76077

The speculation elsewhere about 76079 got me thinking about 76077 down at Toddington.

Given the usefulness and flexibility of 76079 it seems a shame that 76077 has been left in the background a bit - it would seem an ideal engine for a lot of railways out there.

Is it still owned by the 35006 P&O Group? I guess the plan is to move on to 76077 once 35006 is up and running.

 

As far as I know, 76077 is owned by one individual, and always has been.

 

I believe the line served the owner notice to move it a few years back because of the lack of progress on it since its arrival in the 80's.

I think the issue must have been resolved though as it is still there, but not sure if anything is being done to it though, not heard nothing.

This would be an ideal kettle for the GWSR I would have thought, lets hope it has a future there.

 

I wondered when this loco would "surface." I saw it arrive at Toddington in May 1987 not long after Ditcheat and Odney Manor and Cogan Hall and 5199 all moved out (not happy times at the GWR then but all in the past) and was, quite frankly, disappointed. This was not a Western loco, it didn't have a tender and the class were virtually unknown on the Honeybourne Line and I didn't think much of it. Well, isn't ignorance embarrassing? 76xxxs did run on the Honeybourne Line (not often as none were allocated to BR (W) sheds) and they also ran on the Cheltenham - Andoversford - Andover Line. I was just not aware of how good this class of loco was (and is) but one soon learns in the railway enthusiast's world. I am more than happy to be proved wrong but, as I understand it, 76077 was owned by 1 individual who is or was not in good health. I also understand that the 35006 group would assist in restoring it once the Merchant Navy was completed. I was told that many missing fittings have been purchased for 76077 and that it already has a new smokebox made. Of course the loco has been completely dismantled for many years and so its easy to forget about it when wandering around at Toddington now. It was the 186th loco to leave Barry Scrapyard and had a very short working life, having been built at Horwich in Dec 56 and withdrawn from Wigan Springs Branch in Dec 67. I'm sure someone out there knows more about the loco and, having learned rather more about our railway heritage, I would be pleased to see it restored and working on the GWR.

 

Shame about the loco, was just wondering earlier today what condition it was in these days!

 

Its condition is very poor. When I last went around the loco yard at Toddington, about two years ago, the boiler had a notice on it saying 'RIP 76077'. It's a shame, I have fond memories of this engine seeing it around the north-west in the mid 60s. I was also on the famous tour when it was photographed on the flat crossing at Widnes. It could perhaps be resurrected, but it will cost a lot.

Regards

 

The R.I.P was from when it future came into question, the time of which the line asked ''whats the crack with it and if you aint doin owt with it move it out of ere'' worst case was possibily scrapping it, hence the R.I.P...... but its still there so maybe there is a long term plan for it somewhere, possibily as stated something to do with the P&O group?...

 

Sad that 76077 has made so little progress, and in a way surprising.

I seem to remember that the KWVR-based group that ended up buying 75078 were initially considering 76077, as the class was not represented in preservation at the time, unlike the 75xxx's. 76077 was rejected in view of its poor condition I seem to remember. However, one would assume that it would have been the best of the 76xxx's in Barry at the time. Since then, of the other engines 76017 and 76079 have steamed and 76084 is far nearer steaming. A bit odd if 76077 was the pick of the bunch.

I would be interested for confirmation that the above account is accurate. All this was a good few years ago.

 

I understood it as that 76077 had a tender (now with 76017) and a full set of motion (ditto) and was generally complete (for a Barry engine) 76017, 76080( which was scrapped in 1974ish) and 76084 all had lost tenders which had their motion in them and were in 'worse condition' because of that.

 

Ah... that set of motion... I Hear it has a history attached to it !

 

Another 76XXX coming along quietly in the background is the one owned by a group associated with the NYMR, namely 76084.

Restoration at Hepscott near Morpeth has seen the engine frames re-wheeled, on what I think are a complete set of retyred wheels. The tender tank has been placed back on the overhauled tender frames.

Around £80,000 is required to complete the loco, mainly for boiler work and some remaining items of loco valve gear. Comment in "Moorsline" a while ago suggested that the boiler is in reasonable order, and maybe this is borne out by the relatively modest target for funds that includes the cost of the boiler/firebox overhaul.

46118

 

A recent update to their website shows that boiler work has started with stay manufacture and some stays being fitted.
You are correct about the retyring of the wheels-the tender was also retyred. There was an interesting comment earlier about tenders being lost to the scrapman, as I understood the 76084 had her 'original' tender...anyone which loco her current tender came from?

http://www.standard4.com if anyone fancies a look


Keith

 

Thanks for the website link Keith, was not aware of that site.

Regards

46118

 

An old thread to dredge up i know but i've just been looking through my photo's at Barry from 1971 and i came across a shot of 76077 without her tender and cab to cab with 35027, which is obviously also tenderless. Sadly i don't have a scanner but i will get one and be back to dredge up this old thread yet again !

 

Would be interesting to see what progress is being made on 76077, the GWSR web site has noting about the restoration and a quick search of the Internet didn't produce very much at all. Does anybody on NatPres know anything?

 

Unless it's moved, various frames and wheel components were in the siding between Toddington and the Viaduct.

 

....no progress that anybody's told you about ;-)
Arguably has more chance of restoration than certain trans-continental airfix kit projects.