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News from the Locomotive Department

28 September 2001


Front view of loco

BR Standard class 4 tank engine No 80151 is nearing completion and is planned to run in the Giants of Steam (2) event on 27 and 28 October. More details and pictures

View of loco

Work continues on Dukedog No 3217 Earl of Berkeley. A new smokebox front has been fabricated using a novel technique. More details and pictures

View of loco

Work continues on U class No 1638 with the making of boiler cladding sheets. More details

View of loco

Work continues on P class No 1178 with the completion of drilling of the new front tubeplate. Construction of the new smokebox is the next task. More details

View of loco

Work continues on the tender of Schools class No 928 Stowe with the removal of life-expired parts. More details and pictures

View of Baxter Baxter's repair job has started with removal of parts, seen here whilst it still stands in Turner's siding on 16 September. After the next visit of a crane to move 27's boiler out of the way, the ground alongside the Villa is to be concreted, and Baxter will be dismantled there. The vacuum ejector has now been designed; this will use standard components but utilising a small ejector cone only.

View of Baxter No 27 has been receiving some attention designed to help the work to come. Mechanical parts have been doused in various oils to aid their dismantling. Consideration has lately been given to starting work on its boiler soon with the aim of dismantling it to assess whether the work required to repair it. When the concrete pad beside the Villa is laid No 27's complete frame section will be placed there for dismantling. This picture shows the most corroded part of the frames where some replacement may be required.

View of loco The Brighton Atlantic Project is making progress with work on the tender frame. More details and pictures, including an interesting bit of history.

View of loco The casting pattern for making new cylinders for Terriers is all but finished, and plans are being made for a trial casting. More details and pictures.

View of loco Stepney had a repair done to its cylinders in the early summer this year. More details and pictures.

View of loco A new (to Bluebell) horizontal boring machine has been installed in the works. The old machine was not large enough to machine such items as Terrier cylinders or the largest axleboxes such as those from the S15, but this new one will be able to tackle any jobs we are likely to need to do. It is a "Number 3 Size" made by H W Kearns & Co in Manchester, and was obtained on very favourable terms through one of our workshop volunteers.

View of loco Broken springs continue to be a problem, and after some difficulties and expense getting them repaired outside, some are now being done in the works. Seen here (leaning against 1178's new tubeplate) a West Country spring is having the top two leaves replaced using new strips of spring steel.

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