rear buffer beam and frame stretcher in preparation for new steelwork being riveted in place - here Andrew is drilling a pilot hole before using the mag drill (seen in position behind him) to remove the old rivets
The finished valve bore - this was liberally coated with petroleum jelly and wooden covers fitted to ensure no deterioration
The equipmemt itself is "heritage" having been rescued from a BR workshop
The valve chest boring was completed under the supervision of contractors from Tyseley Loco Works - Stuart can be seen setting up the equipment
Painting next - the sets received 2 coats of anti-corrosive primer, 3 coats undercoat, 3 coats black gloss - and the machined parts were liberally coated in waxoyl and denso tape to ensure no rusting before we are ready to rewheel
The wheelsets arrive back at Toddington from South Devon


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






2018



2017

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!


Smoke box removed – badly corroded and not re-usable, but the chimney was salvaged.


