Front Cover
A somewhat dramatic departure from Sheffield Park by 'U Class' 1618, sometime in 1989. I'd better not divulge the date or else the locomotive superintendent will be having 'words' with the driver and fireman!
Photograph: Mike Frackiewicz
In this edition click to go further to:
Financial Matters or Restoration report or Allocation History of S15 No.830
| Rodney Packham | Chairman and
Membership Secretary |
132 Church Road, Swanscombe, Kent DA10 0HP. |
| Mike Frackiewicz | Company Secretary | 55 Rectory Lane, Woodmansterne, Banstead, Surrey, SM7 3PE |
| Steve Pilcher | Treasurer and
Newsletter Editor |
52 Thomas More Street, London E1 9LE. |
| George Binns | General Member | 21 Barnfield Close, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 1TS. |
| Felix Cope | General Member | "Feldor", Grassy Lane, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1PL. |
| David Jones | General Member | 22 Manor Road, Hampden Park, Eastbourne, East Sussex. |
| Adrian Pinkess | General Member | 116 Little Heath Road, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 5HW. |
| Barry Smith | General Member | 65 Thayers Farm Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 4LY. |
| Ray Bellingham | President |
Typeset and printed by Lime Tree Litho, Dunton Green, Sevenoaks TN14 5HD
Page 2
Another year has seemingly galloped past at a tremendous pace. We have maintained good progress with 847 and eagerly look forward to its first steaming.
Our working parties have attracted the largest turnouts we have achieved for some time. Morale is high and we all still enjoy the work - even after so many years! It has also been interesting seeing all the developments at Sheffield Park - resurfaced car park - walkways in the shed - new sidings, and shortly - the long-awaited extension to the workshop!
It remains to thank all the Society's loyal members for their continued support and the Directors wish you all an enjoyable and successful New Year.
For those that do not know me I thought that I would write a few lines as an introduction. I have been involved with the rescue and restoration of locomotives from Barry since we first bought 1618 and took her to the yard at New Hythe some twenty years ago. In those early days volunteers were few, but there has always been a hard core of members who would see the project through. We have always been lucky in that we have had working members with engineering skills and this still remains the case. Today I am pleased to report that there are some ten regular volunteers and five not quite so regular who are working towards the restoration of 847. This is a great improvement from our early days and I am confident that with your continued support the work on 847 will be completed in a "reasonable period of time". There is still a lot of work to do on the cylinders and valve gear and this "could" be expensive; there are other jobs, but these should be within our financial and physical capabilities. Finally, I believe we could take on one more locomotive project once 847 has been completed and entered service on the Bluebell Railway. The Directors are looking at the problems connected with this, funding perhaps being the overriding factor in these plans!
Page 3
Since the last report in the Summer Newsletter the following progress has been made:-
Safety valve cover manufactured and installed
Connecting rod big end brasses obtained
New piston valve head castings obtained
Brass window frames fitted in the cab
Boiler cladding virtually completed.
847 in the workshop at Sheffield Park on 14 July 1989. Note the boring bar on the floor, on the left, which has been used to bore out the valve chest. The cladding sheets had yet to be welded and fitted.
Photograph: M. Floate.
A similar photograph appeared in the December Railway World - thank you Handal Kardas.
Page 4
The cladding has preoccupied our working parties for the majority of the year. Each "panel" of cladding has, in some cases, had to be fabricated from up to 4 separate pieces of sheet metal. The panels that are attached around the boiler barrel are now approximately 7' by 10' and are a bit of a struggle to lift on and off the boiler when working on them. Welding up the constituent parts has been no easy task - but the end product is, we believe, quite impressive and worth all the toil. Those of us who have helped in the job have certainly learned a few tricks as well! Peter Hazleden has been busy on and off, cleaning up the coupling rods and two are now virtually complete. It's quite an arduous task removing all the years' accumulated pitting and rusting and we like to try to keep up the momentum on this task whenever someone can be spared.
One of our boiler cladding experts, Adrian Pinkess,
drilling out a hole for a hand rail.
Hope the flash did not distract him.
Photograph: Mike Floate.
Page 5
The Q class was taken into the works in late September and jacked up to allow all the axle boxes to be taken down for examination and remetalling, as required. This work was required as the locomotive had run on a "hot box". In addition, the opportunity was taken to replace the last of the ex-BR tubes and also fit new superheater elements. The locomotive was due out of the works in time to help haul the Santa specials in December. We are grateful to the workshop staff for all their work on 541 this year.
Fred Card and Bernard Wright have been busy painting the van and the work should be finished soon.
An unusual shot of Q class 541 running light engine to Horsted Keynes
Photograph: George Hopkins.
