LSWR T3 563

Anachronistically. Any LSWR livery would have been wrong for 120 in superheated form, but the dark Holly Green would have been at least right for some T9s.

Tom

 

Livery, although normally a point for later on in the overhaul will actually in this case be taken into account early on.

It matters because in SR olive, the locomotive was not fitted with smokebox mounted displacement lubricators (Which 563 currently carries, incidentally they are dummies, rough castings internally with blanked ends and no sign that a drop of oil ever touched them), the piston rod tails were removed in SR days and compensated springing also appears to be a retrofit.

So in the next 12 months, along side fundraising, it will need to decide because, mechanically it matters. My preference would be for SR Olive with 563 on the the tender and Drummond chimney, but in any livery, 563 looks absolutely amazing. I hope that members of this forum contribute to the overhaul of this wonderful locomotive. It could truly be the overhaul and return to traffic of the decade! Swanage also aren't too precious with their locomotives, so expect it to travel around to visit railways all over the country.

Perhaps a railway would like the exclusive first visit? Email matt.mcmanus@swanagerailway.co.uk to see if your railway could put down a overhaul deposit contribution to secure the first visit then the time comes! All others interested in donations to this great cause, please email the same address.

 

No. In its 0-4-0ST guise, it worked in industry until about 1960

No. Steamed in 1930, 1953 and again in 1980,

No. Withdrawn in 1932 and steaming in the late 1970s.

I also checked up the data for GNR No. 1 (withdrawn 1907, steamed in 1938 and again in 1981), Midland 118/673 (withdrawn 1928, steamed in 1980) and Shannon (not withdrawn until 1946 and steamed at least once in preservation) No Barry engines have been out of action for more than 56 years. The earliest withdrawal of the engines which weren't cut up was Small Prairie 5552, which Truro shed pensioned off in 1960, but which has already steamed in preservation. Steaming 563 after over 70 years would therefore created something of a record as far as standard gauge main line locos are concerned.

I was going to look up Welsh Pony, but have been beaten to it! I hadn't thought of Garratt K1, however.

Some of the Barry engines might make it to 70 years between withdrawal and steaming. One or two examples spring to mind which are owned by groups or railways with an impressive track record for restoring locos in their care, but which are waiting in a queue. I feel confident that 80100 at the Bluebell, 80150 and 34058 at the Mid Hants, 5668 at the Kent & east Sussex and the Dinmore Manor group's third 28xx, 3845, will all steam, but probably not for a good few years yet.

On a different subject.......

Going for SR Maunsell green livery would require the construction of a new lipped chimney and also changes to the smokebox door fastenings. EDIT - I see that this subject has already been dealt with in greater detail while I was typing in my reply!

 

This intriguing question surely has to be worth it's own thread.

 

Probably more interesting than what colour to paint the T3.

 

It is fairly obvious the Flour Mill will say it can be restored to steam as they are a semi commercial organisation and will be hoping to get the contract to do the work !

I have been round this workshop some years ago with an ex member of staff and on chatting to the current staff at the time they had a hall and a 56xx in for work. They said the hall was a no expense spared job with everything done, new tyres etc (as the owner was able to pay, while the 56xx was being done on a budget, the minimum necessary to get it running as the owner was on a tight budget.

So it will be the same with the T3, they will have to decide what they want doing which is probably dependent on how much cash they have available and how much they intend to use it.
They could probably just do a minimum necessary if it will only get occasionally used.

 

Fair enough, as long as its capable of running and can be called upon to do whats needed, after all, suppose the Swanage have a motive power crisis at the height of the summer and its either the T3 or fire up a class 47?

 

All positive news at the moment. I didn't expect things to move so fast.

 

So both your quoted examples meet the same criteria:- 'Do what you can afford.' Nothing new in that.

 

It depends on what you actually want done, for instance can some bits such as the front bogie be done at Swanage, with the flour mill doing the big stuff such as the cylinders pistons and boiler,? final painting could wait till the engine returns the more you can do either on site with your own supporters the less you have to pay for.

