The big news this week is that GWR 0-6-2T No. 5643’s boiler was lifted out of the frames for assessment and repair in foul weather last Friday afternoon.
Part of the operation involved removing the ashpan from underneath 5643’s firebox before it could be settled down on the weltrol. Keith is seen here applying some heat to release the retaining bolts.
Prior to that, Caliban’s boiler had been lifted to a position alongside the shed to make way for 5643’s boiler on the weltrol. 5643’s bunker has also been lifted off for inspection and repairs.
Other work has continued on 5643 with Ed descaling one of the tanks in between the showers last Wednesday.
Upholstering of Great Eastern Railway royal saloon No. 5 is still in full swing with a glimpse here of work on the new foam bench seat in the guard’s compartment.
John Davis has removed the carpet in the east saloon and is seen removing a door step and unwanted tacks from the floor.
John Dixon has been giving the royal loo a good clean…..
…..whilst Tim has given the loo seat a coat of varnish – think he got the better of the two jobs!
Finally, for FRT members, just to let you know that Alan has been busy putting together the latest edition of The Iron Horse magazine which, hopefully, should be sent off for printing this week.
Not sure who/how Keith is identifying as this week, as the current vogue goes, but he (other pronouns are available) is seen here setting up the gas torch.
He (They?!) then set about removing another stubborn smokebox retaining nut in readiness for the boiler lift.
John Dixon has been fitting the remaining lights in Great Eastern Railway royal saloon No. 5.
Finally, the chaise longue in the east saloon of GER No. 5 is almost complete, courtesy of Anne and Phil Burton. Meanwhile, John Davis and Tim have been fitting moquette in the guard’s compartment of GER No. 5.
The replacement light fittings and door handles for Great Eastern Railway royal saloon No. 5 have now been delivered, courtesy of 3D printing technology.
John Dixon has been occupied making adjustments to the light holders to accommodate the slightly different sized glass that had to be used for a couple of the lights.
The upholstery team of Anne and Phil Burton have been making good progress with the new cushions for the chaise longue. Only another two cushions to go!
Many are naturally asking about Furness Railway No. 20 which suffered a mechanical failure on May 20th at the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway. The damaged right hand cylinder cover has been despatched to Cast Iron Welding Services at Coalville for assessment and we await their verdict. Back at Blaenavon the front buffer beam of the locomotive has been removed to facilitate access and to enable the necessary motion repairs to be undertaken. We are grateful to the people at Blaenavon and the West Somerset Railway for their assistance in furthering the repairs. The above photograph of FR 20 minus its front beam was kindly supplied by the P&BR.
Back at Preston, the work to prepare GWR 0-6-2T No. 5643 for the removal of its boiler has proceeded apace. As the photo illustrates, all the cladding has been removed and most of the smokebox retaining nuts have now been removed.
Alen Johnson has started the uncomfortable job of removing the concrete from the smokebox.
Meanwhile Keith has been busy re-painting the inside faces of the cladding and also the crinolines. All being well it is hoped to be able to arrange for a crane to remove the boiler in the next couple of weeks.
There have been a couple of steps forward in the restoration of Peckett 0-4-0ST Caliban where a replacement piston head has appeared courtesy of Russell Walker. In addition, John Dixon and Sam recently had a fruitful visit to the National Railway Museum where they we able to obtain drawings for the missing motion brasses. It looks as if John is going to be busy making patterns in the coming weeks.
The first of the seat bases for the chaise longue in the east saloon of Great Eastern Railway royal saloon No. 5 has been re-upholstered by Phil and Anne Burton; only another four bases to go!
John Davis has been tackling the job of preparing the royal toilet fittings for a coat of varnish.
Last Friday saw the FRT, team, bolstered on the day by Sam who had driven down from Preston and arrived at 08.00, join the Pontypool & Blaenavon Railway’s own people in preparing Furness Railway No. 20 for a test steaming and a trip down the line in readiness for the three scheduled return trips on Saturday and Sunday. We were immediately made welcome and tea served, a good start to the day, and that hospitality endured over the weekend. We have to compliment the P&B Loco department on its superb efforts to make FR 20 shine from top to bottom, something very much appreciated by the passengers the following day.
The test run revealed that the nine days of steamings at Didcot had made the boiler water incompatible with opening the regulator wide, the chalky water causing the loco to prime.
A change of water then ensued before the following day’s steamings.
Sunday was spent further examining FR 20 and preparing it for a return journey back to Preston to repairs. However, the FRT has this morning received the kind offer of assistance from the West Somerset Railway’s mechanical engineering department, which has a good relationship with the P&BR. A further examination of FR 20 will therefore take place on Wednesday including some non-destructive testing of components, after which it is hoped to be able to put together a plan of action for repairs. We will keep our readers informed as to progress.
