Under restoration/Never steamed in preservation

Has anyone got any up to date info on what’s happening with the three GWR 72XX locos. It’s a shame one of these locos hasn’t turned a wheel in anger since 1964.

 

7200 at Quainton seems to be coming on well at last. Regarding the other two, I have no idea, sorry.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/7200Trust/about/?ref=page_internal

https://www.7200trust.org.uk/

 

Visit the Heritage boiler steam services Facebook page to find out about the boiler from 7200 from Quainton Road as they are doing the work.

 

Just taken this pic from HBSS Facebook. They are also doing the tanks for the 7200

 

7229 - no progress on overhaul.

 

Has there been none, that's sad. It looked a couple of years ago that something might happen as she had been reassembled (of sorts) and moved inside?

As for 7202 the website doesn't appear to have been updated for c.3 years but it seemed then that the main issue was finishing the boiler?

I suspect 7200 is looking favourite to steam first now?

 

A lot of work needs to be done to 7200s boiler.

 

Aye, I think is almost at the rolling chassis stage but the boiler needs 70 grand spent on it and will be sent away when funds allows.

 

Well, both statements can’t be true

Tom

 

As far as I am aware 7200s front parallel section of barrel along with tube plate need replacing, the taper section also although maybe just a section of it being renewed, lower firebox outer wrapper to be cut out and replaced. Some firebox stays to replace and new tubes. Quite a bit of work there.

 

70 grand? - that's not much more than a retube & restay nowadays! - is there a 1 missing from the front of that figure?

 

Nope, its only 70k. https://www.7200trust.org.uk/donating

Its a small group of a half dozen on the project so not much money coming in, and it being based at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre means that their isn't a great need for a big loco like 7200 that could unlock funds. But yes, a total bargain at 70k to get a 72xx running again.

 

Actually it says £30,000 pledged and £70,000 needed to complete the job. That's £100,000 in my book.

 

75079 won't be done for quite a time, the boiler has not been touched yet even though it looks very complete, and of course it depends on what needs doing to it ,

 

I believe the 30k was to get 7200 up to rolling chassis stage that they now have.

 

Also not easy to see as it's tucked in the back of the shed which often isn't accessible. Doesn't help with the fund raising although I do like to buy something from the 7200 bookstall if I can.

Not sure what 7202's boiler needs at Didcot. Anyone?

 

Thanks for all the above updates on GWR 72xx locos.

I presume a 72xx would be a very useful loco for almost all preserved railway apart from any railways with tight curves. Anyone know the minimum curve radius for a 72xx and which railway couldn’t run a 72xx due to tight curve radius.


Thanks

 

What about the weight of the things?

 

They're not that heavy really. The GW weights diagram shows 9-7, 18-14, 18-10, 17-18, 17-13, 10-10 for 92-12 on a 35ft wheelbase. A Castle is 10-10, 10-10, 19-10, 19-14, 19-13 for 79-17 on 27ft wheelbase, and another 40 tons for the original 3,500 gallon tender.

 

Are the dimensions given on Wiki correct? Says 19" * 30" cylinders, but only 20sq ft of grate area, 128sq ft of firebox heating surface. To put that in context, a Stanier 8F is 18.5" * 28" cylinders, near identical wheel diameter but 27.5 - 28.5sq ft grate area, 171sq ft of firebox heating surface (depending on boiler).

If the figures for the 72xx are correct, it would suggest to me something akin to a shunting loco, i.e. under-boilered relative to the cylinder size. Were you to put one on a line with sufficient gradients and on a big enough load to fully utilise the TE, I could imagine being short of steam if the gradients were sustained. What reputation did they have when originally in service?

Tom