41313 overhaul at East Somerset for IOWSR

The idea of the 10 year boiler ticket is something that has been confusing railway enthusiasts for years. Boiler tickets have to be renewed annually although this can be stretched by a few months to fit in with maintenance programs etc. There isn't any specific regulation that says you have to re-tube and inspect a boiler every ten years. This is just the typical period the inspectors use. More often than not is is possible for a boiler to stay in use longer than this. Sometimes by a few months, and sometimes several years. It all depends on the condition of the boiler, what the inspector wants to do, and of course what the owners want to do. Conversely the loco could be withdrawn earlier than 10 years.

Tim

 

Realistically though, how much use would the IoWSR have made of the loco over the last four or five months, given that - Santas excepted - that coincides very much with the low season? In the circumstances, it's easy to imagine that routine winter maintenance on the other, smaller engines had higher workshop priority so all are fit for the new season, before doing work on the Ivatt that may not really be needed or come into its own until the summer.

Tom

 

Having cleaned the coupling rods to be used on 41313 to enable measurements to be taken, I noted that they are from sister loco 41319 which I understand was scrapped by A. King & Sons in Norwich.

 

My understanding is that the Ivatt Trust "lightened" 41319 quite legitimately before she bit the dust.

 

That would be an interesting story bearing in mind it was scrapped somewhere other than Barry Island.

 

Unless they were bought as spares for 41298, being as that was preserved straight out of BR i should imagine that 41319 was cut up before the trust got hold of 41313 as wasnt Woodhams banned from re selling engines at first?

 

Yes he was as they were sold as scrap and they were only started been allowed to be sold other than for scrap with some arm twisting of BRB for engines of classes which were missing from preservation like the MR 4F and the GWR 2-6-0.

 

The motion from 41319 was purchased as spares for 41298 is my understanding. It is quite interesting what has turned up from other locos over the years ... the class 61xx cylinder block at Eardington (ex Briton Ferry), the cab side off 77014 (ex Newport) etc. Nice to see the Ivatt parts given new life. I once went to a house in North Devon and there was the right hand smoke deflector from 34001 in a garden. What else is tucked away out there?

 

Dosnt 60103 have a double chimmney off 'Salmon Trout' I think. At least it did when converted in 1993.

 

I believe it was made new by Babcock in 1993. Although Alan Peglar bought a spare boiler & cylinders for FS in 1963 I doubt he'd have wanted a double chimney since he specifically wanted to preserve it in single chimney form. I wonder if Doncaster fitted another loco's chimney in 1963 or whether they made a new one.

 

I could be wrong about it being Salmon Trouts chimney but Im sure it was a double chimney that was being used as a plant pot in a gentlemans garden. Apparntley the old single chimney was so badly cracked it was only held together by years and years worth of paint! This is from what I recall reading at the time I could be completley in the wrong. As regards the single chimney put back in 1963 that could be an intresting what if. Did they 1) As you suggest Miff use an existing one ex locomotive. 2) use an existing one from stores 3) dig out the drawings and make one from new, the expertise would still be there.

 

There is an interview with a guy who gave the double chimney from his garden to Tony Marchington for use on its rebuild under Tony's ownership. The interview took place at Salisbury after one of its first runs after its rebuild. I will try and find it and view it to confirm all the details and post accordingly.

 

A tremendous example of long term thinking by the Ivatt Trust people; I believe that they obtained parts from other locos too at the same time. It is also a real benefit of standardisation that they can be used now on fellow class members.

 

Perhaps you're right about the chimney in a garden but I'd be surprised if it came from ST. At Carnforth in the 70s there was a notice next to FS's spare boiler erroneously stating it came from ST. After the boiler swap at Vickers the old boiler was dumped in the same spot with the same notice.

 

As I say I could be wrong with it being ST I think it could be because of the spare boiler and cylinders. Perhaps thats where Im getting ST from.

 

I have just been looking at the ESR photo blog. Work on the Loco is proceeding at an amazing pace with major things being done seemingly every few days. 41313 frames are already starting to be reassembled in some areas. Is the refurbishment being done by volunteers or paid staff ? If they are volunteers progress isn't just amazing, it is spectacular.

 

We are 100% volunteers. We are fortunate to be able to put up to 150 manhours to the project each week thanks to our regular turn out throughout the week and at weekends.

 

Readers might be interest to see the small cylinder detail plate recently discovered. A photo was posted on ESR Facebook page on 8th July.

https://www.facebook.com/eastsomersetrailway?fref=ts

 

Built by the LMS in 1952!