CFR 0-8-0T No. 764.344

Posted on July 7, 2024 by steamguy261

With the success of the loaned visit of former Chattenden & Upnor Railway Manning Wardle built 0-6-2T No. 1 (Works No. 1877) “Chevallier”, from the UK to the newly revived Sibiu Agnita Railway in Transylvania, Romania and a good relationship with the Flour Mill Works at Bream in Gloucestershire in the UK. The newly formed the UK Friends of the Sibiu Agnita Railway (SARUK) have purchased former CFR 0-8-0T No. 764.158 (formerly No. 764.344) for use on the Sibiu Agnita Railway. No. 764.158 is being shipped to the UK for a full overhaul at the Flour Mill Works at Bream in Gloucestershire.

— Russell Newman

LNER A4 Pacific News

Posted on June 27, 2023 by steamguy261

The second tender from ex LNER A4 Pacific No. 4464 “Bittern” which was formerly used by No. 4472 (60103) “Flying Scotsman” during the late 1960s to the 1970s is being returned for use on the mainline again for use with sister LNER A4 Pacific No. 60007 “Sir Nigel Gresley” and LNER A2 Pacific No. 60532 “Blue Peter” and “Bittern” again as part of improvedments for the increase range for mainline steam running on the National Network for Locomotive Services Ltd. The second tender is currently at LNWR Heritage at Crewe where it is undergoing re-engineering work which is ongoing as it has a history of poor ride quality, while its buckeye coupler is being replaced with a shackle coupler. The plan is to have the second tender ready for No. 60532 “Blue Peter” in 2024, but if completed sooner it will be tested with No. 60007 “Sir Nigel Gresley”.

— Russell Newman

BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 No. 76079

Posted on June 11, 2023 by steamguy261

BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 No. 76079 has been withdrawn from service following firebox defects and is in need of a new copper tubeplate along with other work needed on the firebox. No. 76079 is now awaiting another overhaul, but there have been reports that she could be for sale but the North Yorkshire Moors Railway have stated that she is not for sale, however although No. 76079 is “not actively” on the market that if anyone has a six-figures sum to spend on it they may sell it??

GWR Saint Class 4-6-0 No. 2999 “Lady of Legend”

Posted on December 27, 2022 by steamguy261

This is the story and history of new-re-build GWR Saint Class 4-6-0 No. 2999 “Lady of Legend”. The Siants or 2900 Class 4-6-0 was a successful GWR Edwardian design of early express passenger 4-6-0 by George Jackson Churchward. They were built at a time of modernisation on the Great Western Railway in the 1900s. Three prototyes of the Siant Class were built between 1902 and 1905 for testing before they went into production at Swindon from 1905 to 1913 which 77 were built. Sadly none of the orignal 77 Saints survivied as the last one was withdrawn and scrapped in 1953. No. 2999 “Lady of Legend” is the 78th member of the Siant or 2900 Class to be built. The story is the Siant class was later developed into Collett’s smaller wheeled GWR Hall Class Mixed traffic 4-6-0’s which in 1924 No. 2925 “Saint Martin” was rebuilt with the smaller six feet wheels and renumbered No. 4900 to become the prototype of the 4900 Hall Class. The project to build No. 2999 started way back in the 1970s when a group of Great Western Society members bought No. 4942 “Maindy Hall” from Barry Scrapyard for a re-consruction to be a brand new Siant Class 4-6-0. The build used the frames from No. 4942 which were modified to make the newbuild Siant have a much stronger frames then the originals and other parts such as the boiler too. The building of No. 2999 was a mix of brand new parts and recycled GWR parts from No. 4942 used in the construction of the locomotive which was completed in 2019. Since her launch into traffic No. 2999 “Lady of Legend” has filled the missing gap in Great Western Locomotives and is a very popular locomotive at Didcot and on the heritage railway circuit.

No. 35028 “Clan Line” Down for Heavy Maintenance

Posted on October 25, 2022 by steamguy261

The famous ex Southern Railway rebuilt Bulleid Merchant Navy Class Pacific No. 35028 “Clan Line” has had to be withdrawn from service for the rest of the year for heavy repairs to be carried out. As work to completed to repair the thermic syphons found on “Clan Line” at Stewarts Lane Depot. It had become clear though that more work is needed on the locomotive, and as a result, the Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society have withdrawn the locomotive from hauling any more railtours in 2022. No. 35028 will leave Stewarts Lane for the work to be carried out by an external contracts for the work which will also see a retube of the boiler and superheater elements will be fitted, and once these tasks have been completed and a hydraulic test and checks complete before “Clan Line” returns to Stewarts Lane where it is hoped the locomotive will be back on the mainline again in 2023.

— Russell Newman

Restoration of 0-6-0T No. 30075

Posted on October 21, 2022 by steamguy261

A milestone was reached today in the overhaul of Yugoslavian built pirate copy Class 62 USA 0-6-0T No. 30075 (JZ 62.669) as the boiler and cab were refitted to the frames of the locomotive. No. 30075 is now in its final stages of its overhaul as the locomotive is expected to enter service again in 2023.

— Russell Newman

Great Western Railway 2-8-0 No. 3814

Posted on July 27, 2022 by steamguy261

The tender of former GWR 2884 Class 2-8-0 No. 3814 has now been completed from restoration and has been sent to Tyseley Locomotive Works where it will be used on loan with the Betton Grange Society for use with their new build GWR Grange Class 4-6-0 No. 6880 “Betton Grange” while its own tender is under construction. Work on No. 3814 it self slow but the hire of its tender will help with funding of its restoration as new tires will be fitted to the wheels and work on the boiler can begin.

—Russell Newman

The Flying Scotsman

Posted on July 23, 2022 by steamguy261

The visit of ex LNER A3 Pacific No. 60103 “Flying Scotsman” to the Bluebell Railway over August and early September 2022 has sadly been posponed due to the discovery of a a broken piston ring which had damaged the locomotive’s cylinder. Despite the best efforts of Riley & Son Engineering Ltd. who are custodians of the locomotive for the National Railway Museum and a team from the Bluebell Railway the the ring could not be replaced in time for her scheduled visit next month which this is in part due to global supply chain delays. So the visit of the worlds most famous steam locomotive to the Bluebell Railway will instead take place in 2023 during her 100th birthday celebrations.

Isle of Man Railway 2-4-0T No. 7 “Tynwald”

Posted on July 18, 2022 by steamguy261

The remains of former Isle of Man Railways Beyer-Peacock built 2-4-0T No. 7 have been relocated to Fengate Farm at Weeting in Norfolk. As they have been placed in front of the 5ft gauge former Finnish State Railways 2-8-2 No. 1060 next to the Fengate Farm Light Railway there.