 

The tender will remain at Swanage undercover and is likely to be tackled in house by the SR team once it too has been assessed in the spring.

Hopefully all those who supported this move and even those who judged Swanage Railway as being an inappropriate home will now see that despite all the negative press, that this locomotive now has a bright future, one that simply would of been impossible had it remained with the NRM.

The SR continously stated that its outside storage was a temporary measure, it is now making its plans clear.

Will you support the T3? Paypal donations will be accepted by the end of next week and the T3 Fund is now open for cheque donations.

To discuss the T3 and how you might be able to help further, financially or otherwise then please contact the SR trustee in charge of 563 at matt.mcmanus@swanagerailway.co.uk

 

Paypal donations for the T3 are now being accepted! Who says the SRT is stuck in the past!

Follow the link below to the Swanage Railway Trust appeals page and donate via the paypal push button on the T3 appeal page! Many thanks everyone.

You can even make it a monthly recurring donation via the Paypal page.

https://www.swanagerailwaytrust.org/giving

 

Yes - count me in! As I have posted a number of supportive posts and am a Swanage Railway member (albeit of the armchair variety as I live over 100 miles away), it would be somewhat churlish not to. I can;t say "cheque's in the post" because I have recently sent off a donation to support an appeal by another railway of which I'm a member, besides splashing out for ticket for a main line trip, but once my finances have had the chance to recover, you'll get a donation.

Had 563 stayed at the NRM, it would doubtless have been admired for the stylish engine it unquestionably is. For sheer good looks, it comes in my top three, along with SE&CR "D" class 737 and the Midland Spinner. However, particularly for the non-enthusiast public it would always be a minor attraction compared with Mallard, Duchess of Hamilton, Rocket, City of Truro, Evening Star, etc. At Swanage, it will be a real star. When one considers the popularity of humble Victorian 0-6-0s such as Caley 828 or the O1 at the Bluebell, an elegant express 4-4-0 in working order is bound to impress, whatever livery it ends up in.

 

Getting a bit ahead of ourselves aren't we? Understandably so IMO, as the Adams T3 is arguably the most beautiful loco in preservation ... and I'm not even a South Western fanatic!

Were I involved in the fundraising, I'd be looking for ways of turning all the livery (and other) froth into restoration funds. Here's my suggestion, for what it's worth:

Everybody in the world gets 1 livery vote regardless, donors or paid up Swanage members +9 votes, donors who are paid up Swanage members +24 votes, covenant donors or Swanage life members .... well, you get the idea. That way, if it matters so much, fork out and join the Swanage .... simples!! ... and easily managed with modern IT.

Any suggestions of those bl☆☆dy "Thomas" faces would be an instant -1,000,000 votes and banishment from civilised society .... and NP ... until the end of time (plus one day .... just to be on the safe side)!!

After the superb job on the Bluebell's O1 No.65, when the time comes, No.563's paint job will have a new standard to meet. I'm 100% confident Swanage will be up to the challenge. whether it's eventually LSWR Holly, Maunsell Olive or a spot of atristic license and full-on classic LSWR with all the trimmings!

That said, SR WWII austerity black with sunshine lettering wouldn't cause me too much lost sleep ..... just as long as it's in steam!

 

Its a beautiful loco (so says an LMS fan!) and any of the colour schemes mentioned would be great. Strangely, perhaps, I have a slight liking for Victorian locos in their final condition, late in life, and black. However, my vote is still for Maunsell green!

 

It’s a shame fundraising for loco restoration can’t be done by fining anyone who wibbles on about the livery!

 

Makes life easier for the C&W Dept!

 

Asking a works to do what they can on a tight budget can be a bad plan, as the 6201 people learnt recently.

 

There's "tight" as in "realistic and well managed, with litle waste" and there's "tight" as in "evidently utterly inadequate", but your point is well taken.

 

Or, as a thought. Do not touch the paintwork, if and where possible keep it in its 1948 paint job, even if it is only for a year or so, preserving the past is not just about nuts and bolts.