Restoration News - September 2009
7511 finished at last
During the last days of September leading up to the 2009 Autumn Steam Gala, the final touches were being made to LMS Open First No. 7511. Lining out in the black, gold leaf and Vermillion stripes has been going on since April, on at least three evenings a week. There are 3346 feet of lines on 7511, just a few yards short of ¾ of a mile! 7511 has been requested for static display at Kidderminster over the three days of the gala and will be staffed by C&W volunteers who took part in its restoration. 7511 was started in October 1999 and up to 53 volunteers from C&W and M.P.D. have taken part in its restoration at a cost of around £75,000. 7511 came to the Trust with a promise that the workforce would finish it and not drain any funds from the Trusts accounts. Now this successful team are well on the way to rebuilding another Trust vehicle, LMS 6-wheel brake 2886. Work on LMS “CR” brake No. 2886 took a major step forward with the commencement in September of major structural timber frame replacement by our contractor Mike Walker. Within a week the top-stringer (which caps all of the upright pillars and supports the roof arches) had been replaced with new timber. Bridgnorth volunteers have been preparing brackets and panels for later use, and some of these have travelled by train to Kidderminster for countersinking on the fly-press.
Meeting with the GM
At a meeting with the SVR (H) General Manager in August the Trusts plans for loco 7819 and brake No. 2886 were discussed. Both the trusts and the SVR (H) positions are in accord, with a timetable of component acquisitions for the Trust to work towards for 7819, and the promise of works visits for both 7819 and 2886 mapped out. Both projects need funds to keep them on course during 2010, so every £1 raised is important, especially if it is gift aided.
9084 nears completion
The Hawksworth sleeping car has had the lavatory floor replaced. The original plywood base had de-laminated and was “bouncy”, causing the tiles to move. All of the tiles in the half of the compartment affected were lifted carefully and a new sheet of plywood installed in place of the damaged one. Relaying the tiles took several weeks as you can’t stand on them until the cement sets. New Scotia timbers were also laid in by early September. All that remains to finish off 9084 is a clean up and painting of the Scotia followed by re-fitting the sink. Mattresses ordered by the SVR Association came wrong size and were transferred to a Mk 3 sleeping car instead, replacements are still awaited at this time.