ELR Small Engines Gala

Just to let people know over the weekend of the 9th and 10th of April The East Lancs are holding there Small Engines Event A Normal 3 train service will run with 80080, 132 Sapper, 20087 and 32 Gothenburg with a bury barron street shuttle opertaing using 08479, D3232, 08700, D2062, 4002 And If Its had its through pipe vac fitted D2956. On top of the 3 train service there will be an additional trip to Ramsbottom using 1 or 2 of the 08s more details will follow over the next few days.

 

Thanks for posting details Matt. Will there be the usual trade stands in attendance?

I know its not the railways engine but its a pity Sapper can't be in its NCB livery as it ran in Lancashire at Bold Collery, it's a local engine returned home. The railway could have got publicity about this and perhaps reunited its NCB driver Stan Fradely with it.

 

Timetable;

http://www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/...mall-Engine-Weekend-2011-Public-Timetable.pdf

 

This is the roster for the shunter shuttle
Saturday

10:00-11:30 D3232+1370 May

11:30:-13:00 08479+1370 May

13:00-14:30 D2956+D2062+ 08700

14:30-16:00 4002+08700

Sunday

10:00-11:30 D3232+1370 May

11:30-13:00 08479+1370 May

13:00-14:30 D2956+D2062+08700


14:30-16:00 4002+08700

 

Newly arrived austerity 0-6-0 "Sapper" was the incentive for me to make a visit to this event. Also running full length of the line were Std Tank 80080 & Type twenty diesel 20087
Bury Bolton Street station had push pull trains to Baron street shed gates pulled by a variety of shunters and Peckett 1370 "May"
Shunters included MSC4002 & Class 08 shunter - 08479 which did a trip to Ramsbottom as a last trip of the day plus shunters - 08700, D3232, D2062 & D2656
Only letdown was that MSC32 Gothenberg disgraced itself by failing - probadly being painted blue didnt help ;0
Something different and another good day out.
John

pictures here - http://www.steamingnorth.com/thumbnails.php?album=82

 

Looks like ''Joesph'' has a 'new' boiler? Presume a swap was done at Flower Mill with the ex Rutland Austerity? Looks strange in WD livery but far better than rotting in the bay at Totnes. Also bizarre that two Austerities return to steam within days of each other and both have swapped chimneys.

 

QUOTE]Looks like ''Joseph'' has a 'new' boiler? Presume a swap was done at Flower Mill with the ex Rutland Austerity?[/QUOTE]

As Joseph/Alison/Sapper was done at the Flour Mill and the Rutland loco HE3883 was done at Statfold Barn I doubt the boilers were swapped but I see where you are coming from. Joseph was an underfeed gas producer loco whilst at Gresford Colliery and running as Alison and also when it was at Coventry Homefire plant as a Hunslet hire loco but when last overhauled at Walkden it was turned out as a conventional austerity except for one thing the smokebox door was altered so that the hinges were on the other side.

I see from You Tube videos it has had its bunker raised, if its going to be run at the speeds I saw in the video I think it may well need mechanical attention err long unless its lubrication has been beefed up. They'll pull anything a preserved railway wants but I don't know about sustained fast running.

I know that Joseph/Alison/Sapper had a dire boiler when purchased and it would be interesting if someone in the know could tell us what the overhaul entailed. It was turned out very quickly since purchased, good to see the three recently overhauled austeritys back, the others being Lord Phil at Peak Rail and Norman at Embsay. I see also the last austerity built, 66 at Quainton, has its boiler at the Great Central for overhaul so there is another on the road to running again.

 

I suspect Sapper has had a boiler swap with 65 also at the Flour Mill and sister to 66, with GPCS.

 

Well that's very interesting if it has Anthony. I knew 65 had left Rutland but didn't know it was at the Flour Mill. 65 is owned by John Scholes or it was, does one assume that he also owns Sapper? I would be surprised if there had been a boiler swop if the locos have different owners as how would you balance the differing amounts of work that each boiler requires and the cost?

If I remember rightly Sappper had an overhaul at the South Devon Rly and ran for a season or two before the true nature of its boiler condition surfaced. So although mechanically good it was laid aside. I think it required front tubeplate, boiler barrel and outer firebox. As mentioned in my earlier post it would be great to get the proper story. It certainly seems to go well enough.

 

Thanks Anthony. Should have checked works numbers but was away from my books. Knew one of them was at Flour Mill as I saw it heading down the M4 at Bristol one evening. Nearly crashed at the site of a yellow austerity.

 

Even that can get confusing, where Sapper's concerned! :lol: