News up until July 2023
(For latest news, click here)

July 23

Much effort went into cleaning and maintaining the PMV both inside and out. The team diligently worked on cleaning the interior, rubbing down external paintwork, and using needle guns and angle grinders to remove rust from the metal framework. Primer paint was applied to the metal framework, and sandpaper was used to smooth the outside woodwork of the PMV. Work on repairing and preparing the PMV for painting was a consistent focus throughout the month. Attention was given to the PMV's door hinges, which had seized closed.

With regards to 30075, Cladding was removed from steam pipes, and a sealing ring was fitted on the driver's side steam pipe. Various adjustments were made to the boiler cladding sections, and a crinoline was successfully fitted to the boiler barrel. Work progressed well and the first crinoline was fitted to the boiler barrel, with the front cladding section eased back into its final position.

Some work was carried out to tidy up cab windows and these are installed now. Inside the smokebox, bolts were fitted to secure the steam pipes, involving the loosening of joints between pipes and cylinders for proper alignment. The process of trimming bullhead rail lengths for the grate supports was nearly completed, with 90% of the work done.

Metal was trimmed from the side firebars to ensure proper fitting. A new O-ring was installed in the manifold on top of the back head, and steam feed pipes were fitted to the fireman and driver side injectors. Furthermore, a fabricated pin enabled the closure of ash pan doors.

All of the team at Project 62 hope that some of you can make it to our big event of the year on the railway. There will be loads going on and several visiting organisations with links to the S & DJR will be present. Project 62 will be showing off all their latest work on 30075. On behalf of the entire team, we look forward to meeting you and sharing our passion for this very special steam loco not to mention all the other projects and attractions at the station.

Saturday 26th, Sunday 27th, Monday 28th August

10.00am - 4.00pm

Free Entry

June 23

The trial fitting of the front cab window exposed issues with the aperture, but they were resolved by removing imperfections using precision tools (angle grinder / hammer). Similarly, the trial fitting of the boiler crinoline required refinements, but eventually, the bolts fit properly, ensuring it would fit over the lagging.

Eight people were involved in fitting the first two sections of boiler cladding, which were aligned, bolted, and secured with tie bolts. The inside of the PMV was tidied and swept, while preparations for external repairs continued with the delivery of replacement timber. Work also progressed on fitting the cab's front window and ashpan doors, as well as the insulation for the boiler. The removal of rotten wood panels in the PMV continues.

Firebricks for the locomotive's brick arch were collected on a special road trip to South DevonRailway. Painting work, including the smokebox door, was performed. The wire mesh was successfully fixed to the spark arrestor frame, and the fitting of the front cab window advanced. Rotted wood sections were removed from the PMV.

During the vintage vehicle event at Shillingstone, the engine shed was opened, attracting a significant number of visitors. £105 in donations were given to the team representing P62 on Saturday and on Sunday, the donations amounted to £125.25. Additional donations of £65 were made in the outside ‘A board’ donation boxes, resulting in a total of £295.25 collected over the weekend. Some visitors donated without expecting anything in return, while others expressed interest in membership, purchasing shares, brass plaques, and becoming friends of P62.

May 23

Progress was made in several areas of the project. The spacers were being fixed to the new crinoline, and repairs were conducted on damaged sections of the cladding sheets. Painting of small components continued, and the final welding was completed on the spark arrestor, making it ready for the installation of a stainless steel mesh. The driver's side links to the mechanical lubricator were fitted, and the number "30075" was painted on the driver's side of the cab.

Additional repairs were carried out on wasted cladding sheets.

Furthermore, the driver's side water tank received a coat of black paint on the top and front. The manufacture of a replacement steam heat support bracket was finished, and other support brackets were designed. Various small components were also painted. A solution for fitting the front middle cab window was agreed upon, and further considerations were given to the design of the wooden cab floor. On the PMV, two out of the four doors were made usable.

Painting of the side tanks continued, also painting of small components

A start was made to fitting the stainless steel mesh to the spark arrestor framework

Refining the ashpan control mechanism continued.

Photos by Kevin Patrick

April 23

Windows were installed in some windows within the cab and painting of the interior f the cab is nearly complete.

We located some hardwood flooring for the interior of the cab and are taking steps to have this installed on the locomotive.

The saga of the spark arrestor continues and we continue to work on this. Further assessment of the PMV was carried out prior to its repair and painting.

Fabricating a new crinoline was commenced, this included using an angle grinder to remove parts from the old distorted one.

New firebricks for the loco's brick arch have been ordered from the South Devon Railway. These are due to be collected at the end of June

March 23

There has been a focus on the locomotive cab and the sliding roof vent has been fitted and secured. Painting of the cab inside and out continued, also painting of various components, including window frames

Assessment and gathering together of boiler cladding components continued, with a view to being installed on the boiler before long.

The brake exhaust pipe was fitted inside the smoke box and work continued on the spark arrestor fixings in the smoke box. Drain cock rods were fitted, and the steam heat pipe has been connected

Prep work on the PMV continued

January and February 2023

The new smokebox door has received a fair amount of attention; its hinges were welded on, as were its grab handles. A baffle plate was installed on the interior side of it, and over the last few months it has been installed on the locomotive. It has now been primed and painted with the remaining (and very expensive!) boiler paint. The number plate and shed code plate have been fitted. We are now sourcing the smokebox door seal and the spark arrester mesh.

The cab has received a huge amount of time and effort internally and externally. It has been stripped of paint internally and externally, primed and received multiple coats of paint. We have also been able to apply the final coats of paint on some of the external panels, which looks brilliant. Work was undertaken on the front cab window frames, which now operate well and various components and controls were refitted within the cab.

We had a new arrival of a 'Parcels and Miscellaneous Van' (or PMV), which is now located outside the P62 tent, for Project62 use. Many thanks to Bill Trite for the use of this.

Work on the brick arch is continuing

November and December 2022

Working undercover with the shelter during November and December has made work possible during a few very wet and cold weeks!

Over these two months, a great deal of time and work has been spent on the smokebox door, ensuring hinges are fitted, with various fixtures being added as well as installation of a baffle plate on the interior aspect of the door.

Plenty of time has been spent atop the cab roof, rubbing it right down, priming it and then painting it.

Hand rails were re-installed on the cab and the first panel has received its black border. Further work was undertaken on the ashpan to identify the cause if a clash between the operating linkage nd the chassis that is preventing one of the dampers closing properly.

