We start with the news that the FRT’s ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST Cumbria passed its formal 14 month steam test last Wednesday and successfully operated a test train in readiness for traffic this year at the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway. Thanks to Matt Anderson at Embsay for making this happen.
Back at Preston, work continued on the overhaul of GER Royal Saloon No. 5. John Dixon has been checking over each of the repaired gas lamp housings and ensuring that tops and bottoms of each housing fit sweetly when paired up.
There has been more work inside the coach to remove old varnish, undertaken by Roger and Fred (pictured here) plus Ed and John Davis. Phil Bell has been attending to the doors and associated fittings to ensure that they all work satisfactorily.
Keith has welcomed the arrival of three sheets of steel which will keep him busy repairing Wootton Hall‘s tender tank whilst Ade has been working on Caliban’s pistons.
Sam and Tim had a productive time on Friday cleaning out scale from FR 20’s foundation ring using an air line and even the vacuum cleaner, which accessed the ring through the mudholes. We will be starting to put FR 20 back together this week in readiness for its appearance at the RSR’s Steam Gala on the 26th and 27th March.
Finally, work has continued on 5643 at Bury with last Tuesday’s working party re-fitting the smokebox door which has had its inner plate patched up.
The motion has also been re-fitted in anticipation of receiving the valves back from Tyseley Loco Works, where the valve spindles are being skimmed to rectify wear.
There have been further working parties to Bury to remove 5643’s pistons so that any swarf resulting from the valve re-bores could be removed. 
The pistons have now been re-fitted, with John Dixon seen coaxing one of the pistons into position.
Tim has been working with John Dixon to repair the gas light housing turrets prior to re-fitting.
Ade has refitted the second of Caliban’s front buffers, which had to be removed to enable the re-bore of the cylinders to take place.
Sam has been cleaning up Caliban’s regulator handle with emery paper.
Paul Newton has set about restoring the Furness Railway bench that was brought to Preston recently by Jim Kay.
Keith has been progressing the fabrication of Wootton Hall’s reverser control.
Finally, a visit to Scruton on the Wensleydale Railway on Saturday found the former Vickers Gun Range signalbox (previously donated by the FRT) looking in good shape. It is planned to site this permanently at Leyburn to control a loop that is being installed.
Another very short update this week, but one that reflects in picture style (thanks, Sam) the important work that has been carried out on 5643 at Bury in the past weeks.
Last week saw the valve liners being re-bored to cure anomalies. As you will see, it has been necessary to remove the front buffer beam and bridge plate above the slide bars.
Details of the new diameters of the valve liners have been conveyed to Tyseley Locomotive Works where the valves, with newly fitted rings, should be ready at the end of next week.
The most noticeable progress is with GER Royal Saloon No. 5 where the new canvas was magically uplifted on to the roof.
The idea is that the canvas should be allowed to settle for a few days before being bonded to the roof with bonding paste – perhaps a week on Wednesday when we have all the necessary implements assembled.
The gas lamp housings have received further attention with John Dixon seen here marrying a restored top to the lower turret section which inserts through the roof from below. Like the upper element of the housing, the turrets are also in need of repairs, which are now in hand.
Inside the coach John Davis has been removing old paint from the corridor ceiling.
Fred has continued with the job of removing paint from the roof rain strips.
Elsewhere, Roger is seen giving Fluff‘s horn a coat of paint. Keith has been making lots of noise inside Wootton Hall’s tender tank and finding a few additional holes in the process! Ade has also been competing for noise levels whilst modifying Caliban’s brake blocks.
New star plates have been made and fitted to the big ends; the previous star plates had come to the end of their lives and were allowing the big end wedge bolt to loosen when in service.
A new taper pin has been fitted to the fireman’s side injector water handle.
The smokebox door cross bar has been replaced after the original had become warped.
The smokebox door has been removed and is seen being sanded down by Embsay’s chairman, Rob Shaw, before being given a fresh coat of paint.
Ade has spent time this week adjusting Caliban’s brake blocks to enable a better fit on the wheels,
Ron Crowe is seen here setting up the drill in order to put some holes in brass flanges for Wootton Hall.
John Dixon has completed the final repairs to the roof of GER Royal Saloon No. 5 which is now clear of all obstructions and ready for painting. Phil Bell has finished splicing new wood into the damaged areas of the wooden canvas retaining strips that run at cantrail height along the coach.
