New Build Night Owl - 4709 Begins

Presumably this was the (completed ?) wheel pattern that was on display with the 4709 frames at SSSIII.

 

Possibly, I'm not sure how advanced the pattern construction is and I didn't go to Llan during SSS3 so wasn't aware there was a pattern on display.

Bit difficult for me to visit places atm so only passing on what I'm informed of via email/phonecalls. If the pattern was there then they are further ahead then I'd been told!

 

The wheel pattern was next to the frames during SSS3, and was still there last weekend.

 

That might be handly for 6880 one day as the drivers they got at the moment are borrowed aren't they?

Good for building a few new Moguls as well!!!!!

 

They were spare ones for 7325 but I thought the GW(SVR) had donated them to 6880.

 

Details are on the 6880 website:

Grange Finds its Feet | Betton Grange 6880

 

Could always build some new wheels for 4115.....

 

If 4115 still existed then yes. It'd need a new set of extension frames, as these are on the 47xx.

 

And a post elsewhere on this forum stated the frames and cylinder block have gone elsewhere too. 4115 would appear to be no more.

 

At least there is a lovely ex-Swindon Works photo of her .... taken at Swindon:

http://www.trackbed.com/vogr/gwr4115/loco_4115_swindon.jpg

 

RIP 4115.... :-(

 

4115 died in June 1965... Personally I'd rather any bits of me that are still usable wnt for transplants rather than to the worms - or razor blades...

 

personally I'd rather use any bits I could find available to restore ME to full health

 

For those that haven't seen it, the wheel pattern on the website looks really quite gorgeous. I always enjoy seeing a lovely bit of woodwork even if it has been done by a machine. Clever idea to make it in such a way that it can be used as more than one pattern

Great Western Society 47XX Project: Latest News

 

Thanks for the news update and link.

As the 6880 website hasn't been updated since the 12th April, I was unaware the removable boss was jointly financed by the 4709 project and the 6880 Betton Grange Project. Certainly makes sense to have this versatility.

 

Great Western Society 47XX Project: Latest News

Been a few updates since we last commented on this thread.

 

2012 Summary

Great Western Society 47XX Project: Latest News

 

2013 Progress

Great Western Society 47XX Project: Latest News

 

Help me out on this one please! Just watched the Hairy Bikers piece about the 47xx new build, which they call a "restoration" of the "greatest steam train"--but we'll let that pass for now....I am puzzled about the boiler/firebox for this loco. The programme showed the lifting of a 28xx boiler, to be sent of to "Oxfordshire" for restoration for use on the 47, where would that be? Didcot? But surely the 28xx has a Swindon number one boiler, whereas the 47xx class had a boiler unique to them, a number 7. Looking at the dimensions I doubt if it is possible to cut and shut a number one into a number seven, so is the 47 being built as was the prototype 4700 which carried a number one boiler for just two years? If this is the case the 47 will not look like the class that ran into BR days.

Any info appreciated, and I have had a look at the website for the loco but cannot see the answer there.

46118

Edit: Have now seen the thread in "general railway chat", but my question stands, the inference in the programme was that the 28xx no. 1 boiler was destined for 4710.

 

Like 46118, I too was puzzled by the reference to 2861's boiler for the new 47xx. I understood from the 47xx Night Owl Website that 28xx 2861 ( the loco seen arriving at Llangollen and then having its boiler lifted by crane onto a low loader by a "hairy biker") was donating its cylinder block and some other parts to the new 47xx, but not its boiler which indeed currently resides at Didcot on 2999 to assist in making up pipe runs whilst 2999's boiler is being worked on (see the "Saint" website). Plenty of posts on this site about the history of the 47xx boiler (only 4700 was built new with a No 1 (28xx type) boiler before the larger No 7 was fitted) so I won't dwell on that but I too was surprised by the TV programme's reference to the boiler and not the cylinders.
Overall though, for a mass market TV programme, I thought they explained the original purpose of the 47xx class quite well (even showed some original footage of 47xxs on freight) and the "handle", "Night Owl" is a much more catchy term than the "Churchward 47xx Class" and of course far more people now know that this country has the ability, skills and purpose to make things like locomotive driving wheels etc, which can only be a good thing for the heritage railway movement. It gave a good insight into the engineering skills in casting massive chunks of steam loco and I found it fascinating. I also felt that the Llangollen Railway and 3802 got a good showing out of this programme and, as ever, the unmistakeable joy of 2 blokes riding a locomotive footplate and trying to describe it without dust filling their eyes never fails to do the job! Let's hope it "fired up" a few more donors to the cause.