New pin badges have been designed by 'Sign writer Paul' and are available to purchase from us at Shillingstone station when we are working on 30075 on Wednesdays.

Aaron helped us to sort out the pipe work for the blower circuit and the brake ejector exhaust as well as other pipe work connecting to the brake control. The blower jets were cleaned and the blower pipe work within the smokebox was refitted. Aaron has given us a better understanding of how the various components of the braking system fit together. Much of the pipework has been trial fitted, and in some cases installed (including the vacuum pipework on the sides of the locomotive).

Our progress in 2022 included;

Completing the painting of the frames
Completing work on the valve gear/ motion
Refitting the bunker
Reassembling the front end - buffer beam/ buffers, steps and smoke box plate
Machining and fitting the new brake blocks
Adjustment of the brake rigging and sorting out the vacuum brake components
Fitting the lagging and cladding to the steam chests
Refurbishment of the regulator valve and shaft by Richard Vincent
Completing of the boiler repairs
Completing of the ashpan repairs
Procuring a new smokebox door from SDRE and attaching all the fittings
Refitting the ashpan, boiler and cab
Refitting the blower pipework
Refitting the steam heating pipework

We wish you all Happy Christmas and look forward to updating you with our progress in 2023!

October 22

The pictures of the work done here speaks for itself! After having our boiler returned, cleaned and painted, it was craned onto the frames on the 19th October.

Given we had some spare time, we also lifted the cab back onto the locomotive as well on same day. A superb days work done by the team, enabled by a particularly generous donation.

Richard Vincent's assistant, Craig worked on the boiler, drilling a hole and doing some initial tapping of it , in preparation for the new plug which will blank off the redundant blow down valve under the boiler barrel.

Alan Whiffen finished off reprofiling the two smokebox door hinges, then tack welded them in position. The smokebox door was then unclamped, and removed from the smokebox, ready for the hinges to be fully welded into place. The shiny new smokebox door was then welded into position - providing us with a perfect fit. Next up will be the fittings to be welded onto the door itself.

The vacuum brake reservoir cylinder was manouvered into place under the rear of the locos frames and attached with the two new straps

Painting of the frames and assorted components continued

Week commencing October 3rd

A lot of work has been undertaken on the Cab, which was tipped onto its front to provide access for our volunteers to prepare the surface for painting.

Alan Whiffen has been working hard on the new smokebox door, welding on the hinges

John Rice and Barry have spent a lot of time and effort preparing the ash pan, in preparation for the boiler lift later in the month.

Personnel and plant from Tech Coatings arrived on Wednesday the 6th October, and undertook industrial high power jet washing of the boiler, before painting took place the next day.

September 22

BREAKING NEWS - Refurbished Boiler returns to Shillingstone Station on Wednesday the 7th September

The boiler has been successfully overhauled with new plates installed, along with 150 new steam pipes. The regulator had seized so time, muscle and money had to be spent reconditioning it to full working status.

The boiler assembly has been hydraulic tested, and signed off by our boiler examiner. He reported he is happy for it to be installed back on the frames. When we have refitted the boiler and pipework and the fittings are in place, he will witness a further hydraulic test and a final steam test, at which point our ten year ticket starts.

The boiler was returned to Shillingstone on Wednesday 7th September and placed onto railway sleepers, to enable a special paint to be professionally applied before being lifted onto the frames.

Pictures of the day in Sequence;

August 22

We had a brilliantly successful open day in July, and raised around £500 for the project

Insulation and cladding have been fitted on the left hand cylinder. Work continues through mid August with preparations being made for the return of the boiler in the coming weeks, all being well.

Our very own sign writer made us this fantastic board, to show off the plates purchased so far. On the weekend, three more plates were purchased, all of which will be installed in the footplate of the loco when the cab is re-installed.

July 22 NEWSFLASH

22 July 2022

VERY IMPORTANT NEWS - One and a half Tonnes of coal has been purchased and delivered to Vincent Engeneering in Henstridge. This has enabled the first heating of the the reconditioned and re-tubed boiler; a fire in its belly for the first time in 8 years.

A hydraulic test is scheduled next, then the ‘out of frames” steam test up to full pressure.

The steam regulator has been overhauled and the regulator operating rod has been refurbished. Two new lead filled fuseable bolts have been manufactured and installed.

The two water level gauges have also been temporarily installed.

This part of the refurbishment is costing us more than anticipated, please consider supporting us here, with your name plate on the footplate

June 22

One of the six new brake blocks, which had to be machined was trail fitted.

Further attention was given to the operating linkage of the drain cocks

Painting of boiler cladding sheets continued in the Perkins building.

In the afternoon a visit was made to our boiler repairer, Richard Vincent, at Henstridge and a productive meeting was had.

The work focussed mainly on aligning the brake rigging, and for a change...some painting was also carried out.

30075 was pulled out of its shelter and the ash pan was then trial fitted, checking it's positioning and those of the linkage rods.

The ash pan and gauge glasses. blow down valve, old smokebox door were delivered to Richard Vincent's Yard at Henstridge, so they can be fitted to the boiler, in preparation for a steam test to be carried once the boiler hydraulic test has been carried out.

We were invited to view the process used to rivet the hundreds of boiler stays to make them steam tight; Hot hard work.

The metal sheet, onto which the donation brass plaques will be fitted was purchased and painted.

And of course, painting of the boiler cladding and the rolling chassis continued.

1 ½ tonnes of steam coal has been purchased to enable the boiler to be gently heated to relax the boiler prior to the hydraulic and steam test.

The right hand cylinder was lagged with foil covered ceramic insulation, and its cover sections were bolted on.

During preparation for the pressure tests, It has been discovered that the steam regulator mounted in the steam dome on top of the boiler needs work to make it fit for purpose, as does the operating rod which has been damaged due to a prolonged steam leak during its last period of working.

May 2022

The brand new smokebox door has been collected from South Devon Railway who manufactured it for us, and is now awaiting the transfer of the fixtures and fittings from the old door. Once the boiler is back this door will be reattached to the front of the boiler and 30075 will have its face back!

The final few coats of paint are being applied to the frames where it will be difficult to reach once the boiler is back in place. The boiler is promised to to be returned in the summer. The six replacement steel brake blocks are being machined to fit the radius of the wheels. The front buffer beam has been refitted, as have the two front buffers. The steam heating pipes and associated control gear and the vacuum brake pipes and hoses are also back in place.

Next step is to sort out the brake rigging under the frames, to align the spigots between the wheels so the brake blocks can be refitted.

