Current and Proposed New-Builds

This was covered fairly recently in the Betton Grange thread.

There were three locomotives 4156 (scrapped 1980), 7325 and 5199. Wheelsets have been swapped around and from memory 6880 has those that were purchased with 7325, 5199 now has wheels that were part of 4156 which were bought as spares for 7325. Apologies if I've misremembered but haven't the time now to track back on the other thread.

 

So its looking unlikely that any more new builds will emerge in 2025, 2026 however could be a bumper year...

 

Anyone know anything about the F5, it seems to go quiet then leap forward?

 

https://www.holdenf5.co.uk/news/

 

Sorry, other than the website...

 

The F5 was able to make a big jump forward due to a member leaving a large legacy of about 400k to the project. It used to raise between 10-20k per year, then had the money, which i was really hoping would make some rapid progress on the loco and get others to donate to see it through, however the last lot of accounts only shows 16k come in for the year which is such a shame. Maybe this will change again in the future

 

Hi all, I'm back.

So it's 2025. What's new?

 

I'm not wanting to give my predictions on when exactly but I'm of the mind that for New Builds, the next up will be 82045 (SVR) and then maybe 1014 (GWS - not a full new build I know)

In terms of next up from previously unrestored locomotives, I can think of 4150 (SVR) and 4253 (K&ESR) maybe?? I'm seeing positive news on 68078 but am unsure whether this has previously run in preservation?

 

I think the G5 could be an outside bet (but then I keep saying that). It's not charging ahead, but it's not stopping either.

Hawkwsorth county should be next, but it goes quiet for long periods

 

Surely Patriot cant be far off now ?

 

Revitalisation of the Crampton project, it seems.

Not quite sure where the NER K class is though. Anyone able to give a definitive overview of what is happening with that, and with North Bay engineering in general?

Tom

 

The problem with large locomotives is that there is an awful lot of them, so they can seem very close to completion for a very long time

 

Dismantled to the frames at Tyseley with work in progress on wheels and cylinders prior to starting the rebuilding process. A good few years off I would suggest. See Patriot thread for full details.

NER K class is dead in the water according to the recent Steam Railway article on new builds. The boiler was completed but IIRC the principal funder then reconsidered his/her commitment to the project. I'm guessing that the boiler might be available if someone wanted to fund a restart of the project.

North Bay Railway Engineering Services ceased trading in May 2024 and a new company, Northern Heritage Engineering Ltd, seems to have risen from it's ashes. It has taken over work on the FR replica Mountaineer.

 

Thanks - I thought I recalled the company ceasing but another arising in the same place. I think it is the latter that have taken on the build for the Crampton Replica - who sadly seem to have a very low online profile.

Tom

 

If we're talking Barry returners I would have thought 45163 must be in with a shout?

 

Needs its boiler done, new tender body, tender chassis to be overhauled, loco chassis to be finished and all electronics fitted. I would've thought others would be well ahead of that lot, even with Mr Riley's reputation for getting things done!

 

Apart from pointing and laughing at it, what is the point of building a replica Crampton?

 

Why build a replica “Locomotion” or “Steam Elephant”?

Cramptons were a significant design school - more widely used on the continent than the UK, but still a significant design strand. So there is a valid industrial archaeology reason for building one. The question is then “where do you run it” which isn’t clear to me - most other early replicas have been tied to a particular operational base, such as Beamish, MoSI etc.

Tom

 

Wouldnt have thought Tyseley would consider starting work on reassembly without the above planned to be ready to go back on when required, and if work is not starting an reassembly why bring it inside ? Had in mind that its more than a year off but dont see anything else being complete until 2026 either...

 

What's the pointof any of what we do come to thatr?