GWR 2-8-0 2885 news

Whilst building up the dragboxes for 7802's Churchward tender project the advantage of purchasing duplicate steel for 2885's tender is being taken. Fortunately the tender for 2885 is less of a job & the chassis "only" needs a replacement front dragbox. This tender was fitted with replacement frames at some time in its more recent BR life & was obtained for preservation straight from BREL at Swindon in 1982 having been in use with a crane prior to that. Parts of it are stamped 1888 though the official records (not infallible!) suggest that tender was sold for scrap around 1964.

 

Is it still a well tank on that tender? If so I think its unique in preservation in having a well tank with the 1931 design frames.

 

Yes its a well tank though not unique in that 3850/7820, 7808 & 2999 have similar tanks/frames & there may still be others. 1888 though has snap head rivets whereas the others were countersunk.

 

Oops, yes, obviously been a bit careless editing my tender spreadsheet.
Bit naughty having those frames on 2999s tender though, maybe there should be a swap with 3822?

So I make it at least 5. probably 7 of around 60 preserved GWR tenders that have had new frames of a different design.