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TKh no. 2944 continues to provide sterling service to the railway, having run over 4,500 miles along the CVR in 2015 alone! A few niggles have had to be rectified but it is planned to withdraw the loco upon the completion of the CVR’s Santa Season in order to catch up on the repair list and have her ready for the Winter Steam Gala in February.
Sister loco no. 2871 has also now received her boiler, which was delivered to the CVR on 23rd September and fitted onto the frames on 25th October. The group is now researching fundraising ideas for their second loco, for which shares are available still for purchase. If you wish to become a joint owner in these two locomotives then please click >here<.
Meanwhile S160 no. 5197 overhaul is progressing well at Cheddleton, with the smokebox being riveted to the front boiler barrels section. The boiler itself is awaiting a visit from our boiler inspector, prior to its removal to allow tubing and other jobs to take place. The pipe work on the locomotive is progressing well with the air and vacuum pipes nearly finished. The injector pipe work is now complete and fitted to the clacks, so the team of guys working on her have now started the pipe work to the ejector. Work is also underway on the valves cross head assembly. It is planned to have the locomotive ready for the start of the CVR’s main running season at Easter 2016.
S160 no. 6046 is still undergoing repairs at Tyseley, as the cylinder block requires a full replacement after being damaged in Autumn 2014. Tyseley have finally been able to get on with the repairs, with the replacement block receiving it’s new cylinder liners last week. The boiler has now been lifted from the frames to allow the blocks to be swapped before the locomotive is put back together ready for a return the CVR in January 2016. It is planned she will then be run-in after spending more than 12 months out of action before staring in the Winter Steam Gala.
With these repairs ongoing 6046 is sadly going to miss our busy Santa season, and so the Churnet Valley Railway is delighted to announce that an agreement has been reached with the representatives for ex-GWR 56xx no. 5619 that will see this former South Wales workhorse visit the railway over the winter. The locomotive will share Santa & Steam duties with 2944 throughout December, and will then stay on the railway to become our third locomotive for our Winter Steam Gala.
Whilst Great Western locomotives are no foreigner to the CVR, with Large Prairie No. 5199 most recently begin based at the railway from 2009 – 2012, we are yet to experience a 56XX “Taffy Tank” on the line so it will be interesting to see how the locomotive performs along the line from Froghall to Leekbrook, as well as the steep gradients on the Cauldon Branch.