At the end of the 2003 season, Peter, our Bagnall saddle tank locomotive, had to be taken out of service as its 10-year boiler certificate had expired. Well, now our patience has been rewarded.
(The above photograph shows Peter being prepared for service shortly before withdrawal from service)
A complete overhaul of the frames and chassis is currently being undertaken - the wheel bearings have been away for re-metalling and the water feed pump (Peter has only one conventional injector) has been repaired. Currently, the frames and wheels are receiving a repaint and wheels and motion should be refitted shortly.
Colour? That is, at the moment a secret - but here's a clue - it isn't green!
Work on Peter's boiler was completed by Alex Hume in early February and was followed by a favourable report by our boiler inspectors.
The rebuilt boiler arrived back at Amberley in February.
Here the boiler is carried carefully through the museum by the museum crane (a museum piece in its own right!) to its temporary resting place outside the locomotive shed. The boiler is being steadied by Alex Hume, whose firm was entrusted with the work.
The boiler is lowered carefully onto some sleepers.
The boiler from the front.
The boiler from the back. As can be seen, it is of traditional rivetted construction.
The new backplate.
After a period when nothing seemed to be happening - although I can assure you it was - with essential items like new axle box bearings, and turning of the axle journals to name but two, visible signs of progress were apparent in early June when John Stanton and Robert Mitchell fitted the wooden boiler lagging strips to the boiler (well where else?).
Because we are using thicker insulation on the boiler, the saddle tank will not not fit! John Stanton uses an angle grinder to take an inch off the flange at the back of the tank to enable it to fit over the boiler.
At the same time the old paintwork was being sanded down .....
..... and a coat of red oxide primer applied.
And, NO, we are still not going to tell you what the final colour is going to be!
The Amberley Steam Locomotive Driving Experience
We are hoping to reinstate The Amberley Steam Locomotive Driving Experience next year (2009).
Please note that with Peter out of service awaiting the completion of restoration work,
we regret that
we are not able to offer this course for the time being.
Click here for a taster.