35011 "GSN" to be restored

@34007
35009 is far from complete. I've had the great displeasure of actually seeing how bad she is. All there is of her is her boiler, cylinders, wheels and frames. There is nothing else. But on a more cheerful note, most of the stuff she doesn't have would have had to be replaced in restoration anyway, ie cab sheeting, boiler cladding etc, so at least Mr Riley won't have to deal with the disposing of a rusty old cab frame or bent smoke deflectors. He'll have to start from scratch, using what there is as a frame to build around. The tender will need building completely from scratch. He could probably look to 35006's restorers for advice there. It won't be a cheap project for him, and he's got guts to go at it himself.

I hope we may see 35009 steaming some time within the next 20 years or so, along with 35011 and 35022 (although the latter seems very unlikely now)

 

I'm sure Ian is fully aware of what needs doing to the old Girl and plenty of contacts if he needs advice, I belive the Bulleid Society have a pretty good network of patterns and casings.

According to Ian its due in "The Works" after 45407 is completed (April) and he's looking at 5 years to do it.

 

I expect there are some smaller parts for 35009 in storage, but there's plenty of help out there for Bulleids, Southern Locomotives, Bulleid Society and more.

 

5 years? wow.
By the way, where have you aquired this info from? The website hasn't been updated in a while or has he told you that himself?

 

It's on The Works forum - a direct quote from Ian. If you look at the sale advert (from quite some time ago) on Ian's website, there is also mention of "many non-ferrous castings purchased by the previous owner" so perhaps the engine is more complete than people realise.


Keith

 

works forum? could you give me the link please?

 

http://intheworks.co.uk/forum/index.php


Keith

 

does anyone know what is going on with 35025, at least the owner of 35011 is down at selinge most sundays even if it is just cosmetic, work, indeed some of us would like to make a start on the old girl but the finance isnt there just yet and we are still playing with bits of bogie where as no one from 35025 has as far as i know not even re stated work and when you think how much work has been already done that will have to be re done , it just seems such a waste
i feel that what is needed is for all the owning groups to combine so we get a larger work force and maybe at least start getting something restored because at the moment there are several locos all in verious stages of restoration , the J94 and the 2 Merchants already on site and the other that is still at the NYMR, and something needs to be done about the 4DD and the other ex ashford stuff either mover it away to were it can be restored or cut it up for scrap because if i am honest i cant see any of the coaches being restored if they stay here

 

I was under the impression that the group restoring 35011 had gone into association with that restoring 35025. It is a shame, for only six years ago it looked to be the next ex-Barry MN to be restored after 35006. It now looks like 35009 might just scoop it if Ian Riley's ETR (Estimated Time of Restoration) is anything to go by.

 

Brocklebank line association is gathering funds and preparing for restoration of 35025. Work is going on to get it running again, but it will be fund permitting and will take time.

Do not expect it to be restored in the short term.

 

35025 had a largely complete kit of parts when it was at Loughborough. The main item requiring work was the boiler, although there were question marks against the quality of some of the work that had been done on the bottom end. Unfortunately a large quantity of parts were stolen just days before they were due to be moved out - suspicious or what? - including most of the non-ferrous items. It was much further down the road than most people realise.

 

For those interested in Brocklebank Line, take a look at the following website;

http://www.brocklebankline.co.uk/

Go to recent developments. Details the burglary. 2-3 tonnes of equipment! Items that were hidden found. Very suspicious. When you add the cost of relocation, it becomes apparent how much of a setback the burgalry and relocation caused the association.

What I don't understand though is why GCR management asked them to go in the first place?

 

it all seems very strange
now for the loco to be restored to mainline condition poses a question how much of the work allready carried out is to that standard?

 

Hotspur, were the items stolen from Loughborough covered by insurance?

 

Obviously not....

it would be a shame if some of the parts were from old steam locos, ie from the 60s.

 

A shame generally for those involved with 35025, the originality argument is less important to me.

 

The reason given was that they didn't need/want a merchant navy on the line, and the restoration was taking a long time. However it wasn't taking up any workshop space, and it was more to do with personalities and egos. the 35025 group were never in the matey brown nosing inner circle. Being located outside they were literally left out in the cold, and added to that one of their members was a somewhat abrasive character who bluffed his engineering skills and generally made a nuisance of himself. He'd filled the shoes of someone who'd been unable to continue, and workshop management soon tired of him. One of their original members is now a magazine editor, and I've recently been hearing quite an interesting but depressing story about the whole saga of 35025 and the GCR. It's amazing, because they have shareholders who one would have thought would have had a lot of influence and resources. I don't want to go on too much now, but if anyone is really interested I could relate some more later.