When , and what, was the last ex BR steam engine cut up by a Scrap merchant ?

Now that's what I call progress!

 

2857's replacement block came from there too IIRC.
Ray.

 

Three cylinder blocks were found at Briton Ferry, two from 61xx locos and a third from a 38xx (now on 2857). One of the 61xx blocks were u/s but parts including cylinder covers were recovered and reused on 7802 “Bradley Manor”. The other 61xx block was recovered to the SVR and is at Eardington.

I read somewhere that the 38xx block was discovered to be off 3847, which was scrapped at Neath Abbey Wharf in Briton Ferry c. June 1964. Maybe one of the 2857 Society stalwarts can confirm. Incidentally 2898 was reportedly scrapped there c.April 1965.

By co-incidence two 61xx tanks were also scrapped at Neath Abbey Wharf: 6154 and 6159 in November 1965. Maybe these were the origin of the block at the nearby steelworks. Perhaps the remaining block or the cylinder covers now on 7802 will reveal some clues. Though the blocks could have come from further afield. By example, 7 class 61xx tanks were scrapped in Morriston (6110, 6116, 6140, 6144, 6148, 6149 and 6158) some 8 miles from Briton Ferry.

 

Was the finding of these parts, so long after the locos had been scrapped a rarity? then theres the reuse of things like tender chassis as ingot carriers, Redundant tenders used as slurry carriers, and of course snow plows, i remember reading that a visitor to the scrapmans yard in Cowes, still found parts from the engines cut up at Newport in 1967, and of course, some boilers that were sold into industrial use as greenhouse heaters etc, the availibility one of which, formed the backbone behind the plan to rebuild beachy head.