Sentinel works no 6807 Gervase

Wasn't it restored by a group at Elsecar and finished off at Loughboro' ? Didn't think the KESR had anything to do with it. Ray.

 

Mostly correct, the loco was restored at Elsecar by Mike Hart and his team. The axle box fitting and running in were completed at the GCR.

The KESR connection is that Gervase was the first steam loco to join the early preservation movement in 1962, first steaming there in 1963. Mike was a volunteer on the KESR in the 1960s (as was I) and has always had a soft spot for Gervase so when he could he made Gervase a go'er again.

Henry Mowforth who works at Rolvenden was responsible for overhauling Gervase’s boiler and engine unit, this was carried out at Rolvenden.

The loco is on short visit to the KESR and will be performing at the KESR May gala 4/5/6 May. Having been involved in the data collation during line testing between Bodiam and Tenterden I can say that Gervase performs fantastically far exceeding everyone’s expectation in speed, economy, and haulage capacity.

I would strongly urge those with a light railway interest to visit the KESR over that weekend and experience Gervase for yourself.

Check out the KESR website, Gervase is due to operate over the whole line on Monday morning, leaving Tenterden sometime between 09:00 and 10:00. On the Saturday and Sunday it will be assaulting Tenterden bank topping and tailing with that other mighty 0-4-0 'Marcia. A sight and sound not to be missed as Gervase will return to Elsecar shortly after the gala.

Alan

 

From reading this thread since the start I believe the K&ESR carried out, under contract, restoration of the boiler and engine unit. Early work on rebuilding the frames was done at an undisclosed location before the loco moved to Elsecar for the bulk of the re-assembly work. As you say, it then went to Loughborough for axlebox work and finishing. No doubt Fireline will be able to fill in any gaps! Hearty congratulations are due to all those involved, I'm looking forward to seeing her on the May bank-holiday weekend.

 

A piece of useless information about Gervase is that the Sentinel firebox now fitted was the last one bought by British Railways in 1958 for the princely sum of £250 and never used by them. Made by Spurr, Inman of Wakefield, it saw some service in Middleton's LNER Cl Y1/2 Sentinel (BR 68153) before being sold on. 2013 looks like being a good year for Sentinel locos with the possibility of 68153 and Sentinel 7109 joining Gervase in a return to steam.

 

Sentinel gala anyone?

 

Yes. But where......?

 

Ah, my mistake, congrats to the restoration team then as I am still amazed by the change!

 

Evening All,

Those with long memories may remember that I originally started this thread with a request for information so that I could up-date the caption to the not very good photograph of Gervase that I had just posted to my Fotopic site. Most of you will also know that Fotopic went belly-up a couple of years ago and my original picture became unavailable. Ever since then I have been rebuilding my Fotoic site on Flickr and the still not very good picture of Gervase is now on Flickr :


R0823. GERVASE on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. July,1962. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

While I was at it, I also posted this picture to Flickr and would be grateful if anyone can give me any further information as to its fate :


R1888. Morris 20 c1934 on the Kent & East Sussex Railway. September,1964. by Ron Fisher, on Flickr

Clicking on the pictures will enlarge them.

 

Did anyone else notice the long lost loco 'Dom' behind 'Gervase' in Ron's photo. 'Dom' was the loco section of a former Jersey Eastern Rly steamrailcar (Sentinel6994/27) of which the passenger section still exists in Jersey. The shame is that 'Dom' was scrapped at the KESR - apparently because the then management didn't realise its historical significance. I always found that strange as 'Dom's' pedigree was described in 'Rails to Tenterden' as far back as 1967.
What a shame that the opportunity to restore a Sentinel steam railcar was lost. Thanks for posting the photos Ron. Ray.

 

I was under the impression that the railcar was now being restored, using the remains of another Sentinel. Somewhere in Eastern Europe, wasn't it?

 

I've got no up to date information on the car, but I remember (vaguely) that it was the subject of a magazine article in the 1960's - possibly Model Railway News, or Model railway Constructor. In the article the conversion was described, and how it was used. I seem to remember that in order to avoid running long distances in reverse that it was taken to a level crossing, the steering unlocked, and it was driven round 'til it faced the other way...

This was all a long time ago, and my memory is probably faulty. I have a recollection that the article mentioned that it was out of use because a big end had gone. That may have been the end of it. Does this ring any bells with anyone?

Steve B

 

The Chatham Dockyard (where it once worked) website includes a history of DOM (Sentinel 6694/1927)
http://www.dockyardrailway.co.uk/standard/history/sentinel.php which states the loco was scrapped at Aylesbury in 1973. This location seems to confirm earlier KESR accounts that the loco was not scrapped by them but was sold to a member of Quainton Railway Society. QRS sources have usually stated the loco never arrived there, only parts which were used in the restoration of another loco.

The surviving trailer portion of the railcar is shown in this youtube video, before removal from Pallot:


The Chatham web page also says a replica Sentinel railcar is being constructed using this surviving trailer as a pattern. The International Steam website shows pictures of what appears to be the old body and the new railcar under construction in Romania (scroll down near the bottom of the page):
http://www.internationalsteam.co.uk/trams/steamtram08.htm

 

Sadly, close but no cigar. Dom wasn't scrapped by the KESR, but rather was sold to someone at Quainton. The loco moved there, where the engine unit was salvaged for use in Isebrook. The rest of Dom was then scrapped. ( I have heard anecdotal evidence that Quainton thought that it never arrived because the thing they received looked more like a council toilet block on wheels....) As far as the Jersey railcar, my understanding is that the railcar has been moved up to the north of England. There is already a Sentinel loco slated to provide the motive power for the railcar, and while no timescales have been set, I expect this restoration to be up to the same high standard as Gervase.

 

Having been researching some local history recently (sparked off by Gervase!), I found a picture of the locomotive in original form at the bottom of this page-

http://www.oldreigate.com/?goto=mersthamquarry

 

Have a look at the book!

http://www.blurb.co.uk/b/4345008-gervase-a-very-special-engine

 

Being a resident of Merstham (hence my curiosity regarding the local quarries which was incidentally kicked of by seeing the locomotive), I found a "Gervase cottage" which is probably more than just a coincidence.

 

Gervase is currently at Rolvenden for completion of a 10-year overhaul.
4253 Facebook page reports she is is to be fitted with a second engine-unit, doubling pulling-power ready for the Robertsbridge extension:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1089642993209132&set=pcb.1089644579875640