Page 6
We submitted the Newsletter No.19 (Winter 1988) into the ARPS's latest annual competition. It was the first time we had entered an entry for many years and we received the following comments from the three judges:-
"Good neat layout - easy to read and pictures have reproduced quite well. Good design elements on the front cover could be incorporated into a stronger initial image by reversing out the header logo and text. Professional looking production that does its job in a workmanlike manner. Piece de Resistance is the photograph on the last page (photo of the rear view of all 3 tenders of our locomotives. Ed) - surely one of the most apt rear cover photos ever published? Very good indeed for a small locomotive society. Nice and readable - the editor has not fallen into the trap of trying to cram everything in. Very good centre spread."
Well, I am quite happy with comments like that! However, I am always open to suggestions for improvements etc. In particular, I would welcome any articles etc. that anyone would care to write - it gets a bit tedious writing most of the Newsletter!
One of our directors, Adrian Pinkess, has been very resourceful and has arranged for the production of 50 T shirts with the Maunsell Society 'chimney' logo. They have a caption '847 Restoration Project' underneath the logo.
The shirts come in large and extra large sizes and are a light green with yellow lettering. They are in a good quality material which we understand does not shrink very much. All profits will go to the Society and we hope to raise a useful £35 in this way. So far we have sold about 30, so given the limited supply, anyone interested should send a cheque for £5.40 (made payable to A. Pinkess) to 116 Little Heath Road, Bexleyheath, Kent DA7 5HW. The price includes postage.
Centre Pages
859 'Lord Hood' on the Down 'Continental', passing Chelsfield on 8th
August 1939.
Another excellent shot taken by A.P.Dowley.
Page 7
Page 8&9
Sir Lamiel is nearing the end of a full overhaul for BR operating standards and was undergoing a final steam test in mid-November. It was then due to appear at Hull (Paragon) station in the filming of an episode of the BBC TV series "Campion". In December it was due to carry out a loaded test run on BR with a view to being used on BR charter trains in Spring 1990.
Sadly, Sail and Steam, the Brightlingsea based locomotive restoration company has gone into liquidation and the chassis of 825 was up for sale at the time of writing. Apparently, there are rumoured to be a number of groups possibly interested in buying the chassis. More news no doubt in the next Newsletter!
828 is undergoing a very thorough overhaul for BR mainline standards and the work-to-date on the chassis and tender is understood to have been passed as acceptable. In 1989 work centred on removing approximately 290 boiler stays and replacements, made from special arsenical copper have been machined. The motion has been cleaned and bearings remetalled and is ready to be fitted to the chassis. Next year work will again be concentrated on the boiler with a view to it being re-tubed.
In store in the Woodyard siding at Sheffield Park
Understood to have been in regular use on the North Yorks Moors Railway in 1989. One of our working members visited recently in order to take dimensions for new cab doors for 847.
This locomotive's boiler certificate has now expired and it is on static display only at the Carnforth Depot.
Page 10
Cheltenham is being prepared for the new "Great Railway Show" exhibition that is due to open at the National Railway Museum in Spring 1990. The interior of the cab has been repainted and the inside of the chassis and motion attended to. When on exhibition the locomotive will be adjacent to the CIWLT 'Night Ferry' sleeping car. No doubt the Bluebell's Night Ferry Group will be paying a visit!
Cheltenham on tour - far from Charing Cross! The RLTS tour on 13 May 1962 took 30925 and LMS 4-4-0, 40646 to Nottingham Victoria on the 'East Midlander' Railtour.
Photograph: MNLPS.
1989 was certainly a wonderful year for Repton, with its return to the UK in April. It is owned by the American based industrialist, Clifford Brown, who also owns the ex-WD 2-1 0-0 "Vera Lynn". It has now been moved to the North Yorks. Moors Railway and its overhaul has already started (its boiler has been lifted). It will be quite a sight to watch a Schools tackle the steep gradients on the NYMR!
Stowe returned to traffic in Autumn 1898 after new superheater flues had been fitted. Keith Sturt had some frustrating difficulties getting new flue ends, which considerably delayed completion of the work. Although it is due to be in service in 1990, this will be its last year prior to being stopped for the 10 year boiler lift.
Page 11
A new tender tank has been constructed and was delivered to the Mid-Hants Railway in 1989. A suitable tender chassis is available. Work continues on amassing parts etc., but no major visible work has been undertaken to the loco chassis due to other priorities.
In store at the Bluebell Railway in the woodyard sidings. A correct pattern chimney has been purchased and fitted.
This locomotive is understood to have seen some service on the Mid-Hants in 1989 but was due to be withdrawn for its 10 year boiler lift and a fairly major overhaul.
Again, this locomotive was in traffic for a limited period in 1989 but now requires replacement of its flue tubes. Its 10 year boiler certificate was due to expire shortly and it will not return to traffic until a thorough overhaul has been undertaken. its tender had recently been overhauled and will not require any further work at present. The Mid-Hants will seem somewhat 'bare' without these Maunsell stalwarts!!