The lagging used to insulate the cylinder steam chests has been ordered and should be fitted in June. The mechanical lubricators have been inspected and refilled with the correct oils. All the oil distribution pipes have been cleared of crud and are now working correctly.

The Ash pan has been repaired and is ready for the return of the boiler.

£80 worth of new M22 and M18 nuts and bolts have been purchased ready to attach the boiler to the frames.

Painting of the frames and wheels also continued apace, and the bracket to support the vacuum pipe has been fitted to the front buffer beam.

The steam heat valve was cleaned and serviced. Spacer washers were fitted to the ash pan doors assist door alignment.

The historic "62-669" and "Store-10" number plates were attached to the footplate side of the bunker.

Painting of the frames continued apace. The inside of the frames received their second red topcoat

Over in the Perkins Building, rubbing down and painting of tanks and boiler cladding panels continues.

The team were given a guided tour of the South Devon Railway's Works, Running Shed and Yard. Much useful information was gleaned, particularly relating to the construction of our loco's brick arch, and also about the installation of the foil wrapped ceramic insulation around our boiler and cylinders.

Painting of the frames continued, with the red inner part of the fames nearly completed. Tidying up the paint work on the bunker continued..

The drain cock linkages were fitted, A vacuum pipe fitted, and painting of the front steam pipe fitting was undertaken.

The front buffers were attached to the buffer beam and prepared for painting.

April 22

A long awaited and exiting day on the 27th April, with our Bunker lift, and front buffer installation. Superb photos from Paul Lines.

The bunker was lifted back onto the footplate and the original number plate was attached 62-669 (62 is the inspiration for Project 62) we are now preparing the bunker wall cab face ready for the supporter purchased brass plates to be fitted.

January - April 22

At the beginning of the year the North Dorset Railway permanent way team laid a short section of rail extending a few extra yards from the shelter. This will enable us to move the locomotive out of the shelter and make the fitting the boiler, when it returns, much easier.

On Wednesday 9th February, two members of the project visited the SDR, taking with them the smoke box door to act as a template for the replacement. Repair of the smoke box is not something that we feel is not a task we can undertake at the station with our current facilities. A quote for the work was sought and will be just over £1,300.

A very constructive discussion was held and we are sure this contact with the SDR will prove to be very useful in the future. Arrangements will be made to collect the old door and the new door in due course.

Concern has been raised about the lack of fit between the ashpan doors and the main body of the ashpan. The gaps around the hopper doors should be no problem, however the damper door needs to be a reasonable fit and currently the faces that these doors close against are heavily bowed and therefore some straightening will be required. If too much air can be drawn into the fire box with the dampers closed, controlling the fire, under certain operating conditions, will become difficult.

The fire bars/grate do not appear to extend to the full with of the fire box, leaving a gap of over 100mm each side of the grate. It is suggested that once the boiler is back on the locomotive we can ascertain how all the components fit, if at that stage there is a gap, a way will be found to fabricate closure for each side.

As previously reported, we considerably underestimated the amount of paint that would be required to paint the frames. This was largely due to the coverage and the uneven surfaces, including all the nuts, bolts pipes etc. within the frames.

On top of that various pipes, cylinders and other metal objects came out of the lock up that required painting. Having said that, most of the fames have now had two coats of primer and two of undercoat. The next stage in the process will be the final two coats of top coat, black for the outside and red for the inside.

On the subject of paint, it was also decided to change the originally chosen colour for the locomotive to a more suitable green.

In March, a representative of HMG Coatings visited us at the station to discuss the options. After a long discussion over tea, we settled on two options, which HMG Coatings supplied as free samples. One of the side tanks was painted with each and the most suitable chosen (the selected colour is the slightly lighter green on the left hand side of the picture (Picture Right)

The brick arch for the firebox of 30075 is still a little unclear as there does not appear to be any obvious means of supporting it above the grate. Our locomotive is designed to have a brick arch and we will need to ensure one is fitted prior to steaming.

The locomotive has steam operated brakes and it is also fitted with the necessary equipment to operate the vacuum train brakes and how the two systems are linked was a little unclear. We have been advised that there will be a valve that allows the two systems to be operated from one control, also a valve to allow the locomotive to run on its own using the steam brake but “switch in” the vacuum brake when required.

We will need to identify the correct components and pipework, some refurbishment of which is likely to be required.

We have been trying to get something back onto the loco each week and start the reconstruction.

Top Right

The brake wheel installed

Picture Bottom Right

the buffer beam supports installed

Picture Left

The coal bunker has been primed prior to painting and will be the first part of the cab to be refitted - it is looking fantastic

January 2022

Work on cleaning up and oiling the motion has continued. The large L-shaped brackets which support the ends of the front buffer beam (and the last two of the brake hangers) were cleaned up with abrasive discs, then painted with primer.

Large nuts, on the brake rigging were freed up, ready for when its time to adjust the brakes after the hangers and brake blocks have been reinstated. Two of the four cylinder pressure relief valves were refitted. The front covers of the valve chests were refitted. Painting of the frames continued.

Components of the boilers firebox grate were laid out on the ground. I significant degree of head scratching took place whilst we worked out how to re-assemble the various components of the grate. A few weeks later the grate was trial fitted to the top of the ash pan, and the puzzle of the grate reassembly largely solved!

John Drew and several permanent way volunteers, connected up the track panel, which will allow our loco to be pulled out of its shelter when the time comes to refit its boiler. The track extension out front of our shelter has been topped with ballast, so is now ready for use when needed

Most of the remaining areas of the rolling chassis were cleaned up. Priming of the chassis and of various components continued. The motion has largely been cleaned up and oiled. A lot of painting of the rolling chassis continued, mainly the second primer coat.

Cleaning up of pipe work continued, also cleaning and oiling the motion, and the front covers of the cylinders were refitted.

Philip came to the tent after the Shillingstone Station Railway induction exam to look at the valves/cocks for overhaul. He agreed to take 4 of the valves that fit the manifold on top of the firebox to overhaul them at home.

He has tracked down suppliers of springs for the hard seals, he is purchasing twelve springs costing a total of about £120. He has also removed the hard seals from the engine to clean up ready for refitting with the new springs.

There was a committee meeting, with John Rice, John Drew, Barry, Peter Renaut, Peter Clark, Dave, Anthony, Howard and Phil Mather in attendance.

Painting of rolling chassis , front buffer beam, brake hangers, and various other components took place. The pressure relief valves were fitted to the front of the cylinders. Assorted rubbing down of components continued.

