GWR Firebars

Hi Chaps and Chappettes,

Does anyone know of any firebar spares for a Swindon No 2 boiler/56xx Locomotive?

Need some for 6695. Happy to borrow/buy if there are some available.

TIA!

 

This typically needs what we don't have in the UK: A heritage sales and wants list, maintained by the HRA equivalent of the country.

Such a list exists in Germany, run by the german HRA (VDMT) and one can download it here:
https://www.vdmt.de/such-und-angebotsliste-2
via the download link at the bottom of the page.

Want to buy a class 52 2-10-0 freight locomotive? It's EUR 60.000 for example. There are also people looking to manufactures sets of spares with other interested parties.
We should have such a list in the UK. It beats me why we don't have one, esp as we have so many GWR and Standard locos, all of which need similar spares.

 

That sounds like far too much common sense to work…

 

We already have a thread dealing with the inadequacies (real and imagined) of the HRA. Shall we add this to the list?
Pat

 

I'd hate to say it was an inadequacy. I suspect the VDMT came about because of one man's dedication, and then it grew.
What surprises me is that the UK has the largest number of heritage railways, 200 or so locomotives rescued from scrap, but there is no parts exchange function like the VDMT list. Even I have bought from it (a cast iron station clock....)

There must be a place where you can get GWR firebars. It's a classic case where such cooperation and group buying would work. Or Mk1 spares for example.

 

The HRA used to publish a list of such suppliers but the truth is most of those involved in the business know where to go for these things and collaborate over ordering spares, etc. Has the original poster thought about contacting the Severn Valley, Didcot or perhaps the KESR, who have 6619 in bits? Making a firebar pattern isn’t exactly rocket science, either.

 

Indeed, there have been several attempts over the years, some more successful than others, but ultimately it needs to be used, and for the most part people just know it seems. Probably the closest thing over here is tractionads.

 

With regards to B.R. Standard locos, the B.R. Standard Locomotive Owners Group has a comprehensive list of patterns that are held by the various Standard loco owners and BRSLOG itself. This list is distributed to all members of BRSLOG. It could be better if one or two Railways produced lists of what patterns they hold.

 

https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/fire-bars.889095/

This may help, or entertain.