One of the final roof jobs to be undertaken is the repair of the gas lamp housings. Seven of the eight housings require a visit to the FRT’s very own Repair Shop where Tim has been attending to the ‘tin worm’ – the first of the housings is seen here on Friday before and after treatment.
John Dixon has been undertaking final repairs to the roof of GER Royal Saloon No. 5.
Meanwhile Phil has been busy drilling more screw holes in them!
John Davis has been cleaning paint off the gas lamp housings.
Roger has been cleaning the gas lamp housing rims.
The roof is now totally stripped and a coat of primer is planned over the coming week.
The damp inside Wootton Hall’s tender tank has dissipated now that it is situated inside the heated shed. Keith has been cleaning out the inside of the tank in preparation for welding repairs.
On the outside of the tank. Tim has been cleaning corrosion on the bottom angle of the tank and filling and sanding where necessary.
Finally, Ade has been assembling the brake gear on Caliban and has found that the brake blocks now need machining to give a good fit following the tyre turning that took place many years ago.
Back to current activities and we can report that a successful working party was held at Bury last Tuesday to prepare 5643 for the re-bore of its valve liners, which is due to take place at the end of this month.
As can be seen, it has been necessary to remove the front buffer beam.
John Dixon, Sam Middleton, Keith Brewer and Adrian Tomkinson pose for the camera, which appears to have been ‘photo bombed’ by the gas cylinders.
Meanwhile John Dixon has uncovered some lincrusta wallpaper on the ceiling of the kitchen compartment in GER No. 5 whilst removing the water tank. It was suggested that this may be an opportunity to reinstate the lincrusta, but it has to be said that John didn’t seem too keen on reviving his lincrusta papering skills that he learned when the North London Railway carriage was restored at Appleby!
The tanks was lifted from supporting blocks.
Then the Ribble Rail lads ensured that the tender chassis was quickly moved underneath.
The fitting went every smoothly and the whole job was completed safely in less than 15 minutes. Well done to all.
Once back inside the shed Keith was busy fitting temporary bolts to hold down the tank.
There has been good progress with GER Royal Saloon GER No. 5. Neil and Caitlin came in on the 31st December, Neil to clean the inside of the coach of debris deposited when items were removed from the roof, and Caitlin to strip paint from roof rain strips.
Removing paint from the wooden side retaining strips has also devoured a great deal of time with Phil Burton seen here setting up a planing machine to clean the straight edges.
Meanwhile John Davis used a heat gun on the process.
The gas lamp housings are being cleaned up by Ed and the corrosion revealed now needs some attention as can be seen here.
Phil Bell has been employed making plugs to fill old screw holes in the retaining strips. Meanwhile Tim has completed the sanding of the roof boards.
Now that Caliban has been lowered on to its wheels, Ade has been undertaking some early spring cleaning.
Alan has been emptying his garage and has located some of Caliban’s brass items which Sam brought in for cleaning and storage. Alan and Sam have also been taking measurements of Caliban’s smokebox in order that a quote for a replacement can be obtained.
Christmas may well be nearly upon us but that hasn’t stopped work in the FRT shed. The major happening last Wednesday was a pre-Christmas shunt of the shed which moved Wootton Hall’s tender chassis to the front of the heated section of the shed. It can be seen here making its first appearance in daylight since being re-wheeled earlier in the year. There is a plan to fit the tender tank on top of the chassis on Wednesday, 5th January, hence the need to move it nearer to the shed entrance.
Keith has continued to work on Wootton Hall‘s boiler cladding, making up some of the more difficult (origami?!) pieces around the front of the firebox which bend in various planes.
The last of the bonding compound that held the previous canvas in place has now been removed from the roof of GER Royal Saloon No. 5, and the aforementioned shunt allowed the hydraulic platform to be positioned at the west end of the vehicle to allow the end pieces of wood that hold the canvas in place to be removed.
Phil Burton has been removing old paint from the roof rain strips from GER No. 5.
Fred, having previously cleaned the paint off the torpedo vents, has commenced the task of adding new paint.
John Davis continued his quest to paint every nook and cranny in Fluff‘s cab.
Roger spent Friday giving the fire pump a 300 gallon service and clean, in readiness for its next use.