Christmas 2021

15th December

Four new volunteers and Howard attended Richard Vincents establishment at Henstridge where the boiler is being overhauled, to prepare the 150 replacement steam tubes for insertion into the boiler.

Howard Fry, Pete Clark, Wolfie, Phil Mather and Paul Lines were the team.

The P62 team cleaned the outside of each of the 150 tubes where they were to be inserted into the boiler, and the rough edges were removed from inside the tubes. Richard Vincent expanded one end of each tube. The cleaned and adjusted tubes were then passed to the P62 team, who after training, inserted each tube into the boiler front plate at the smokebox end.

The tube was captured at the boiler back tube plate and guided into the correct hole and using a drift and sledge hammer installed with the correct amount sticking through into the firebox.

Meanwhile at Shillingstone, Barry Joplin, John Rice, Ian Dodds, John Coulbert, John Drew and a new volunteer Philip Pickering carried out the following tasks-

Removing two old worn out brake blocks from the engine. Then used angle grinders to remove damaged parts from the ash pan, stripping the rusty parts from the smoke box door. John Drew started drilling the38mm mounting holes into one of the new brake blocks.

22nd December

All the worn out brake blocks have now been removed, and five of the six brake block hangers were removed and have been abrasively cleaned up and primed. The second (LH) of the two cylinders has been painted with heat resistant black paint. A start has been made in burnishing and oiling all the motion rods.

Out front of our shelter John Drew, using the digger, has dug out a trench and laid timber sleepers ready to install the fishplates and rails to produce a panel of track which will allow the loco to be drawn out of the shelter when needed.

We intend to lift the bunker back onto the footplate soon.

Over in the Perkins Building, Alan Whiffen has repaired the components to do with the Ashpan, which entailed the use of his portable forge to heat parts up enough to straighten the rods and release rusted-in bolts.

Unfortunately the broken firebox grate support could not be welded, an alternative repair method is being investigated, we are trying to avoid having to get a replacement cast out of cast iron.

The work pace has moved up a gear with more volunteers following the open day, we are now considering offering weekend work days as well as Wednesdays.

29th December

Work on cleaning up and oiling the motion continued. The large L-shaped brackets which support the ends of the front buffer beam, and the last two of the brake hangers, were cleaned up with abrasive discs, then painted with primer.

Components of the boilers firebox grate were laid out, on the ground, this revealed that there's significant research to be done, before we'll be in a position to refit it.

John Drew and several permanent way volunteers, connected up the track panel, which will allow our loco to be pulled out of its shelter when the time comes to refit its boiler.

In the relative comfort of our wonderous "new" shelter, work on the loco will resume next Wednesday

Happy New Year, one and all

December 2021

LUBRICATION

Above each axle box and horn guide behind each of the wheels are a pair of oil reservoirs with new Worsted wool wicks which drip oil down onto the bearings between the horn guides and axle boxes. These will be filled with oil once the area under the axles has been painted.

SUSPENSION

The wheels and axles are mounted to the frames. Horn guides are mounted to the frames the axle boxes slide into the horn guides. Sometimes the frames crack where the horn guides attach, these areas were checked using a chemical crack detection system, no cracks detected.

PISTON

The right hand reluctant piston was cleaned and crack tested using the same system as that used on the Horn Guides. We are glad to report that the piston had no evidence of cracks. The cylinder heads are now going to be replaced.

VALVE GEAR

The valve packing material called LIONPAK 3200 was purchased cut to size and delivered, the valves now have this new packing material fitted to prevent the high pressure steam leaking out.

FRAMES

Most of the frames have now been primed. The undercoat and top coats are about to start now that we have more working volunteers.

BRAKES

The brake adjustment screws have been loosened and lubricated, the brake blocks are being removed, New brake blocks are having a 38mm hole drilled in the web to enable them to be attached to the engine braking system. The hand brake wheel and mechanism is been fitted in December so that the brakes can be adjusted after being fitted.

ASHPAN

The rusty and wasted steel sides were cut out earlier in the year, these areas have now had the replacement sheet steel welded in place. The mechanisms which control the ash pan bottom doors and the dampers need overhaul and repair, these are being dismantled at the moment, the refurbished ash pan is fitted into the engine frames before the boiler and fire box can be fitted to the frames.

SMOKEBOX DOOR

This has been removed from the boiler, we are currently dismantling this to enable repairs to be done to the rusty holed steel.

ENGINE PARTS INVENTORY

During the dismantling of the engine over the last 5 years most of the items have been cleaned, and sometimes overhauled and stacked on racking in our shipping container. Two of our latest volunteers have spent the last few weeks sorting the parts out, photographing, and cataloging them then identifying a location for them. This will speed up the locating parts when needed.

BOILER TUBES

Over 150 boiler tubes were delivered to to Richard Vincent ready to be fitted to the boiler.

SHELTER

The weather settled so the new cover was fitted. We currently have a new problem, when it is a cold night and it is followed by a sunny morning, the air in the shelter warms up quite quickly, but the engine doesn't. We get a nice layer of condensation on the engine, so we still have to dry it before painting, although the previously painted surface isn't as wet as the bare steel.

OPEN DAY

We held an open day on 24th Oct, we collected about £80 in donations, a good turn out of visitors and we managed to attract seven new volunteers, absolutely fantastic, this is enabling us to push the refurbishment forward at a great pace at last.

DOCUMENTS AND ENGINE PARTS

Our previous engine liaison officer returned a trunk of engine drawings and previous overhaul documents. We have also received many more photos and engine history documents. We also received old engine name plates and number plates for both engines and the safety valves for 30075.

Painting of the frame and wheels has commenced, and looks fantastic.

August & September 2021

LUBRICATION

Underneath each axle behind each of the wheels is an oil reservoir with a wiping pad to lubricate the wheel bearings, this was full of water and externally really filthy, this is currently being cleaned, ready to be filled with fresh oil.

PISTON

To repair the RHS piston we need to remove it, we have made splitter and been fine tuning it to fit the crosshead and line up with the end of the piston con rod. Our first attempt resulted in the 30mm screwed rod bending, That screwed rod had to be cut off, the taper on the splitter had to be turned down to enable the screwed rod to be centred.

The splitter has been tightened as hard as we can get it, we now need to rapidly apply a lot of heat to the cross head to make it expand away from the con rod. We are trying to obtain a suitable gas supply.

In the mean time we have now moved the piston head forward and out of the cylinder by about 60 mm.

