As planned, Furness Railway No. 20 was loaded onto a Reid Freight transporter on Wednesday morning before setting off on its journey to Didcot Railway Centre, stopping off at Stoke overnight. After unloading at Didcot yard on Thursday morning the loco was the subject of an ultrasonic examination of its axles and a fitness to run examination before being shunted across the main line into the Didcot Railway Centre on Friday.
There was just time to take a photo of FR 20 posed alongside Great Western Railway ‘Castle’ Class 4-6-0 Pendennis Castle before it was shunted under cover. Alan and Alison have set off to Didcot from Preston today as the advance party although departure was somewhat delayed owing to the failure of the car battery. We hope that their luck improves! Sam, John Dixon and Keith are also heading south to Didcot this weekend.
Meanwhile, the work to dismantle GWR 0-6-2 No. 5643 continues. John Dixon has been uncoupling the steam heat pipework under the bunker.
Sam went into the smokebox before attending to the superheater elements. We are pleased to be able to report that, after a bit of a struggle with one of them, the elements were successfully removed.
Keith is pictured at work with one of the injector water valves.
Work has also continued in Great Eastern Railway Royal Saloon No. 5 where Matthew gave the toilet sink a much needed clean.
Finally, good news from Embsay: the FRT’s ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST Cumbria passed its 14 month steam test last Tuesday and has had a broken spring changed.