Month: April 2025

Progress continues to be made on the ten year overhaul of Great Western Railway 0-6-2T No. 5643. Ed is seen here fitting new stays on the backhead of the firebox.

Two pairs of feet can be seen in the left hand side tank of 5643 as John and Ed get to grips with cleaning the internal metalwork.

With the weather forecast showing rain in the coming days it was quickly decided to apply a top coat of black paint to one side of the side tank.

Meanwhile, with Furness Railway No. 20’s trip to the Tanfield Railway drawing closer, work has been taking place to refit the spark arrestor that was last used many years ago and was brought back on the lorry from Locomotion, Shildon, when FR 20 came home to Preston in 2018. Unfortunately, it has been discovered that some of the bits are missing, so John has been cutting new pieces of steelwork.

Whilst Alan has been making new cleats to fasten the spark arrestor together. Before its trip to the north east FR 20 is scheduled to operate passenger trains at the Ribble Steam Railway over the Easter period.

We are pleased to announce that Furness Railway 0-4-0 locomotive No. 20 will be visiting the Tanfield Railway for the first two weekends in May. FR 20 last visited the Tanfield Railway in September 2008 and it is appropriate that it heads back to the north east in this 200th Anniversary year of the first public railway, the Stockton and Darlington Railway, which opened on the 27th September 1825.
Talking of FR 20, it made its first operational appearance of 2025 this last weekend at the Ribble Steam Railway’s Spring Steam Gala, which featured five locomotives and also the Furness Railway Trust’s Great Eastern Railway royal saloon no. 5 of 1898. This time the Gala offered brake van rides using the ‘Queen Mary’ bogie brake van, which proved to be very popular. Saturday was particularly busy and Phil and Anne Burton staffed the sales stand whilst there was a second-hand book sale in the FRT shed. It was pleasing to see that the winter maintenance on FR 20, which saw the left inside motion dismantled, had been successful, with the locomotive operating smoothly. Alan is seen here at the regulator making sure that all is well.

Elsewhere, work has continued on the overhaul of Great Western Railway 0-6-2T No. 5643. The good weather on Wednesday allowed outdoor work to proceed and we see Sim here applying some filler to the cab roof.