Restoration Progress

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secr

Now In Active Service!! Launched at the Centennial

July 1999

 

65 gets coaled upHere's a sneak preview of how she's looking now. With just 10 days to go to the August 7th/8th "do" the engine is very close to being finished. On Sunday the 25th July the engine was rolled out of the workshops temporarily, to load it with coal, as the weight was needed to check out a spring problem. I was able to get a couple of shots for your interest. Sure the shiny brass dome and valve cover have to be fitted yet, and there is still chalk from the painters tender initialling work, but as you can see she looks sensational!

It would seem that the rods that hold the springs in line above the axle boxes are a matched set, but the rods arrived in a box all mixed up. this meant that some springs were slack and some hard up against the stop. A process of tender weighing and jacking has therefore had to be gone through in order for the correct location for the correct spring rod to be found. An unwanted hassle but there's no way round it I'm afraid.

 

The great Wainwright colour scheme

There will be a steam test in the week ahead. Normally this would be done with the boiler still out of the frames, but as the boiler was in such good condition and the time was ever pressing I guess, the decision was made to press on and get the boiler fitted. Lets hope it passes!! This done, all that remains then are the routine testing and clearance runs etc that always follow a general overhaul of any locomotive. Find out about the big day, the SECR centennial event at the Bluebell Railway from http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/secr100.html

 

front end view


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