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Locomotives - Operational Locos - Locos under overhaul - Locos on static display - Locos formerly based on the Bluebell Loco Roster - Loco Stock List - Loco Works News - Join the Loco Dept Fenchurch's New WheelsFenchurch was taken out of service in 1988 when a crack was found right through the hub of the right leading wheel, because this meant that the wheel could no longer be considered adequately fixed onto the axle. They are the engine's original wheels, made of separate hub spokes and rim, hand-forged by men with hammers. This technology is unavailable now, steel castings having been used for wheels since the 1890s. The only way Fenchurch would run again would be with a new set of wheels.
The machined wheels were assembled on the axle at Swindon, and returned to Sheffield Park. Some time was spent finding a supplier of tyres, and eventually a Belgian firm came up with the goods. The new wheelset was sent away again to have the tyres fitted. The other wheelsets were also sent, so that they all could have the tyres machined to the same profile; this means that the new tyres are not as thick as they could have been, but saves the expense of re-tyring the other four wheels. There is plenty of tyre thicknes there with their fairly low rate of wear.
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