Luckily, Alan was delighted to help out in solving the dilemma! 
Work has continued apace in the FRT shed at Preston on dismantling GWR 0-6-2T No. 5643 and cleaning its components. The superheater header was removed last Wednesday.
Ron Crowe is seen cleaning up one of the steam pipes.
There has also been progress with the restoration of Great Eastern Railway royal saloon No. 5 with the kitchen starting to look ready for business. Both work tops have been installed and the kitchen cupboards given their final coat of varnish.
The sinks and Phil’s new tap have been installed.
We now need to install some running water. Phil is seen testing the new water tank with assistance from Keith.
Furness Railway No. 20 successfully completed the last of its nine steamings at Didcot on Monday, 1st May. For this weekend it was paired with two Great Western Railway coaches of a more modern vintage than previously.
John Dixon and Sam joined Tim on the 1st May to prepare FR 20 for its forward movement to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway. This included loading the coupling rod that had been acquired for No. 4979 Wootton Hall.
Sam then received it in the tender.
Back at Preston, last Wednesday saw Caliban’s cab being fitted onto the frames courtesy of Ribble Rail’s recently acquired Road Rail Vehicle (RRV).
Once this had been achieved, it was time to remove 5643’s cab roof.
And then the tanks.
Back in the FRT shed, with the tanks removed, Keith has been cleaning oil and grease which is now accessible.
Sam has been cleaning the firebox top cladding.
And Ron Crowe has been polishing the injector pipework.
Work has continued apace on fitting the new kitchen in Great Eastern Railway Royal Saloon No. 5, with Phil taking a deep breath before cutting the all-important holes in the one of the worktops.
The good news is that the new sinks fitted beautifully. Phil is now off to find a tap!
John Davis has been working in the guard’s compartment, seen here fitting some veneer to replace that which had previously been water damaged. It is to be hoped that we can soon arrange for some carpets to be fitted in the saloons, although this will have to wait until the chaise longue upholstery has been completed.
Most of the work to release the cab, tanks and bunker on 5643 has been accomplished and arrangements are being made for lifting equipment to remove them in the not too distant future. Injector pipework has been cleaned up, annealed and is now ready to be polished.
Ed has been cleaning the water balance pipes, which had proved to be a challenge to remove.
After Keith’s visit to Didcot over Easter, where he was able to examine two ‘Hall’ class locos there, he has been forming new copper pipework to connect 4979’s dump valve with the engine’s vacuum cylinder. As can be seen, it is a very long pipe with twist and turn! Keith was also delighted to find a spare ‘Hall’ class coupling rod for which a deal was done. It must be a ‘fit’ as it is actually marked ‘4979’! Just need to get it back to Preston.
Outside, the recent better weather has allowed John Dixon and Ade to remove Caliban’s cab roof, which was definitely the worse for wear through rust.
First of all, FR 20 was coaled up in the old fashioned way from the Didcot
FR 20 worked the “Branch” on Sunday, offering the opportunity for a photo alongside the broad gauge replica Fire Fly.
The trainshed also produced an atmospheric shot of days gone by.
Sunday afternoon and evening was taken up by an organised photo charter.
This involved some physical exertion for Tim!
As can be seen, FR 20 looked very much at home in the shed.
Back at Preston, John Davis has grouted the tiles in the kitchen of Great
Work is well advanced on preparations to enable 5643’s tanks, cab and bunker
As planned, Furness Railway No. 20 was loaded onto a Reid Freight transporter on Wednesday morning before setting off on its journey to Didcot Railway Centre, stopping off at Stoke overnight. After unloading at Didcot yard on Thursday morning the loco was the subject of an ultrasonic examination of its axles and a fitness to run examination before being shunted across the main line into the Didcot Railway Centre on Friday.
There was just time to take a photo of FR 20 posed alongside Great Western Railway ‘Castle’ Class 4-6-0 Pendennis Castle before it was shunted under cover. Alan and Alison have set off to Didcot from Preston today as the advance party although departure was somewhat delayed owing to the failure of the car battery. We hope that their luck improves! Sam, John Dixon and Keith are also heading south to Didcot this weekend.
Meanwhile, the work to dismantle GWR 0-6-2 No. 5643 continues. John Dixon has been uncoupling the steam heat pipework under the bunker.
Sam went into the smokebox before attending to the superheater elements. We are pleased to be able to report that, after a bit of a struggle with one of them, the elements were successfully removed.
Keith is pictured at work with one of the injector water valves.
Work has also continued in Great Eastern Railway Royal Saloon No. 5 where Matthew gave the toilet sink a much needed clean.