61264

Anyone have a status update on how things are progressing with the overhaul, how bad was the bolier?

 

The current Railway Magazine has an article about 61264. It said it is hoped the loco will be out by the end of the year.

 

well put it this way, the boiler is currently sans front and rear tubeplates, majority of the backhead, the complete inner box and most of the outer box sides. just the outer box crown and barrel. Its having drastic surgery, but is progressing

 

I'm looking forward to seeing this B1 again. When I first got into steam about 3-4 years ago now I went to Barrow hill and the B1 was there in the yard as I thought it was a black 5 ](*,) #-o

I would love to see 70013 on the Easterling one way and the B1 the other [-o<

 

Apologies for the ignorance if this has been covered before,

But what are the plans for her once restored? Is WCRC still a no-go and will she still be vac only? (As such no proper mainline work). So will she remain as a NYMR resident working the Whitby's or based somewhere else?

So many questions!

 

The second one in particular is a very good one...

 

I believe that 61264 is to be restored and certified for Whitby to Battersby only and become resident on the NYMR for their Whitby services.

 

Well that will be good if it happens - I can't think of a better or more appropriate home for it, and with around 40 miles of railway to run on, the next best thing to being on the main line.

 

Excellent!

Thanks for the helpful replies guys!

 

Such a shame she is not going mainline though, another class we dont have on the mainline.

Alex

 

I had heard that myself but i wouldn't count anything out until its actually finished. Would be such a shame to not have her on the mainline again but the occasional work against the cost must make it quite an obvious decision. The other aspect of it is of course West Coasts dominance of the steam market which 61264 would be excluded from. Mind you we could use her on the moors at the moment let alone in 18 months 2 years time.

 

If you forget the WCRC nonesense lets not forget 61264 is a humble class 5, quite often the number of break even seats would be more than the loco can comfortable handle.

I'd like to see her mainline again, but can totally understand the reasoning against it.

Out of curiousity, what sort of figure are you talking to fit an air pump and associated pipework ?.

 

Dont think that statement is really correct when you have 45407, 45231, 4936, 4953, 4965, 5972, 30777 and 76079 working on the national network and running trains to make a profit.

Alex

 

Re Matt's earlier comments re the boiler, here are some photographs showing work in progress.

http://uk.geocities.com/thompson1264/2008/2008.html

Extensive repairs as Matt said.

Was this the loco that originally received new inner firebox half-sides in the days when that was a groundbreaking repair for the heritage movement?

46118

 

In the early years of boiler restoaration 61264 was 'project impossible'. Steam Railway even wrote that it could be the first loco destined to go back to Barry... That news sent shockwaves round the preservation movement at the time.

How times change.

 

Thanks for the link.

Definately open heart surgery !!

I too recall the B1 having a groundbreaking repair - it was a 'mission impossible' similar to 71000 having new cylinders.

 

As far as I recall the B1 had been in "Departmental" use as a stationary boiler, and I guess normal care and maintenance went out of the window, ie things like washouts, and the lower firebox became "burned". I recall that there was much talk of then building the first new inner firebox.

46118

 

I think your statment proves my point rather more than yours Alex, if we discount Riley's pair, the rest are hardley worked to death are they.

 

If you take out the GWR engines, all the others are busy engines. Especially 45231 and 30777.

 

Jacobite apart 45231 does 90% of it's work on preserved lines, 30777 has had periods out of action and like the Halls suffers from gauging.

There is work for class 5's out there but it seems for the most part to consist of repeat itinery runs with lighter loads, Joacobite, Cotton Mill, Shakespeare etc, unless more are introduced that will only provide employment for a certain number of loco's.

The Whitby runs would be ideal for 61264 in that respect and would help fund an occasional one off tour if it wasn't for the WCRC/Air Brake debacle.