35009, Shaw Savill

I remember a year or two ago I think it was the Severn valley railway opened up an appretiship scheme to try and encourage the younger people to learn how to make parts and show the basics in restoration of steam locomotives and a Barry wreck (35009) would have been and excellent candidate unfortunately living in the south I would have loved to have had the opportunity to learn something like that

 

But the A1 trust had the fund raising, the engineering team, and a plan that ensured it would be done, in a lot of the no hopers, there is no firm plan, no set out time span and in some cases, there is not the on site facilities look at what happened to the crab, thats what happens when you dream, buying and stripping the loco is the easy bit, then you need the fund raising plan to allow you to put it back together again. parts dont grow on trees. they have to be purchased and machined .

 

Another reality check: who would have thought we would have been talking about 5 working MNs 40 years ago? Who would have thought that the main line-registered examples would have been allowed to run on their former Southern stamping grounds 25 years ago? Even if 35009 and 35022 don't resurface for a good few years and 35010/11/25 don't steam in the next 30 years (if at all), we are about to enjoy the best years for working MNs since 1967. I for one am very thankful to all those who have put (and are putting) so much time and money into restoring and running these rather complex but exciting locos.

 

Here, here, I stand with you on that statement. It wasn't that long ago that few believed there would be 2 or 3 MNs running around, let alone 5. Half of the surviving members of the class restored, despite their practicality issues? I'd say that's pretty darn good if you ask me.

I am fond of the class, I'd love to see them all restored, but even me being a very optimistic person can't see them getting all saved...

Though having said, I'm still holding out for an as built MN, just one, that's all I ask for...

 

Still putting my hopes on Jeremy Hoskins restoring 35022 to as built, not much of it left anyway, and if anyone could afford such a project, it's him.

 

I will venture no opinion as to the likelihood of one of the Merchant Navies ever being restored to (something like) original condition. But I do suggest that, if that ever does happen, it should have the valve-gear with spur (?) gears as originally intended by Bulleid, rather than the chain-driven arrangement that was forced on him by wartime conditions, and the flaws of which were one of the reasons for the rebuilding.

 

I had no idea the chain-driven valve gear was forced on him, always figured it was him who spearheaded and supported that design.

 

I have been dammed impressed w/34046 since she emerged last Summer from Ian's Shops.

 

I saw Braunton when she did the rail tour with the black 5 to the bluebell railway and she is a beast of a machine I have to say very noisy aswell

 

Most definitely, however the restoration was carried out by West Somerset Restoration and so the bulk of the credit perhaps 95% should go to them for carrying out such a fine job.

Ian just did the final fettling and fitment of mainline safety requirement systems to finish the job off.

 

I believe that several accounts suggest that Bulleid regarded the chain option as the second-best design solution to the problem of fitting miniaturised valve-gear between the frames. The components for the original gear-driven valve gear was never going to be a priority for manufacturers churning out war material from the limited resources available.

 

Not just capability, but access to suitable materials - which for some inexplicable reason that I simply can't fathom out were prioritised towards the aero engine industry ...

Tom

 

Me too. Had a great run on the "Welsh Borders" trip on 17th May. Stormed up Sapperton and the running from Worcster through Hereford an on towards Newport was brilliant. Hardly noticed Llanvihangel bank. It would be good if RTC ran this one again next May with 35018 in charge this time.

 

do any drawings exist of the original idea to use spur gears it would be interesting to see how it would have worked or what other system could be fitted within the space provided.

 

Enclosed if I have done it properly are photos of 25 and the other at Sellindge in May 2014. Seems a shame that 25 got this far but is now almost hopeless

 

And yes, we did have permission to be there