We have tried to remove the piston from the con rod, no luck so far. The piston is cast iron, 420mm diameter, 120mm thick. We need a puller to fit this.

VALVE GEAR

We are waiting for a quote for valve packing material called LIONPAK 3200 18mm.

FRAMES

The fire brigade “trained” on site and used high powered water jets on the frames Well done it helped a bit. The inside of the frames have been rubbed down and also the parts behind the wheels and the wheels themselves. Most of the frames have now been primed.

OTHER

We held an AGM!!!

Alan, has fabricated new steel straps to reattach the brake vacuum tank, this time we will be using stainless steel nuts & bolts.

John R has cleaned the blowdown valves and refitted them with new copper washers, and the water level gauges, new rubber washers on order, we have the glasses.

The oil reservoirs fitted to the water tanks have been cleaned and the lids repaired. The oil wicks should be useable.

The whole rolling chassis was moved along the track by ½ turn to allow access to the wheels.

SHELTER

Lighting and power now installed. All sharp corners covered, we now await the weather the settle so the cover can be fitted.

30076

Was moved along the track to enable access to the water main which is leaking under the engine.

July 2021

LUBRICATION.

Above each axle are four oil reservoirs. Each is full of water and blocked with waste oil, grease and other detritus. The first two have now been cleaned, refilled with oil and fitted with new hand-made wicks (made on site) and allowed to drip feed the axle bearings. Hopefully, when these are seen to work the other reservoirs will be cleaned in turn.

All the connectors on the oil feed pipe for the manifold have been inspected and tightened.

The left-hand-side oil reservoir and pump to the bearings has been cleaned, topped up with oil and flushed through to ensure it is operating correctly.

The right-hand-side oil reservoir and pump to the pistons and valve gear has been cleaned, topped up and flushed through and the fibre washers on the feed pipes replaced.

BEFORE

AFTER

MOVEMENT.

Following a detailed inspection, the left-hand-side main piston and crosshead have been reassembled. The valve gear has also been reassembled and is awaiting packing to the gland.

Following a detailed inspection, the right-hand-side valve gear has been reassembled and is also awaiting packing to the gland. We have still been unable to remove the right-hand piston con-rod from the crosshead. A splitter is been made to assist the removal.

Picture to Left - Left-hand-side movement reassembled.

FRAMES.

The inside of the frames is now very close to being rubbed down, clean and ready for painting. The outside is proving to be more problematic. The dirt and grease, particularly behind the wheels, needs to be removed prior to painting. It perhaps needs a high-pressure jet wash; we have a plan for this but it will need a bit of organising.

The footplate, forming sideways, structural integrity to the frames, has now been welded back into place (thanks to Alan of the permanent way crew).

PAINTING.

The paint ordered from HMG Coatings has duly arrived.

On and off, as other work allows, painting of the cab and other parts continues in the Perkins building. The saddle tanks have been laid on their sides and the undersides have been rubbed down, primed and topped off in black.

OTHER.

The six new brake blocks are in the Perkins building awaiting drilling.

The pressure relief valves have been removed and are awaiting cleaning and the valve seatings ground to form a good seal.

SHELTER.

The shelter framework is now in place and secured to the ground. The final component, the cover, will be installed in the near future.

Sid, Project 62.

April 2021

Adapting to working whilst socially distanced!

Sid cleaning between the middle and rear axle.

John Rice Chairman cleaning between middle and front axle

Harold Fry cleaning under the footplate

March 2021

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Richard White, our Chairman, friend and webmaster. This is a very sad time for us all, we do miss him.

January 2021 - February 2021

The footplate has been needle gunned and the rust stabilised.

The ash pan was lifted out of the frames and is being prepared for repair.

Taking the ash pan out enabled access to the inside of the frames, which are being rubbed down and needle gunned where access allows, to enable crack detection to be carried out to all areas that are subjected to stress.

The cylinder front covers have been removed to allow inspection of the cylinder bores and the heads themselves.

The hand brake wheel and worm screw were removed from the footplate.

The brake blocks have been inspected and one of the six removed to act as a template for the six replacements.

The cylinder front covers have been removed to allow inspection of the cylinder bores and the heads themselves.

The following items have been primed, undercoated and top coated; water side tanks, boiler cladding, sand domes, cab and bunker.

As suspected, the main cylinders may need work to ensure they are circular rather than oval. Work has been undertaken to gain access to the cylinders on both sides of the engine. This has meant stripping the steam and vacuum pipes from the front buffer beam, removing both front buffers and then the buffer beam itself. These items are being de-rusted and overhauled as individual items.

The hand brake wheel and worm screw were removed from the footplate.

The brake blocks have been inspected and one of the six removed to act as a template for the six replacements.

Despite the slowing of progress due to a certain Pandemic, we have attracted a couple of new recruits who are willing to attend site and get down and dirty working on the engine and its components. Welcome to John Rice and Sid Payne, Howard Fry, Aaron Hunt, James Frigot , Barry Joplin, Pete Renaut and Dave Wallis.

The Boiler is still at Vincent Engineering being worked on shown here with Richard Vincent. John Drew has the certified boiler tubes ready to go when called for.

The cylinder heads (pistons to me) can not be withdrawn from the cylinders until the associated piston rods and various seals are removed.

Doing this work has rendered the rolling chassis as locked in place. "Not to be moved" signs are now permanently attached.

Feburary 2020

In early February attention was focussed on the ashpan within the frames to remove corroded plate and prepare for replacement to be welded in place. The left photo shows the original plate in position with some fire erosion and corrosion to cut away. Centre shows the plate removed whilst the image to the right details the now cleared area.

Work in the later part of the month moved under cover, where the badly wasted coal shovel plate at the base of the bunker (left and centre) was cut away. Priming and undercoating parts such as the sander domes continued.

January 2020

With both Sunday and Wednesday gangs in full swing, much work to both the locomotive chassis and also refurbishment of the larger parts in undercover store has been possible. The handbrake and associated fittings were removed from the loco, cleaned up and partially reassembled. Also removed were a couple of fittings associated with the lever that operates the flaps that allow the ashpan to be emptied. With these items removed it should now be a straight forward task to remove to metal sheet which forms the footplate by cutting through the welds that fix it to the loco chassis. The buffer assemblies have also been prepared for removal. Photos above (courtesy of Pete Renaut) show progress with cleaning and sanding one of the side tanks (left), priming and undercoating of the bunker (centre) and steam dome plus sanders (right photo).

