E. Lancs Restoration

The E. Lancs have put on quite a show this weekend, but most of the locos were visitors or at best semi-resident. It's a long time now since the Crab was outshopped, what is following it in the restoration pipeline?imagine 80098 will be next but what's after that?

 

92134 maybe?

 

Suggest 80080, then 80097, both this year.
47324 to follow .

 

Is 80080 regarded as an ELR engine now, rather than being on hire?

 

Pretty sure 80080 is off the Railway being overhauled at the Midland Railway Centre, however I may have also read that it may well return to the Lancs once complete.

 

I believe that is what I have also read.

In terms of motive power I would categorise 2765, 34092, 52322 & the austerity conversion as their operable residents of the line at the moment. It appears as though 80080 is due back on hire to the line to add to these.

80097 looks to be on the home straight with reassembly on going & the boiler steam tested.

92134 has also had its boiler steam tested & reunited with its frames although I think this loco is not as advanced in terms of reassembly as 80097. I'm not sure they haver a tender yet so may be planning on hiring one in perhaps?

 

I am pretty sure that there were 2 Standard 4s undergoing repairs/overhaul in the West Shed when I was at Butterley at the end of September, so yes, 80080 must be 'back home'.

Steven

 

Douglas is off to the GCR north. It's Andy booths isn't it? Would that also suggest that his other locos will also be mainly run at the ELR. So doesn't that include the USA tank? What else does he have?

Long term the owners of 80097 also have the ivatt.

 

Regards 92134, think the owners are planning to hire a suitable tender whilst I think they're building a newun.

To add to the restoration queue are a gwr big prairie 2-8-2 tank. Also the owners of 80097 also own a 2mt 46428, its the red tenderless loco that was sat behind bury signalbox for years.

 

52322, 2890, and 30072 are based at Ribble steam railway

 

It is good to see that 80097 is now nearly completed, well done to them. I was a volunteer myself for a short time at the East Lancs and remember talking to one of the guys working on it and he said they had a bit of a joke when asked:- How long will it take to finish it ? and they would say Oh 2 years ! , then when asked 3 years later, How long will it take to finish ? Oh 2 years. (That was back in 1999/2000). but still will be great to see it run.

 

Will be a sight to hopefully see 80097 & 80080 paired up.

One of the best runs I've had on the lancs was with 80080 stomping up broadfield bank to heywood with what sounded like the regulator fully open nearly all the way up. Standard 4s seem to be very capable & strong locos, very popular with the bashers & general public alike & quite beefy looking for a tank loco too.

 

Prairie tanks are 2-6-2s not 2-8-2s and 7229 is a heavy freight tank.

 

I believe it was neck and neck between 80072 and 80097 being completed. 80072 is now into its final year of 10 year ticket!