LMS Patriot Project Updates

Was the Patriot supposed to be part of the home fleet at Llangollen? It's always been stated it would go mainline so maybe being based somewhere with no mainline connection there was always going to be a parting of the ways?

 

They do seem to be having a lot of relationship issues!

 

Do you mean the Patriot group or Llangollen?

Keith

 

Which edition is that Keith?

 

Where to now ? plenty of places available but they all have queues

 

It is ironic that the chassis (!) should be going to Crewe to have the boiler trial fitted when the boiler itself only recently left a different establishment at Crewe to go elsewhere.

First the British Legion, then LNWR Heritage, now Llangollen; but the latter two have both been because of pressure of other work at those centres, apparently not falling out with the Patriot project.

 

Issue 484 page 18.

 

Just to point out, we never fell out with RBL. When we were given the endorsement the person who gave it to us should have asked his board for permission. Their decision was based purely on the ownership of the legion badge as a copyright and any confusion where people might think they are giving money to the legion. They saw it as too confusing for the public but still wish to work with us in the future.
LNWR was taken over by JH who obviously is creating an empire with pretty much a one stop shop. And having only so many employees and plenty of stock to be getting on with it was decided to cancel ALL contract work including the boilers from Sweden, the GW county and possibly more. Remember it was only about 12 months prior to that that LNWR Crewe announced that it wasn't going to overhaul anymore chassis's after clan line was done. Again removing themselves from the general market. We did not fall out with LNWR Crewe, we were just disappointed. But in the end it was perfect as progress on the boiler is happening at its Most rapid since construction started thanks to HBSS.
Llangollen have stated that they have too much on in the workshop (3814 arrived last week) and cannot commit to being able to give us enough resource to complete the engine in the time scales we want (by November 2020).

The chassis moves to Crewe HC on the 29th of October and Nigel Day who has been sending us fantastic images not the progress he is making on the chassis (we are paying him directly to work on the lubrication system at the moment) will move with the loco and continue to work on it while it's in Crewe.
Remember that over the weekend of the 10/11th November Crewe HC will be open where you can see the boiler in the frames for the first time. We will also be launching our new crest to replace the RBL badge. Our Patron Simon Weston CBE has confirmed that he will be attending on the afternoon of the 10th and Freightliner have agreed to move class 66 "Patriot" to Crewe HC for the weekend. Just down the road on the other side of Crewe is the Alsager model railway show that is taking place at Legends Gym (opposite Bentley motors) and it is hoped that we will have a vintage bus giving shuttles between the HC, Crewe railway station and the model show. Why not come down and see the progress on the locomotive.

As far as I know, as also reported in the railway magazines, Ian Riley, Tyseley and the PRCLT are looking at quoting for the completion of the locomotive and if others are interested please contact chairman@lms-patriot.org.uk

 

Thank you Keith.

Change is constant in life. It'd be boring if everything went exactly to plan every single time. Best wishes to the group in the continuation of the build.

In short, stuff happens.

 

This has been on the cards for some time, so I'm confident that the Patriot folks have been making contingency plans. There are some top quality outfits tendering to complete the loco, so I'm sure everything will work out well in the end. When you set out on an engineering project that takes over a decade using contractors to do the work, it would be surprising if circumstances didn't change for some of those involved.

 

Lubrication news!!

Further great progress is being made with the intricate and complex job of installing the lubrication pipework on the chassis of “The Unknown Warrior”.

In these latest images, you can see that the mass of pipework is now gradually making its way from the lubricators around the sandboxes and along the frames to the axleboxes. Once each copper section is formed, it’s being given a final polish before being fitted by our dedicated lubrication team; Nigel and Peter.

As with most things, it all comes at a cost! If you’re not already a member or donor and would like to join us on our journey in seeing the new national memorial engine in steam, you can find out more here https://www.lms-patriot.org.uk/how-you-can-help

Nigel Day

 

Nice to see more excellent progress Gav - Thank You for posting these photos!

Richard.

 

Some days you can help but have a smile on your face! Fantastic pic from HBSS.

 

Great to see the progress with this locomotive. Well done to all involved. What is happening with the tender for it. I seem to recall that it was intended to use an original Fowler one ?

 

Well yesterday was the 2nd day of the move and 5551 was finally unloaded at the Crewe Heritage centre. Work will carry on while she is here until we have sorted out the next phase of the build with the new contractors. The boiler gets lifted in next week for trial fitting and then the open weekend on the 10/11th November!

 

Another big smile on my face today! The boiler is all in and fitted very nicely indeed! Andy and Rob from HBSS were very happy. Chimney and smoke deflectors to go back on during the week and she will be looking fantastic!

 

That's really great news, well done to all involved!

 

Wish I could. Too much going on this weekend, but all Remembrance related.