Last, but not least - the 'other' S15. We have developed some good contacts with the Urie Society. Their locomotive has been a popular and useful addition to the Mid-Hants fleet of locomotives, covering over 10,000 miles since 1987. The locomotive's springs have taken a 'pounding' due to the Mid-Hants railway having problems with its track joints dipping in the Summer's dry spell. The bogie needed to be stripped down to allow its springs to be refurbished. At the same time the motion bushes were due to be remetalled. The Society were due to have the locomotive back in traffic by Christmas.
Finally, I would like to thank Barry Stratton of the Urie Society for details of the Mid-Hants locomotives, Mike Tully for details of 828, and Mr. Lovell of the NRM, for details of their locomotives. I appreciate some of the proposed developments at the NRM are not popular. However, given Mr. Lovell's help with this article, it seems only reasonable for me to agree to include a leaflet regarding the NRM's new Great Railway Show. I hope readers will agree this is a fair gesture on my part!
Page 12
Further to the article in the Newsletter No. 20, Mr. A. Gosling of Woking has kindly supplied us with details of his sightings of 30830.
30830 was shedded at Salisbury for most of its career, but ended up at Feltham (along with 30847) before withdrawal.
Mr. Gosling first saw 30830 at Exeter Central on 13/5/1950 on a stopping passenger train. Later details are as follows:
| Date | Place |
| 21/7/51 | Worthing Junction - Summer relief passenger train |
| 19/8/51 | Exmouth Junction Shed |
| 30/10/54 | Eastleigh Works |
| 27/8/55 | Basingstoke |
| 9/2/57 | Eastleigh Works |
| 22/3/58 | Feltham Shed |
| 20/12/58 | Eastleigh Shed |
| 20/6/59 | Eastleigh Works |
| 7/10/61 | Eastleigh Shed |
| 4/11/61 | Eastleigh Works |
| 28/9/63 | Fratton |
| 11/4/64 | Basingstoke |
| 2/5/64 | Eastleigh Shed |
| 5/5/64 | Basingstoke - and then daily between 10/6/64 and 10/7/64 |
30830 was withdrawn on 26/7/64 and Mr. Gosling then saw the engine at Eastleigh Shed on 12/9/64, 3/10/64 and 7/11/64. We are aware that it moved to Barry in December 1964.
I am grateful to Mr. Gosling for taking the trouble to send us his logs. We would be very pleased to receive sightings of any of the other locomotives which the Society owns. Ultimately it would be desirable to publish a detailed record of all our locomotive's shed allocations, workings and repairs undertaken etc.
Page 13
At the time of writing we had a balance of just under £1,000. By the end of November 1989 we had received about £3,700 in donations etc. and had spent £3,800. We had bills outstanding of about £300, so by the end of the year we'll be in need of a good cash injection! Since the last report we had spent over £500 on a casting for the new safety valve cover, more steel sheet for the cladding and welding materials.
Next year's expenditure will largely be governed by the tasks we decide to undertake. We will need to have funds available to purchase material to construct the new ashpan/grate plus plenty of small bore copper pipework for the lubrication system will be required. We will therefore gratefully receive all donations in order to see 847's restoration completed.
The meeting was well attended and it was pleasing to see some new faces. Perhaps the good turnout was attributable to the venue - the bar in the buffet block at Sheffield Park!
As mentioned in the Summer News sheet, the main event this year was the election of new officers, following the departure of Ray and Mary Bellingham. Rodney Packham was elected as the new Chairman and he outlined the work undertaken on 847 over the preceding year. It was pleasing to note that we are now regularly having more people turning up for working parties and good progress was being maintained.
Steve Pilcher was elected as Treasurer and gave a report on the finances, giving background detail to the figures in the 1988 accounts. It had been a good year for donations and fund raising efforts, but the money had been much needed for the purchase of materials etc. The Accounts were adopted by the meeting and the auditors re-elected. It was also agreed that the subscription rates should be maintained at the current level - £6 for annual subscriptions and £60 for life membership, since they had only just been increased the previous year.
There was the usual "chat" about what to do after 847 was completed, but no decisions were made as there is still plenty to do on 847. And that was about it!
Page 14
Felix Cope is busy as ever raising funds for us. The swapmeet on 22/23 July raised £150 for us and a recent sale of stamps, a further £15. Felix is able to sell any items of railwayana and model railway equipment. He can be contacted at his home address (see list of directors) for arrangements for collection etc. There is usually someone working on 847 most Sundays so stamps can either be left with us at the Bluebell Railway, or should be sent to Felix. We are very grateful for all donations and are indebted to Felix for his good work.
An interesting photo of 31618 at Dorking Town. We were kindly donated the photo by Mr. L. Sandler at the Bluebell swapmeet. Mounted copies can be obtained from Mr. Sandler. For further details of this and other photos which he has for sale please write to: Field Fare Barn, Wash Lane, Banham, Norfolk NR16 2HD.
REAR COVER
Cab view of 847 in the works in July 1989. Somebody had chalked the number 30847 on the rear of the cab - obviously trying to annoy the Southern Railway supporters!
Photo: Mike Frackiewicz.
Page 15
