Bressingham

99% certain Thundersley was steamed at Bressingham. I certainly remember a photo in a railway mag of tubes being removed.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79657-tilbury-tank-drawings/

Half a dozen photos lower down the post of it in steam at Bressingham. Possibly 1970?

 

Sure I’ve seen photos of Oliver Cromwell, Thundersley, Royal Scot, Duchess of Sutherland and 2500 all in steam at Bresingham

 

Yes all steamed at Bressingham - I have ridden on Cromwell and 2500 there!

 

I’d read that in the case of ‘Royal Scot’ and ‘Sutherland’ just enough work was done to get them running up and down the demonstration line.

I rode on ‘Cromwell’ as a small child, I could only have been three or four.

 

Both were overhauled by BR for Butlins, so were probably in good condition when they got loaned to Bressingham!

 

I'd be happy to be proved wrong but my recollection of the time is that the "overhaul" was little more than a cosmetic restoration. Before going to Bressingham all the Butlins engines had spent a number of years in the open air with little/no protection from the seaside air and their condition deteriorated as a result. Like many other locos at the time Bressingham managed to get a few years out of them, with minimal repairs as mentioned above, but really it was just using up residual mileage from the last 'proper' B.R. overhaul.
Ray.

 

I think it was Bill Harvey the former Norwich shed master who managed to get them running despite their poor internal condition

 

I also visited on Saturday, it certainly was very good. Plenty to see and lots running, excellent value for money. First time I had been in at least 15 years, I remember last time I was there 70013 was still on static display.

 

My first trip to Bressingham on Sunday for 30 years.Took my daughter and grandsons.A great day until the rain came at about 1500.Martello was on the Brake van rides.BronLlywd didn't look right with a cab and William Francis definitely needs a bit of TLC.

 

BronLlywd now has the shape of cab and livery when it started on the Guildford bypass works about 90 years ago before having a name.
https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Bronllwyd
On the Preserved British Steam Locomotives website William Francis should be next to get back in steam after raising funds.

 

I went over the weekend, great to see so much activity and a really positive feel to the place after it felt it got lost over the Royal Scot drmam when so much of the collection was sold off. Their team are welcoming and when it all comes together like this, one can only feel the future is bright, I overheard someone on the staff saying it had been tje best summer season for a number of years, that's really good to hear, it was well worth the trip from Lincolnshire

 

Thundersley was restored to steam in 1968 by the Norfolk railway society in Attleborough goods shed led by Bill Harvey the Norwich shedmaster. There is a couple of pictures of it being steamed there pinched from their website. I think they also worked on 2500 and later Green Arrow was restored at Norwich shed by the same group. I understand Thundersley steamed at Bressingham between 1968 and 1972. Would be interested myself to know more about the story and how it came about. Attleborough is on the Ely line, not far from Bressingham and the shed still exists.

 

You are correct re the cosmetic restoration undertaken at Crewe prior to 6233's move to Butlins but before the locomotive could be steamed again at Bressingham it had a fairly extensive overhaul including the renewal of all the small boiler tubes and the superheater flues had their ends renewed. The superheater elements were repaired or replaced according to their condition. On top of this, the inner firebox lap plates were badly wasted in places as were the laps in the combustion chamber. 6233 was steamed at Bressingham in May 1974.

 

Slideshow from my visit, 5th August 2022.