A face for the 'County'

The smokebox door is arguably the face of an engine. Shafts of sunlight stream through the roof of Neyland shed onto Hawksworth ‘County’ No. 1020 County of Monmouth on May 8 1961. FRANK CASSELL


Steam Railway is delighted to push the Great Western Society’s ‘County’ project a small step forward by sponsoring the manufacture of the smokebox door for Hawksworth 4-6-0 No. 1014 County of Glamorgan.

“It continues our tradition of supporting railway projects, and having the opportunity to create the ‘face’ of this important new creation gives us immense satisfaction”, said Steam Railway Editor Howard Johnston.

“Whenever they see No. 1014 out and about, our readers will know that a tiny part of their magazine purchase has been ploughed back into front line preservation. This time, we have decided not to make a direct appeal, but fund it ourselves.”

As exclusively reported in the latest issue (SR458, pages 45-47), 70% of No. 1014’s construction cost has now been found, and major milestones have been reached with the placing of the driving wheels under the frames, a serious start made on the boiler, and the tender frames almost ready to take the new tank.

Our sponsorship of No. 1014 County of Glamorgan’s smokebox doors is the latest entry in the list of steam revival projects supported by Steam Railway and its readers over the years.

They include BR ‘Britannia’ 4-6-2 No. 70013 Oliver Cromwell, GWR 4-4-0 No. 3440 City of Truro, LNER ‘A3’ 4-6-2 No. 60103 Flying Scotsman, BR ‘8P’ 4-6-2 No. 71000 Duke of Gloucester, LMS ‘8P’ No. 46229 Duchess of Sutherland, GCR ‘O4’ No. 63601, GWR 4-6-0 2999 Lady of Legend, NER ‘J21’ 0-6-0 No. 65033, the Talyllyn Railway’s Dolgoch, and the rake of ‘Windcutter’ wagons at the Great Central Railway.

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