6984 "Owsden Hall" Restoration progress

Owsden Hall progress

Owsden Hall arrived at the Swindon & Cricklade Railway in May 2013 and there were plenty of concerns that the locomotive would remain a long term restoration project and many members would never see her steam in their lifetimes.

Built in February 1948 at Swindon Works and its first shed allocation was Hereford. It was withdrawn from service in 1966 and sold for scrap to Woodham Brothers scrapyard. In 1986 it was saved for preservation.




Although when you visit the railway and take a good look at her, it seems that not a huge amount has happened since she arrived most of her exterior is in the same shape it was when she arrived. However, the inside on the other hand is completely different.

All the inside motion has been completed and all the brake rigging has been overhauled and cleaned ready for painting.

The valve rods and pistons have been cleaned, overhauled and inserted.

The cab floor is now finished and permanently fitted, with the checked plate left to be welded into place.

The screw reverser arrived on 11th October 2014 and has been overhauled and fitted, with the rodding gear to be welded together in the coming weeks. The Sanding gear has also been fitted and is to be completed also.




The cab has been painted outside and some of the running plate has also been undercoated. Painting has begun on the chassis and wheels they look as fresh as the day they left Swindon works





The slide bars are due to go on very soon and then the crossheads to follow shortly after. At present the Owsden team aim to at least have a rolling chassis by Christmas.

The tender is finished albeit painting and this should be completed by the end of the year. All being well, Owsden should steam again in the spring of 2017.

She's being actively worked on by three members of the steam loco dept. If anyone would like to lend us a hand, feel free to PM me directly or contact us on Owden's facebook page here:

thanks!

Allan

 

Great work, I remember seeing it not long after it arrived last year. Do you know what work the boiler needs doing on it?

 

Great news, I do like these "Modified Halls" and look forward to seeing "Owsden Hall" back in steam. Back on the GWSR we are currently "sans Hall" as 7903 is undergoing an overhaul. I'm looking forward to seeing that back in action too. "Owsden Hall" has had a long struggle back to steam but progress certainly seems to be steady now. Well done to those who are doing it!

 

Here we go, a proper NatPres question: given that she was built only just in BR ownership, would she have carried GW livery at any time?

Either way, good to see progress on this, another hall is always a good thing. As KinghamBranch says, we're without a hall at the moment Hopefully back for next year from what I've heard, pretty impressive!)

 

The boiler needs a complete re-tube and I believe the foundation ring needs finishing. I'm not sure on specifics with the boiler. All work will be done on site - well that's the plan! Once I have a better idea I can formalise updates here.

thanks for all the kind words and we hope that progress "Steams" along.

cheers!

Allan

 

As far as I know - she carried GWR green in colour - and had the BR early crest on the tender to begin with. I'll have to check with the owner as he's got some original pictures. However she's going to be painted in Deep Bronze Green for preservation as per the owner's requests. I'm not 100% sure that's the right colour - but don't panic, we'll check before it goes on!

 

She's looking very nice so far, thank you for posting the images. One minor point, you might want to get the green paint out on the ATC box - the yellow stripe was carried by those ATC boxes that were fitted to DMUs .

Very Best Wishes,
Bob.

 

That seems to be a common misconception. The steam also had the stripe which I always understood was there to denote electrical apparatus.

 

As the loco was built so soon after nationalisation it may well have been turned out in green but my guess is that the tender would be lettered "British Railways" in full - probably in GW script. The "early" crest came in later, 1949 IIRC, by which time Halls were, as mixed traffic engines, officially painted lined black. Ray.

 

Any chance of an update on how Owsden Hall is progressing, and has work on the boiler started yet? Looking forward to seeing her when completed!

 

You can follow her progress so far on Facebook! You shouldn't need an account to view as it's a public page www.facebook.com/OwsdenHall/

currently, Copper piping work has started, and the coupling and connecting rods are due to go to Tyseley for white metal-ling.

She last ventured outside in October 2016 there's a pic below : Still a long way to go yet!

 

Congrats from across the Atlantic She's looking healthier by the day. Hope to see those tall drivers rolling soon. England is the last bastion for preserved steam and you do it well. As far as correct color? Anything is better than rust!

 

Some more progress on "Owden" yesterday! www.facebook.com/OwsdenHall/

Also if anyone knows where I can find/purchase/"borrow" an (and im not sure of the official name) ATC control box that's situated above the front bogie:

(highlighted here on Owsden's sister!)



Keep checking back for further updates....

P.S The rods are due to go on soon!

 

thats just a connection box... fabricate new - quicker and cheaper.

 

6984 Owsden Hall's Collett tender has now moved from Blunsdon to Quainton to run behind 6989 Wightwick Hall whilst the latter's tender is being completed. It would appear that 6984 itself is not far off steaming now. Good news.
https://www.facebook.com/OwsdenHall/photos/pb.515555585204251.-2207520000.1519893161./1615709321855533/?type=3&theater
http://wightwick-hall-6989.com/id3.html

 

it very exciting, two Modified on the cards very soon. Can't have too many although 6998 is my favourite

 

....but sadly, the least likely to spend much time in steam over the next 10 years.

 

The guys restoring her are aiming for the end of 2019, but as with all things, it'll be done when it's done!

Keith

 

I am not involved, The coupling rods have been put on, on the left side and partly on the right side and the pistons, chimney and connecting rods are all there ready to go back on. The finished connecting rods were delivered recently by the West Somerset Railway. Cab fittings are being made and fitted. The tender is finished and lined out and when I was last there shunted ready to be hired to the group who own Wightwick hall to run with their loco. Regular progress is being made each week with it which is great to see.

 

Really good news, will definitely be worth a trip to the S+C to see it when it's done.