35011 General Steam Navigation

Many thanks Tom/Jamesquared for the pics, much appreciated.
More thread drift.

Out of interest was a LN tender ever fitted to a schools still wearing BR mixed traffic livery ?

A clean lined black, LeMaitre chimney, and LN tender fitted schools would be stunning !!

I await to be humiliated and ridiculed !!

69530

 

The latest winners in the GSNLRSs twenty twenty have been drawn.

https://35011gsn.co.uk/about-us-1/3...ub/35011-twenty-twenty-club-winners-roll.html

The TWENTY TWENTY CLUB is a great way for you to support the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society whilst having a bit of a flutter!

*Last few places remaining

 

We are still looking for engineering talent to join and advise the Engineering Sub Committee, particularly someone to either act as a lead for the on-site engineering or as a head of manufacturing. If anyone on this list would be interested, or knows someone who might, please send us a message via our website info portal.
Steve

 

Sounds grand, So what is the salary and benefits ?

 

Joking apart, it's a good opportunity for someone in the early stages of their career to gain demonstrable experience of a bigger role which they can then use to get the bigger role in their day job, if that makes sense.

 

May news update

http://news.35011gsn.co.uk/2021/05/...LSGY0b7sRjm2WARwTDyMbXE83VOmTTTvHG03jPH64ZuzU

 

Monthly Update: June 2021
The latest news from the General Steam Navigation project featuring updates on the frames and boiler, easyfundraising, Bossman Games and more.
http://news.35011gsn.co.uk/2021/06/23/june-2021-update/

 

It was 5 years ago today that locomotive 35011 General Steam Navigation was officially signed over to the General Steam Navigation CIC. In the subsequent 5 years an incredible amount of work has been accomplished by our dedicated team of volunteers and supporters. The Society would like to take this chance to thank everyone who has ever been involved with the project for all there hardwork, passion and support. It is as a result of this progress the Society is more confident than ever before and together we will put the Steam back into General Steam Navigation.

You can join our efforts to restore this mighty beast by becoming a member in our Society for only £15 a year. You can find out more on our website https://35011gsn.co.uk/membership.html
Thank you

 

35011 on 13/02/1962 at Eastleigh. Copyright John Turner (https://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/)
​

#OnThisDay in 1959, General Steam Navigation re-entered service after rebuilding from it's original form, which we are working to reverse. Attached to it was boiler 1097, one of the ten North British Boilers (of which 3 survive), and had seen service previously with Union Castle, Shaw Savill, and East Asiatic Company. It was kept with General Steam Navigation until withdrawal, and is now in our possession. Before we took ownership, the superheater header and elements were removed, we have since removed all the large tubes and the majority of the small tubes from the boiler, as well as the ash pans from the firebox. The boiler was lifted from the frames in October 2020, since when we have started on cleaning the inside of the boiler and firebox, prepping them for inspection later this year.

The original boiler fitted to General Steam Navigation, 1100, was the first Bulleid pacific boiler manufactured at Eastleigh. After removal from General Steam Navigation in 1947, it was used on Nederland Line, British India Line,, Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co, French Line C.G.T, and Bibby Line. Unfortunately the first Merchant Navy boiler manufactured at Eastleigh was the only Merchant Navy boiler scrapped there, in 1965.

The Trailing Truck Transformers funding group continues to be our primary fundraising campaign with its objective of funding the restoration of GSNs trailing truck. The Society is pleased with the initial number of members who have signed up for blocks but are under no illusions that its still along way from being funded. We are offering a maximum of 30 members the opportunity to purchase a ‘Lot’ for £500. Members are welcome to purchase as many ‘Lots’ as they wish up to the maximum target amount.

Members of the Fund Group would receive a number of benefits including:

• Certificate of membership of the ‘Trailing Truck Transformers’
• Name engraved on a suitable brass plaque attached to the refurbished Trailing Truck
• Regular updates on the refurbishment of the Trailing Truck
• An invitation to a VIP day at the Swindon and Cricklade Railway to see the completed Trailing Truck once it is returned to the railway.

For details on how to become a Trailing Truck Transformer please click here.
Thank you

 

General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society awards contract for Trailing Truck restoration and confirm the grade of steel for new crank axle. A great step forward for the Project.
Read more here https://news.35011gsn.co.uk/2021/08...onfirm-the-grade-of-steel-for-new-crank-axle/

 

Indeed! Well done to all involved.