Autumn 2019

Over the summer, the Shillingstone Railway Project has acquired use of covered accomodation which we are able to share. As well as being useful additional storage space it is ideal for ongoing refurbishment work indoors. The above photos (courtesy of Pete Renaut) show the cab section of 30075 being moved to the new accomodation. It is hoped that the locomotive frames will be moved shortly allowing a more rapid assessment of work to be done and of course the refurbishment of the motion itself.

Summer 2019

The Permanent Way Gang at Shillingstone have been extremely busy over the summer months. Track has continued to be laid towards Sturminster Newton and a start made on installing the platform run round loop. The chassis of 30075 (now sheeted over) has become somewhat "marooned" in front of the Signal Box whilst the loop is joined to the main running line. Work on 30075 has continued on the cab and bunker sections to clean down and paint. Photos above show (left) the P/Way team at work instating the run round round loop with 30075's chassis beyond. Centre is Howard Fry putting a further coat of paint onto the cab sections whilst the right photo shows the completed coat. A decision has yet to be made what colour 30075 will be brought back into service with.

A third party engineering company will be assessing the extent and cost of repairs to the piston head crack reported previously and also the best way to tackle the cylinder regarding reboring or relining. Future updates will as usual be posted on this web page.

May 2019

Work on both site by the Shillingstone volunteers and on 30075 by the weeekend and Wednesday Gangs has continued during May. Project 62 Members also turned out in force for a well attended AGM with buffet after. Photos above show newly laid ballast extending from the Station towards Sturminster Newton (left), work to bring the surface of the Blandford direction platform to standard (centre) and Project 62 Locomotive Liaison Officer - James Frigot - beside the chassis of 30075 alongside Shillingstone "Box" (photos courtesy of Pete Renaut and Bob Bunyar).

Also over this period, Locomotive Liaison Officer James Frigot has been inspecting the motion and assessing for work required as part of the current overhaul. His view is that the mechanical motion elements are suitable for use as they stand, with future attention such as remetalling bearings being conducted as required once 30075 is returned to service. However, he notes that the cylinders require attention, needing at the minimum a re-bore, but potentially the possibility of liners having to be added. In addition, it has been found that the right hand piston head has a severe crack which will require repair or replacement if this cannot be done. The valve liners were found to be in good condition, however, the valves will most likely require new rings. An independent examiner will be asked to carry out an assessment and give advice on these issues in the near future.

Mar / Apr 2019

The Shillingstone Project team have been undertaking much work on site such as extending and resurfacing the car parking area, further developing the Permanent Way at the Sturminster Newton end of the site adjacent to the Signal Box and 30075's frames. The Project 62 gangs have been involved in securing the contents of the workshop container in preparation for its relocation around 50 yards up the site in the Sturminster direction. This occurred during April. Meantime further work on small parts and painting has been ongoing. Photos by Pete Renaut.

Jan / Feb 2019

Despite some rather variable weather, both Weekend and Wednesday gangs have continued with work on the chassis, cab and component parts of 30075. Here, in the photo to the left, Barry Joplin and John Coulbert apply primer to one of the two sand domes that sit on top of the boiler. Photo centre shows Barry discussing the state of play with Howard Fry. 30075's chassis has been moved towards the Station platform area whilst the Shillingstone Station Project teams lay track through the area to form a run round loop at the Sturminster end of the site. In the photo to the right, Howard is applying filler to the coal bunker sides to eventually sand back and prepare for priming. The axle boxes have also been cleaned out and lubricated, the ashpan assessed for weld repairs to make sound and the water tanks checked and primed.

Dec 2018

Whilst the work gangs continue with 30075 at Shillingstone Station, progress on the locomotive boiler at Vincent Engineering in Henstridge has also been positive. The photos above show where the thinned left and right side plating has been cut away from the inner firebox revealing the water space and foundation ring. The centre photo shows that the old smoke tubes have been removed from the boiler barrel. The view though the firebox tube plate looks through the boiler barrel to the smokebox tube plate at the far end. Assessment of the firebox tube plate shows it to be within tolerance for a further 10 years use. The smokebox tube plate was replaced on last major overhaul in 2004 and is likewise serviceable for a further "ticket". The photo right shows the firebox crown plate and stay ends, with a view again towards the smokebox through the firebox tube plate. Next work in progress is to make up templates for the firebox plate requiring replacement, weld new plate in place, make new stays and refit. Refurbishment of wasted areas of the foundation ring will also be required before the lower plate areas can be rivetted in place. Photos courtesy of Pete Renaut.

Oct / Nov 2018

October and November have seen developments at Shillingstone where the Station has now been double tracked through the platform - see photo above left. 30075's chassis has been moved towards the Station so that the turn-out required to form the run round loop at the Sturminster end of the site can be instated (centre photo). Meantime work has continued to clean off old paint from the panels and parts such as the steam and sander domes and to prime them for eventual top coating. Howard Fry and Barry Joplin are seen in the workshop in the photo above right. Photos courtesy of Pete Renaut.

Sept 2018

September saw further work to prepare 30075's valve and power cylinders for inspection. Removal of the frame side cylinder cowels revealed an accumulation of approximately two inches of thick greasy ash, topped by an inch or so of water (left photo). It is believeed that this is the first time these covers have been removed for some 25 years. Clearing the water and very sticky ash (centre photo) revealed that the grease trapped in the ash had in fact acted as a perfect preservative on the top cylinder casting surfaces (right photo). Initial external inspection revealed no apparent cracking in the outer parts of the cylinder castings, inspection of the insides is to follow.

In addition to this work, the motion has been cleaned over and all lubrication covers replaced with plastic/rubber grommets and plugs. This is so that easy access is available to additionally check condition of the "tails" inside the lubrication points (tails are bristle coated fine wires that assist with dispersion of oil from the oil pots to the motion itself). Any that are life expired will be replaced.

Jul/Aug 2018

Attention in July and August moved to 30075's motion and boiler. Preliminary steps to check the valve and power pistons and bores started by removing the outer covers and insulation from the cylinder blocks (three photos top row above). Work has started to remove the cylinder heads by firstly freeing and lubricating the cylinder head nuts to ease future work (second row above, photo left). In the meantime, Vincent Engineering of Henstridge have been making progress with 30075's boiler. The three areas of thinned inner firebox plate (one on each side and one above the fire hole) have been cut out and the foundation ring rivets likewise removed from the affected areas. The left hand photo, bottom row, shows the plate removed from the inner firebox fireman's side facing forward . Next job is to remove the stays from those areas remaining in the outer plate and then to remove the smoke tubes from the boiler barrel. During August we also prepared for the Great Dorset Steam Fair where we shared a stand with the Shillingstone Station Project. The final photo shows Dave Wallis on the Bank Holiday Monday manning our bottle stall "Tombola" which proved popular with passing visitors!

