June Update

 

It may have been quiet on the website but it’s been all systems go with our project. At the Locomotive Maintenance Services Ltd works in Loughborough the tender is slowly taking shape. This may seem a little “cart before horse” but there is good sense in turning the myriad of tender parts into a moveable item that can be shunted around the works, giving the LMS team better access to the more complex task of rebuilding the locomotive.

 

As you can see here, the newly cut tender frames are well on the way with the necessary machining and drilling that will allow them to receive the parts salvaged from the rotten, rusted and wasted predecessor. With the tender wheels, axles, tyres and bushes completely refurbished by South Devon Railway Engineering Ltd, the creation of a rolling chassis is not far off. Once that has been constructed then the arrival of the new tender tank this autumn will see us start to apply the first brush strokes of North Eastern Railway livery.

 

SDRE Ltd have also similarly refurbished the driving wheels including new crank pins. Elsewhere on the locomotive the many parts have been refurbished and stored ready for rebuilding. This refurbishment has included specialist cast iron welding of major fault and also welding to make good some minor cracks, such as on the cylinder block.

 

Meanwhile in Cumbria, the restoration of our 1902 H2 pattern NER Stores Van nears completion. Were it not for the many delays imposed upon us by the pandemic it would have been finished some months ago but instead we look forward to seeing it in as new condition this Autumn. The exterior is largely complete with the major tasks outstanding being the fitting of new roof canvas that has to be carried out in conjunction with the installation of the raised roof ducket.

 

Inside the vehicle is similarly on the home straight with the restoration here being in two distinct approaches; the crew compartment being returned to as close to 1902 condition as our research allows, and the main body showing the workings of the van whilst incorporating our Interpretation material being designed for us by Minerva Heritage Ltd.

 

This has been a painstaking and first-class restoration; we can’t wait to see it in the station platform at Kirkby Stephen East!