2873

Is It Still Around

I'm not sure what is the locomotive state i believe its dismantled

Is it still at the South Devon Railway

 

I believe this is up to date, I could however be entirely wrong!

South Devon Railway | Great Western Railway 2-8-0 28xx class locomotive no 2873

 

See also http://southdevonrailwayassociation.org/2873.html

The article mentions the absence of a boiler, as the boiler from 2873 is now on 3803. The question is, what happened to the boiler that was on 3803?

 

Yes but in 2 locations, locomotive frames and wheels at SDR, tender unknown, boiler last seen at Tyseley (by me that is!) prior to swapping with 3803 so assume 3803's boiler still at Tyseley.
SDR at one time wanted to turn 2873 into a Dean Goods. (Mother Nature currently turning it into iron oxide which I suspect will be its ultimate fate. However, several Barry locos have fortunately proved me wrong!)

 

Fingers crossed that one day she will make it, but its blind optimism rather than realism I fear.

She would be my lottery winning loco if I ever won.

 

Blind Optimism is a powerful thing...60163, 71000, 80072...

 

When was it said they wanted to turn it into a dean goods?

 

More to the point, what exactly could they use from a 28 on a Dean Goods replica apart from the whistles and some other boiler fittings?

 

You'd think a Pannier would fit the bill rather better.

 

Correct, saw phots of it last week

 

More than 10 years ago. At the time the 2807 Group were looking at the possibility of replacing 2807's driving wheelsets with those from 2873 as the latter had much better thickness of tyres on its driving wheels. 2807's driving wheels were down to their last turning and some of us thought that 2873's wheels would be a better bet. However, the SDR wanted to hang on to what was left of 2873 and some of our members also felt that 2807's original wheels (if there is such a thing as original on a 1905 built loco that worked until 1963!) should stay. In the event, we had 2807's wheels retyred in January 2010 - at the SDR where else! - and so the matter was closed. Whilst chatting on the phone to one of the SDR senior staff (I'm sorry I can't remember who) he said that, when chatting in the pub, throughts often led to wondering whether to convert 2873 into a Dean Goods. Now since a Dean Goods is an inside cylinderd 0-6-0 with 5ft 2in wheels I think that only the whistle and the boiler fittings might be the same! I think it was just pub chat but the internet thrives on such things, after all, Flying Scotsman is supposed to be in steam soon (sorry that was a bit low wasn't it?). I rather think that what remains of 2873 will go as spares but unwanted locomotives can be brought to life; you only have to see the efforts being made on long-neglected 4253 at the KESR now to see what can be done.