Going Loco - October 2024

04 OCTOBER

The Pioneer’s Progress Part 11 – Smoke Rises from the West …

It looks like Phil and his team have been really busy and it’s about time we caught up with them. Without further ado, let’s see what’s going on with No 1466 …

1466 in the cattle dock siding at Totnes in 1965, a year after she was first preserved and still less than 30 years since she was built in 1936. Behind her is the Dreadnought No 3299, then auto-trailer No 231 and pannier tank No 1369. Photo by Frank Dumbleton

Thanks Drew!

Well, It's been a while since my last update but Ryan and his team at West Somerset Restoration have been extremely busy in getting close to finishing our pioneer's boiler. The laborious task of tapping hundreds holes and then filling them with hundreds of side and crown stays around the firebox is now done. As is the fitting of all the 193 boiler tubes and 2 large flue tubes.

However, as with everything involved in steam locomotives, not quite everything was so ‘cut and dry’ as our previous boiler jobs would indicate. We did hit another unfortunate delay. This time, it was due to an issue with one of the flue tubes which proved to be unsuitable for use. Thankfully, a replacement was soon sourced and the ‘bottle ends’ threaded and welded on so they could be fitted to the rear tubeplate. The front ends were then expanded into the smokebox tubeplate and beaded over. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, the boiler is now a complete and sealed article!

The newly-machined blower ring and petticoat. Photo by Adrian Knowles

The chassis of No 1466 complete with tanks and cab. Photo by Adrian Knowles

All of the locomotive’s steam fittings have now been inspected, overhauled where required and mostly fitted back onto the boiler. Another very neat job that has been ticked off is that the new blower ring casting has now been fully machined and fitted to the petticoat. Both of these are now ready to be fitted to the underside of the chimney when the time comes.

In mechanical news, the locomotive’s axles have passed their UAT inspection so when the time eventually comes she can make her way back across Network Rail to Didcot Railway Centre. Also, the tanks, cab, bunker and boiler cladding have received the first coats of top-coat green.

Finally – it has been a long time coming and I'm delighted to say that on Saturday 28 September, in the presence of the Great Western Society’s Chairman, Richard Preston, we saw the first fire being lit in 1466’s boiler since 2002.

Project Manager Phil Morrell has the honour of lighting the first fire in the boiler on 28 September. Photo by Adrian Knowles

The boiler with smoke emerging. Photo by Adrian Knowles

The fire warming through the boiler. Photo by Adrian Knowles

In technical terms, this first fire is what we call an initial thermal cycle; whilst not raising any pressure within the boiler itself, it allows all the old and new platework to expand, contract and relax without any of the normal stresses – any possible steam from the boiling water escapes naturally through the open clack valves on top of the boiler ...

With the list of jobs getting smaller and smaller by the day; next on the cards is to sort the hydraulic and steam inspections by BES (our insurers) and work will thus return in getting the boiler back into its frames and all piped up – ready for her final test …

The group at the first fire on 28 September, left to right: Richard Preston, Phil Morrell, Ian Massey, Ryan Pope and Matt Healey. Photo by Adrian Knowles

Thanks Phil and well done to all concerned! I know the feeling well at this point, you never think it’s going to happen and then, all of a sudden, there is fire and flame, smoke and steam. You realise that we are really going to make this thing move again. It’s made very real all of a sudden! Well everyone, I hope you are all ready to come and see us when it will no longer be our pioneer progressing in a workshop.

Our pioneer will soon be progressing down the track …

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