LSWR T3 563

It's perhaps surprising given that comparison, that so much of the original carriage, or parts from similar unrestorable grounded bodies have been incorporated into 949s rebuild.
Be in no doubt- every square inch of reusable material has been grafted back together, much in the manner of a jigsaw puzzle with many missing pieces, and no picture on the box to work from.
This truely painstaking approach is one of the reasons that this carriage has now been nearly 15 years in the making, thus far!

 

Good point; I read the 'creating a rake' and focused on the 'create', but the jump to 'create carriages' is unwarranted.

Still, however it happens, it'll be awesome when the engine and rake are done and together; a piece of living history, from a mostly lost age.

Noel

 

Wot ? no stovepipe ?

Shame !

 

The news from the Swanage Railway about 563 is excellent!

Obviously A B MacLeod pulled a few strings to get the chassis components overhauled in less than a month by Eastleigh.

The boiler wasn't removed from the chassis, as it was re-tubed in situ according to photographic evidence. If any inner firebox repairs were carried out at the same time, it must have been a very difficult and highly skilled job.

I don't know why the inner firebox has such extensive repairs but the outer boiler etc is in such good shape. Perhaps others could comment?

It does make me very sad about the demise of Isle of Wight Railway Beyour Peacock 2-4-0T 'Ryde', which MacLeod tried to preserve. He wrote that LSWR 563 and 'Ryde' were "cosmetically" restored, and if what has now been discovered about 563 is anything to go by, 'Ryde' would have had a lot more than a "cosmetic" restoration also.

Cheers,

Julian

 

It's a pity, therefore, that Ryde was withdrawn so early - if she had survived up until 1939 in running order then there is the possibility that she would've been patched up and kept going, then restored post-war as happened with 563. As it was, that had already happened before September 1939, so as the scrap drive kicked in she didn't stand much of a chance.

Shame, because it must've been reasonably expensive to ship her back over to Eastleigh!!!

Anyway, I've dragged this thread off topic - sorry.

 

A B MacLeod is inextricably linked to both 'Ryde' and LSWR 563. Some form of plaque ought to be added to 563 in the cab recording A B MacLeod.

Cheers,
Julian

 

I don’t know where people are getting the idea it’s going to lose its Adams stovepipe....it’s keeping it!

 

I know of one LSWR coach that the owners would probably agree to part with. True, it's in a state, but the underframes, etc are all there.

 

See posting by @Thomas Bright under the "Steam Railway" heading. If wrong, it needs correction.

 

The Swanage Railway Trustee responsible for the project posted on the Steam Railway Facebook page when it was first published to correct this, with no result.

 

The news was received by my good self as a lost opportunity, with it needing a new firebox the obvious way forward is a gas producing boiler, mechanical stoker, Gisel ejector., roller bearings etc.



Just kidding, already donated and more on its way.

T3, T9, M7, N and U, can someone at Bletchley Park decipher this?

 

Train 3, Train 9 - Meet 7 New Units?

Haha! The Germans have been thwarted once again!

Ahem, Sorry - Back to the topic...

 

It was corrected on the website. No idea why the text hasn't been updated on the corresponding thread on NatPres (those post appear via an RSS feed over which we have no control I'm afraid).

 

Thanks Tom.

 

From the group's Facebook page:-

Boiler work has begun in earnest with precise surgery on 563's outer firebox!

Although the condition of the platework itself was reasonable, it is more practical to remove and replace the sides of the outer firebox instead of introducing extensive bushing to the enlarged holes. The new sides are both cheaper and achieve a better standard of repair which should mean we are likely to get at least 25 years use from this particular part of the boiler.

The Swanage Railway Trust has already committed £30,000 to pay for all the copper needed to construct a new inner firebox but to complete the rest of the boiler, we need your donations and standing orders for 563 to steam again!

The restoration is starting to make serious progress but to continue the momentum we equally need your contributions to keep going. Find out how you can get on board and support the project - www.563locomotivegroup.co.uk/donate

 

Is it all right that the work is being done out of doors?

 

Given the isolated location of the Flour Mill I doubt the noise would be much of an issue there.

 

No, not all work is being undertaken outside. The frames are shortly to be shot blasted then put inside for work to start. The boiler will remain outside for the time being.

 

T3 update. To see it sign up to our mailing list... https://groups.google.com/a/swanagerailway.co.uk/d/d/forum/563