June 2018

June was a fairly quiet month with a number of volunteers taking a break for holidays. Conservation work on 30076 (photo left) took place, which also smartened the locomotive for the forthcoming summer school holiday visitor season. The Shillingstone volunteers have been active laying track into the platform opposite the main Station building (centre photo). The Wednesday Gang of Barry Joplin, Dave Wallis, John Coulbert and David Searle take a well earned lunchtime break in the warm weather with some "Start of Summer" hot dogs!

May 2018

Following work to release all bunker fixings and freeing the handbrake to bunker mountings 30075's bunker was lifted clear of the chassis on 9th May. The first five images in this selection of photos shows the chassis prior to the lift, the bunker being lifted clear of the frames and being lowered to site behind the cab which was removed at the end of January. The last four pictures show Dave Wallis and Barry Joplin clearing debris accumulated under the bunker over many years use, Dave starting the cab floor plate removal process by grinding off the fixing bolts and finally 30075's chassis by the Shillingstone signal box. The Signalman will find a new view of the Dorset countryside now the bunker no longer obstructs the view from the 'box! Our thanks are extended to Shillingstone staff, particularly Terry England for driving the digger and lifting the bunker, Geoff Baker for site arrangements and acting as "Lookout" during the lift and to John Drew for briefing Terry on requirements beforehand.

Once the bunker was clear of the frames, attention moved to the cab floor plate. After unbolting the driver and fireman's side upper platforms these were stropped for lifting away (first photo with Howard Fry in attendence) both platforms were removed (centre) and the cab steps on both sides released and removed from the remaining floor plate (photo right).

April 2018

Preparations to lift the bunker continued during April. Left photo shows Howard Fry releasing the rear bunker to frame bolts. Jan White (inside the bunker) holds the handbrake mount to bunker bolts steady whilst Dave Wallis undoes the nuts on the cab side (centre photo). In the photo to the right, Barry Joplin uses the angle grider to cut off a stubborn bolt holding the cab steps to the floor plate. By the end of the month all the bunker and handbrake mount retaining bolts had been removed, greased and refitted for easy removal when the bunker is lifted off early May. Once the bunker is removed this will enable access to unbolt and lift the cab floor away from the frames.

March 2018

The weather in March, particularly the snow associated with the "Beast from the East", has not been a great for working outside. At the end of March the Wednesday Gang assessed the condition of the bunker and cab floor of 30075 and have drawn up a plan to remove these from the frames for refurbishment. Wednesday volunteer Dave Wallis is seen here photographing the rear bunker to frame fixing bolts for recording purposes (left photo), whilst the image taken showing the bunker lower edge to frame attachment, is in the centre. Despite the poor weather, further conservation of 30076 has occurred and the locomotive now sports a new bright red coat of paint on its front and rear buffers (photo to right).

Feb 2018

With the cab and boiler lifted from the chassis of 30075, volunteers are now able to access the frames and motion components to clean down and assess work required to refurbish. These photos show the rolling chassis of 30075 alongside the signal box at Shillingstone Station with the cab in front of the chassis (left) and Howard Fry cleaning off accumulated dirt, oil and grease from the frames (centre). Meantime on 11th February as part of the 70th Anniversary of the formation of nationalised British Railways from the "Big Four" (Southern, LMS, LNER and GWR) the chimney of 30076 shows wisps of smoke to bring the event to life.

Jan 2018

The culmination of all the preparation work on the cab and boiler fittings occurred on 31st January 2018 when the cab and boiler of 30075 were lifted from the locomotive's frames. The photos above (courtesy of Jon Collington, Pete Renaut and Project 62) show 30075 at the start of the day, followed by preparation and lifting of the cab to enable full access to lift the boiler clear of the frames. The second row of photos also show the boiler lifted just clear of the frames (beneath with the blast pipe clearly visible). The third row details the boiler being swung over the low loader. After sitting the boiler on sleepers and chaining it firmly, the bottom row of photos shows the loader departing via the tight access to the Shillingstone Station site. Meantime Project 62 volunteers Howard Fry and Barry Joplin secured the chassis, having lubricated moving parts and covered any areas where water can get into the mechanics (note the upturned steel bucket covering the blast pipe for example!). The final photo shows the front of the crane used for the lifts - the strap line "No Problem" pretty much sums up the day. Rileys are quite familiar with lifting 30075's boiler, having done so to install the boiler when last overhauled at the East Somerset Railway in 2004.

Nov / Dec 2017

With the contract now placed with Vincent Engineering of Henstridge to have the boiler of 30075 lifted, taken to workshop and repaired to obtain a 10 year insurance "ticket" , the Wednesday Gang removed the final fixed window in the cab which is now ready to lift off the frames. With December and Christmas on its way, 30076 had tinsel and baubles applied to make a seasonal welcome to visitors as they enter Shillingstone Station. Having done this, the Wednesday Gang (Howard Fry, John Coulbert, Pete Renaut, Barry Joplin and Richard White (behind trhe camera!) enjoyed a buffet lunch to celebrate work done this year and to wish each other a Merry Christmas - albeit it somewhat in advance!

Oct 2017

Whilst discussions to finalise contracts for the boiler overhaul were undertaken, both Sunday and Wednesday work gangs made final preparations to free the cab for removal so the boiler can be lifted from the frames. Here Howard Fry is removing the cab side windows so they are not damaged if the cab flexes during the lifting process. These windows, kindly donated by a Project 62 member many years ago, were once fitted to unrebuilt Bulleid light Pacifics. When rebuilt at Eastleigh works in the 1950's, many of the cab windows ended up as cloches in local allotments - which is where our windows were recovered from!

Sep 2017

September has produced fruitful discussions with a number of boilersmiths, one of whom will be selected shortly to conduct the inner firebox plate repairs, refurbish the boiler and retube it to bring it to the standard required for the 10 year insurance certification that 30075 requires. The cab is ready to lift off, so the boiler can be accessed to lift it out of the frames and to despatch to the overhauler's premises sometime end November/December. Meantime the Wednesday Gang of John Coulbert, Howard Fry and Barry Joplin (in left photo) has continued cleaning and storing small parts. 30076 has received conservation for winter with the application of "Williams Formula 1" fluid to clean the paintwork, plus a coat of oil to the smokebox to protect the steel surfaces (right photo, again with John, Barry and Howard).

