Dinmore Manor Group Acquires 2874 and 3845

Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd, in progressing their "New Horizons" project have acquired unrestored GWR 2-8-0's 2874 and 3845.

The initial aim, after completing the overhaul of 7820 "Dinmore Manor", is to overhaul a boiler from one of these engines to swap with the boiler off their currently active 2-8-0 3850. The boiler from 3850 would then be overhauled to go on the frames of one of the recent purchases to form another working engine.

The group now own four ex-GWR locomotives and three tenders, and expects to maintain engines in service by following the Swindon practice of swapping around boilers and tenders in the future.

Sounds good!

info courtesy wsr.org

46118

 

This seems a very expensive way to acquire a proper chimney for 3850!

 

What a fantastic way of solving the livery question! One in GW green, one on GW black and one in BR black! =D>

 

I think this is correct, 2874 was already on the WSR, and was ex-Blaenavon. 3845 appears to be coming from the Swindon & Cricklade, but I stand to be corrected.

 

Well done Dinmore Manor Group. =D>

The policy seems very sensible to me harking back to the best GWR Swindon practice and trading on the interchangability of components.

 

As I understand it, 2874 was indeed at the WSR. However, wasn't 3845 the one that belonged to Andrew Goodman? If so, I think it has come from his Wishaw base instead. Mind you, it's a bit early in the morning for trying to remember things!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqJGfk06Kes

 

God awful! Looks like a mini Barry or that place where 47540 was. Even an old Hillman car & boat there. What's the boiler? Looks like a pannier tank. The 6 wheeled tank looks like an old milk tanker, but the frame looks like an old tender with a tank stuck on top.

 

I hope they restore the 28 to working order and keep the 38 as a spare. Although as the article in SR states that will be decided by a inspection of the two to work out which is the better engine.

 

I really hope the 28 gets the restoration. I much prefer the appearance of the Churchward engines, and as 2874 is the only one likely to run with the inside steampipes, I feel it should be restored, preferably to its earliest possible condition. Please don't let 74 be a donor like 73, there aren't enough Churchward engines running.

As an aside, think of the eight coupled gala possible on the West Somerset in the future =D>

Daniel

 

mmmm wonder if he would part with a 08 ?? :-k :-k

 

Thank you for the interest shown so far chaps, but can I please ask where in our press release it is stated that we intend to restore ONE engine and use another for spares????!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

 

Point taken, but there isn't actually a press release here, and many of us don't get the beano, so my comments are based on what is on here. Will look forward to seeing press releases here in the future!
Daniel

 

Looks like you need a change of name!

 

I refer to the article in SR which states that the boiler of one of the engines will be overhauled to allow 3850 to continue in traffic. Which i might add is a very good idea.

 

Having read the relative mag stories and heard from other sources, the idea that one or both of the newly aquired Heavy Freights are purely a source of spares is complete nonsense!.

While it's true there will probably be a number of parts swapping between the three 2-8-0's, the intention is to restore ALL THREE of the 2-8-0's in the fullness of time, the reason for the parts swapping would be purely to have a loco in traffic for as much time as possible, why have 3850 sitting out of ticket for ages when the other two will takes some years to restore ?, makes sense to swap their good components to keep 3850 in traffic while their own restorations can progress at their own pace, the policy to keep one loco in traffic use swapped parts is a sound one, as it will paying for it's own upkeep and contributing to the other two's restoration financially.

2874 & 3845 are long term investsments bringing the benefit of standardisation rather than spare parts to be stripped to oblivion, remember they would be getting indentical parts from 3850 so not like they are being stripped to a carcas.

 

When I started this topic I summarised a piece on wsr.org.

Just to clarify, there is no mention of reducing any of the engines to spares, indeed they conclude by saying that the third engine (of the 2-8-0's )will be restored in the fullness of time.

Best Swindon tradition, common parts swapped around, keeping engines running. Still makes sound business sense today.

46118

 

In one sense the Manor now becomes the odd one out in the fleet !

However a fleet of 3x 2-8-0's is in now way a bad thing !

 

Having now returned home from a holiday and able to access my PC please see below the full text of our press release sent out earlier this week.


Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited Press Release July 2009

Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited, based on the West Somerset Railway, has just added two more GWR 2-8-0’s to its fleet. The group has recently bought Churchward 28XX No. 2874 and ‘2884’ class No. 3845 following a successful appeal for funds from within its own membership. This is in line with the groups forward thinking plan, launched two years ago as the ‘New Horizons Project’, which envisaged owning atleast three engines in the future so that two can be kept permanently in operation, whilst the others are under restoration or overhaul.

Currently, the groups existing 2-8-0 No. 3850 is in service on the WSR whilst their flagship engine, 4-6-0 No. 7820 ‘Dinmore Manor’ is under overhaul at West Somerset Restoration, Williton.

On completion of this overhaul, the group propose to repair one of the boilers from either No. 2874 or No. 3845 and will use this to replace the existing boiler on 3850 upon the expiry of its boiler certificate. At the same time the remainder of the engine will be given intermediate repairs, as required, to obtain maximum life from the frame components.

Subsequently, 3850’s old boiler will be repaired and used on the frames of one of the two ‘new’ 2-8-0’s to create a third working engine. Restoration of the fourth loco will be a longer term project, the timing of which will depend on the availability of funds.

Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited now owns four Great Western designed locomotives and three tenders and expects to be able to adopt sustainable future overhaul plans based on the traditional Swindon practice of swapping boilers and tenders between engines as required.

If you would like to know more about Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited, or wish to get involved, please visit our website at http://www.dinmoremanor.co.uk

Mike Solloway

Director,

Dinmore Manor Locomotive Limited


In response to this announcement we have recieved expressions of interest from a number of people who wish to join our volunteer working parties or donate funds towards the restoration of these engines. If you feel you can help in any way or have any further questions please contact us at: dinmoremanor[at]hotmail.co.uk

 

Originally the two locos were owned by different groups (3850 Preservation Society and Dinmore Manor Fund), although there were a lot of people who were shareholders in both. The annual Preserved Railways booklet incorrectly recorded 7820 as being owned by the 3850 Preservation Society for a number of years. The two organisations merged at some point whilst 7820 was in traffic.