GWR 72xx 2-8-2 7202

Is there any more progress with the GWR tank 7202 at Didcot?

 

Yes, I believe this locomotive is very close to completion. However, locomotives that I have been involved with have been very close to completion for 5 to 10 years and that's no disrespect to the locomotives or to me! Seriously, I believe that 7202 is now quite close to being finished and also 7200 at Quainton is also making very good progress. All credit to the restoration teams for both these very impressive 2-8-2Ts. In my mind, I can see a 72xx trundling over Toddington Viaduct right now!

 

Try this.

http://www.baldric.plus.com/

 

I am sure that I had put more news than currently appears on the web site, I will try and update it again in the next week, but I end up spending to much time volunteering on 7202 or at Didcot generally to get much free time.

All of the eccentric straps have now been white metalled, 2 are now machined and will be fitted in the near future. Work is underway on the big end bearings with a view to fitting the connecting rods later in the year.

The boiler has had all of the steel stays removed, the saftey valve mounting machines, flue tube holes cleaned up and checked over.

The main jobs to do are finish the boiler, some motion pins, cladding pipework and fittings, so only a few jobs!

The bar will be open over the easter period raising money for the 72, so come to Didcot and have a pint or 2 to help us, oh and there are a couple of Kings there if that is what you want to look at. The bar will be open at the end of May when the railmotor is launched as well, well worth seeing....

 

I don't suppose anyone's got anything new on 7229 while the thread's open have they?

 

Its sat outside Buckley wells shed sans boiler. I think its in a queue to be done, but quite some ways down. I'd love to see it restored, but I'll have to wait I guess!

 

While we are on the topic... who owns 7229?

 

I seem to recall that it's owned by a group, including Ian Riley.


Keith

 

well, i don't think she's in any queue. Its been 'in the queue', in the same state for 20 odd years with nothing really been done since arriving from Barry, when it looks as if she was cleaned up a little bit.

 

7229 has had a lot of work done on it it had a new bunker it had the tyers turned, cylinders reboard, axel boxes done it was basically awaiting the boiler and due to money running out work stoped about 15years ago now.

 

Just a quick update on 7202, we moved it around yesterday with all of the coupling rods on so that it is now over a pit to allow for some work underneath, we believe this is the first time a GWR 2-8-2t has moved with rods on since the last of them were sent for scrap.

 

Congratulations Baldric, I had a good nose around the loco the other weekend and it is looking promising..... I hope this one steams soon and then another gap in preservation will be plugged.

Foxy

 

According to the twitter feed on the GWS webpage today, see:
http://www.didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/

7202 recently had a brief outing and had its smokebox and chimney fitted. The photo is taken from a 3/4 rear view so the loco looks tantalisingly complete. Impressive isn't the word!

Please can it come and visit the GWSR (72xxs were not unknown on the old Honeybourne Line) once its running?

 

talking to a couple of people involved in 7202 recently it seems that the boiler is in far worse condition than was thought. They didn't sound too confident of it being finished anytime soon. (big fan of 7202, and 7200 for that matter)

 

What's 7229 done to upset you?

There were some more pictures including boiler pictures on Facebook, but I cannot for the life of me find them now.

 

Is the boiler from 5227 in any better condition and, if it is, would a swap be possible?

 

Until you start you can't guarantee that 5227 is in better condition, so you could end up with 2 boilers in pieces both requiring work. As a lot of work has been done on 7202's boiler that would have to be done to 5227's boiler there will be probably be no benefit in swapping them time-wise. Currently the crown stays are being replaced, once that is done will move on to the throat plate & backhead repairs, then the sides & tubeplate. Most of this will be done by volunteers so will take longer than contract work but the cost will be a fraction of contractors.

 

sounds like it could have been you I was talking to!

 

If I was serving in the bar it probably was.