Current happenings

1638 went back into traffic, fully restored as of Feb 06

Previous "news updates" archive since the launch of 1638 in February 2006

27th Jan 2008

Boxing clever!

S15 class 847

After a little break for Christmas and the New Year, the Bluebell Workshop staff and our Working Group are all busy keeping up the progress on our main project the S15 class 847. As well as the boiler, axel boxes are high on the "progress made" list

The boiler

The main news since the last report is that the boiler was moved into the workshop in November 2007, where both workshop staff and our own voulunteers are able to work in the dry and relative warmth.

We must thank Henry Mowforth of the workshop staff who took the lead  on removing the 180 old crown stays. This was difficult and unpleasant task in a very confined space.  They are now all out and Chris Shepherd, the Workshop Manager,   is looking into how to order up replacements. Meanwhile two of our volunteers Frank Glue and Clive Bean have also provided some help to the workshop staff who are  removing the copper side stays, below footplate level, with over half out on the right hand side already.  This is a slow gutty job, but where care is required in order not to break drills, or drill out of alignment.  Hopefully it will not be many more weeks before this job is completed and re-staying can start.

Other jobs
Tony Funnell is maintaining good progress with the axleboxes.  The thrust faces and crowns have had new white metal cast in place and await machining meanwhile Tony is drilling and fixing a new set of bronze side faces.
Melvyn Frohnsdorff has assembled the front and sides of the smokebox and the Sunday gang are helping him rivet it all together, with two dozen rivets going in on the first day.
Our Chairman, Ray Bellingham is pressing on with refurbishing various parts of the motion, cleaning up and replacing bushes as he goes along.  He has also finished off the work on the valves and pistons.
Painting the frames has had to cease due to inappropriate weather, but other jobs have been attended to.  Jo Faircloth has cleaned out the valve and cylinder bores and cleaned up the slide bars.

Stowe

Steam Railway ran a good article about the cosmetic re-paint of Stowe (and the overhaul of 847) in their January 2008 edition.  David Jones and Simon Allen completed the re-paint and lettering on the tender, in time for the photo session, and some touching up work of paintwork on top of the tender has also been undertaken.

Fundraising - 847 tube appeal/Stowe appeal

Finance as ever is pressing issue.  The MLS has already spent over £35,000 on 847’s overhaul.  We want to help get the project finished as soon as we can – so we are asking people to sponsor one of 167 boiler tubes for £25 and or one of the 24 flue tube for £125.   We have already had sponsorship for 40 boiler tubes and 4 flue tubes.  Can you help?  You know it makes sense! 

Please send cheques made payable to “Maunsell Locomotive Society”
to Steve Pilcher, MLS Treasurer, 312 Riverside Mansions, Milk Yard, Wapping, London E1W 3TA.

Since Steam Railway were offering to publicise our work with Stowe, it was too good an opportunity to miss.  We certainly would like to start work on Stowe, after we have done as much as we can to help with 847.  It is not unreasonable to forsee that by the end of 2008 we could be starting on the project, with removing tubes etc from the boiler.  We have over £11,000 in the bank now, so if you would like to help with Stowe as well, we have a separate account running for it, so again, just send a cheque to the Treasurer – see above. 

Please also consider joining the Society, it only costs £10 per year or £140 for Life Membership.  See the membership form section of the website, or otherwise just send a cheque for the appropriate membership category, to our Membership Secretary, Mr George Binns, 21 Barnfield Close, Hastings TN34 1TS

Finally we must not forget the PMV, where Rodney Packham has now only got one more door left to do.  So something to celebrate for the next Points and Crossings, (Bluebell Railway in house magazine) hopefully!

And last of all a happy and productive New Year to all who follow our work.

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