Jul / Aug 2017

Further work to release the cab and boiler from the frames means that the cab and boiler are virtually ready to lift. A visual and ultrasound boiler repair inspection took place in mid August which revealed that 30075's boiler is in generally good order. The smoke box tube plate (replaced on last heavy overhaul 1998-2004) and the firebox tube plate were likewise found to be in good order. As anticipated, some plate replacement to the inner firebox sides below the brick arch area and a small patch above the fire hole is required. The first two pictures above show the water spaces round the inner and outer firebox wrapper and detail of the crown stay threads which are sharp. As with the other stays in the boiler, little if any "necking" is visible. The second two photos show the inner firebox side areas which have thinned under the brick arch position and require replacing. The last two pictures show the throat plate from the outer side, the numbers indicate the plate thickness in these areas.

Jun 2017

June saw intensive work by both the weekend and Wednesday gangs which has yielded great results. The cab has been disconnected from the frames, with the exception of a few bolts to keep it stabilised and in place. Cross braces have been fitted to ensure the cab does not flex excessively and retains its shape when lifted (see left photo above). The Wednesday gang completed the firebox tube end grinding. All 150 tubes are now detached from their welds (photo to left) and are ready for the next process of collapsing the ends in order to free them for removal.

Apr / May 2017

The Wednesday Gang has been joined by new volunteers David Searle plus Barry Joplin assisting with the tube end weld grinding work on 30075. With one of, or both, Howard Fry and Barry Joplin covering almost all Wednesday sessions, it has been possible to accelerate work on the firebox tube end grinding. As of 24th May, some 98 of the 150 tube ends have now been freed. The first photo above shows Barry inside the firebox illuminating the completed tube ends which show up a bright silver colour. Meantime the Sunday Gang has continued with freeing and releasing the cab to floor and bunker bolts in preparation for the anticipated lift of the cab. This will then allow the boiler to be released from the frames for despatch to a third party overhaul facility. The second photo shows the centre boiler to frame support saddle which has had all its bolts loosened/removed in preparation for the lift. All smokebox saddle bolts can be seen to have been removed in the third photo.

Mar 2017

Work has continued with removal of cab fittings. The manifold and remaining cladding/insulation over the firebox within the cab has now been removed. Work has continued grinding off the tube end welds inside the firebox - Howard approaches the 20th tube end to be ground off (of a total of 150 to be done!

Feb 2017

Work continues in the cab removing fittings in preparation to lift the cab from the frames, the manifold has been stripped of most of the associated control valves as seen in the picture bottom right. The top right photo shows the ends of the 150 smoke tubes at the firebox end of the boiler, each these tubes will be replaced as part of the overhaul. Project 62 volunteer Howard Fry is seen grinding off the tube end welds which secure the tubes in place in the picture on the left.

Nov / Dec 2016

Most of the pipework connecting the steam manifold to associated equipment has been removed as well as the steam and vacuum pipes from the brake system. Drain pipes have also been removed and all are now undergoing cleaning and assessment for re-use where appropriate. Preparations to lift the cab off the locomotive are underway and, once clear, we will be able to assess the best method to lift the boiler off the locomotive frames - it is hoped sometime early 2017. In preparation for December Christmas Events 30076 has been given a tinsel and bauble "make-over" - she looks very festive as the first display you see on entering the site. The Shillingstone Railway Project has also been active in acquiring rail infrastructure over this period - rail that will eventually form the running line for Yankee Tanks 30075 and 30076.

Sept 2016

Work continued in September to prepare and remove the boiler cladding and insulation between the boiler and the cladding. Photos show 30075 with the first section of cladding and insulation removed on the section behind the smokebox, with Project 62 volunteers Tim and James releasing the banding securing the centre section in place. The centre photo shows volunteers Richard and James releasing the centre cladding section as it is lifted away and finally James and Richard again lowering the cladding section for storage prior to refurbishing.

Whilst one gang worked to remove the boiler cladding, a second team (Ian and Keith - first photo with Project 62 Locomotive Liaison Officer Dave Brown in the second photo) worked in the cab to remove the firebox fittings such as the gauge glasses and regulator control handle. A start was then made on removing the cladding from the firebox.

Volunteers James, Wayne, Dave, Tim and Ian enjoy the sun at the end of a good day's work!

Aug 2016

The remaining wooden cab floor sections on the fireman and driver's plinths were removed to reveal the cab to steel floor plate retaining bolts in those sections. The cab to floor retaining nuts and bolts were cleaned off, lubricated and slackened - along with the cab side to roof retaining nuts. Further work to clear the boiler of fittings occurred with the removal of the clack valves and associated pipework, which had been revealed following the removal of the water tanks in July. The boiler to frame retaining strap at the firebox end of the boiler was also removed.

Jul 2016

Work continued to lubricate and slacken nuts and bolts to prepare for dismantling external boiler fittings and cladding and emptying items such as the sand boxes. By mid month the two sand boxes and steam dome cover were removed.

The final weekend of July saw the two water tanks taken off, following removal of the front access steps from the buffer beam to the tank tops. 30075 is effectively no longer complete for display purposes and is now attracting much interest from the public who now have overhaul activity to watch and photograph.

Jun 2016

As the wooden decking on the main part of the cab floor was in poor condition, this was also removed. The steel plate of the cab floor was found to be in excellent condition with much evidence of the red lead primer having done its job over the last 12 years!

May 2016

The real physical work of the overhaul has started with the inside of the smokebox being cleared of years of soot and rust beneath. Removal of the concrete sealant at the base of the blast pipe and preparation to remove the two steam pipes has been undertaken. Work will be ongoing to remove all boiler fittings, water tanks and cladding with a view to lifting the boiler so that the frames and motion can be worked on later.

Jan 2016

Following transport of 30075 and 30076 to Shillingstone on 20th January, initial conservation work was undertaken. The locomotives were moved into position for initial display and showing at the "50th Anniversary of the Closure of the Somerset & Dorset Railway" commemoration event held over the weekend of 5th to 6th March. 30075 received liberal coatings of oil/paraffin to shine up her now somewhat faded BR Black livery, this also started the process of lubricating all the external fixtures scheduled for removal during the strip down process. After stabilising 30076's finish, removing loose and flaking paint, this locomotive received a coat of black paint to conserve and also a BR logo, cabside number "30076" and tape "lining out" improve the look of the engine for visitor interest and to give an impression of things to come!

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