Richard.

 

Good to read of the progress.

 

A bit sarcastic, and not slightly funny.

From a team dedicated to restoring 35011/21C11, and trying to avoid the pitfalls experienced by 45551 and others, for a project for all of us to enjoy in the future.

 

Fantastic news, especially the crank axle. Also, my congratulations to the GSN mob on joining the 82045 peeps as having websites which habitually update a day after I've trawled 'em !

 

Glad our timing was spot on, and I'll do my best to supply information at the same schedule in future

 

This month 56 years, 35011 with Bert Hooker at the helm and Alan Newman on the fire performed what had to be one of the engines finest moments. Alan Newman has kindly shared that story for us.

A regular duty at Nine Elms for No 2 Link was the 2.45am Waterloo to Bournemouth West paper train. The return train was the Up Royal Wessex departing Bournemouth Central at 8.40am. stopping at Brockenhurst, Southampton Central and Winchester City, due to arrive Waterloo at 10.53am. I worked the Up Wessex with my regular mate Driver Bert Hooker over thirty times in my time with him, but one trip stands out from the others.
In August 1965 we had 35011 with 12 coaches equalling 404 tons behind the tender. I was enjoying a good trip. We made our final stop at Winchester, where the starting signal remained 'On'. I then saw the Station Master walking from the signal box. The Station Master came up to the cab and infomed Bert, that a freight train had failed between Winchester Jct and Wallers Ash tunnel. Control wanted us to unhook and go forward light engine to assist the failed train into Wallers Ash loop.

The plan was to clear the failed train into Wallers Ash Loop then to return wrong road and get our own train. Bert said the job would be better done taking our own train, the extra weight would add to the momentum, for starting on the 1/250 gradient. Bert was always up for a challenge!
We duly set off to the point where the failed train was standing, just past Winchester Jct.. We stopped initially to pick the guard up who had walked back putting his detonators down as protection. Bert stopped 35011 about 10 feet short of the failed train.

The fireman (Alec Jones of Eastleigh) was waiting in the Guards brake van. Alec informed Bert that all the brakes apart from the brake van were fully released. The failed train had a type 33 diesel with 70 empty van fits plus a Guards Brake van. Bert told Alec to release the hand brake when the buffers were about 8 -10 inches apart. Bert sounded the whistle code (1 Crow) to alert the driver on the Diesel and duly eased 35011 into forward motion we gently eased onto the rear as soon as the buffers came into contact the momentum started the whole ensemble up the bank. We were soon up to 15/18 mph Bert working 35011 at 50% cut off.

For my part we had 250 psi steam and just over 1/2 a glass of water. Bert encouraged 35011 into action saying "come on old girl do it for Gaffer Gilmore" whose regular engine she was when brand new at Nine Elms. On clearing the failed train into Wallers Ash Loop Bert stopped then waited while Alec secured the failed train with the hand brake. Bert eased 35011 back and stopped making sure the hand brake was holding the failed train, and it did not follow us out of the loop. The Wallers Ash signalman gave us a green hand signal as authority to drop out of the loop and we stopped behind his home signal. The signalman set the road and cleared his Up signals. The rest of the trip was bit of anti climax, and Waterloo was reached just 30 minutes late.

It's a shame the event was not captured on film, Bert said it was probably the heaviest train a Merchant Navy ever tackled. Bert estimated the total weight to be around 1,200 tons. All started on a 1/250 rising gradient without a slip, Bert was indeed the Driver for such occasions.

You can help with the restoration of 35011 back to original condition complete with air smoothed casing and chain drive valve gear in several different ways:

Membership
The General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society Membership costs £15 for the year, joint and life memberships are also available click here for more details on how to join us.
https://35011gsn.co.uk/membership.html

Shareholding
The General Steam Navigation C.I.C. offers our supporters the opportunity to purchase shares in the locomotive. To find out more about becoming a shareholder and the levels of benefits click here.
https://35011gsn.co.uk/shares.html

As always thank you for your continued support.

 

That's quite a story!

 

It is -- even if it applies to the loco as rebuilt.