Foremarke Hall Returns

There has been lots going on in the last week or so, and far too much to cram into one blog post, so here is a bit of a belated update from last weekend.  The gala details were the most pressing thing to get online, so I covered that first.   If you missed it, then just click onto the post before this one for information on the first of our guest locos for the May 28th-30th, Cotswold Festival of Steam gala, "Swindon Built".

As was mentioned recently, Collett, 2-8-0, 3850 owned by Dinmore Manor Locomotive LTD (DMLL) has suffered a bit of a setback in the form of a cracked cylinder block.  DMLL has decided to launch "Club 3850" (Not to be confused with Club 18-30) as a fund raising exercise.  I was generously offered a helicopter flight along the line on Friday, coinciding with with DMLL's shareholder day to take photos of the event.  My arm didn't need too much twisting.  It's a tough job, but somebody has got to do it!

Ian Shapter, the first "Club 3850" member and our pilot, Lee

On our way

The original plan had been to fly up to Broadway and take a few photos from the air, then rendezvous with Dinmore Manor at Toddington, before following it down the line. Unfortunately there was fog over Broadway and Toddington, which restricted the view, so after a phone call with Mike (who was the fireman), we caught up at Winchcombe.

Dinmore Manor waiting at the newly extended Winchcombe platform 1

Entering Greet tunnel...

...and emerging out the other side.

Passing Gretton

Quite a pleasing double track effect at Gotherington loop

No small number of our volunteers live in Bishops Cleeve, I suspect a fair few people will be saying "I can see my house".

Passing through Bishops Cleeve

The Crew (Steve & Mike) + DMLL shareholders waving us good bye at Cheltenham Race Course

The short return flight to Staverton airport took us over Hunting Butts tunnel, from where the currently disused trackbed snakes off towards Cheltenham town centre.  It has been suggested that once the Broadway extension is done and dusted, that the GWSR should aim to press on in this direction for a short way.

The future?... Hunting Butts tunnel and on to Cheltenham

More photos and a rather fuller discourse on the event can be found on 3850's own blog.

Joining us on the flight was Donna, who has uploaded some video footage of the event to Youtube.

The eagerly awaited return of Foremarke Hall from Tyseley took place last week.  The task of getting her back together and in running order is now being attended to with working parties on three days each week.

In the cab, the backhead and a few of the fittings may have been in place, but there was no thermal insulation cladding in place, so it all had to come off to allow that to be fitted:

Tim (l) and Ade start removing the backhead plates

James cleans the firebox door mechanism

Andy cleaning the gauge frame

Back head plates removed

James cutting the thermal insulation cladding to shape

Ade and James fitting the insulating material

Meanwhile, up at the other end, a small team of people were sorting out the smoke box.  The superheater header and elements were already in place, which is just as well as the header is remarkably heavy and difficult to fit.  Everything else needed fitting though.

Sean (l), Phil (in smoke box) and Steve discuss the tasks ahead.

Sean, besides the newly fitted regulator valve.

Sean sealing the smoke box plate above the regulator

Phil fetching the chimney for installation.

Foremarke Hall, basking in the sun and enjoying being home again.

New handrails were being bent to shape

Will (l) and John, preparing a hand rail

Test fitting the hand rail

The period of time at Tyseley had been long enough for a bit of surface rust to appear on the previously highly polished connecting rods and coupling rods.  Eleanor got to work with a bit of emery tape to restore the shine

Eleanor at work

The steam pipes needed fitting, and new seals (I was told off for referring to them as gaskets) needed making for the various joints.

Making one of the seals

The faces of the joints of the steam pipes also needed a little bit of attention to make them perfectly flat and hopefully steam tight.

Will and John attending to one of the steam pipe faces

One of the steam pipes had been assembled and fitted by the end of the day.

The piston valve lubrication pipes were assembled into place on both sides, ready for piping to run up under the cladding to the cab.

Lubrication pipes, loosely assembled at this point

A considerable amount of progress was made with Foremarke Hall on Saturday, and by the time that you read this, hopefully even more work will have taken place.   It shouldn't be too much longer before she is back in steam and hauling our trains once more.

As a reminder of what Foremarke Hall will look like again, here is a view of her at the 2013 Christmas Cracker event, just before she was withdrawn from traffic for her 10 year overhaul.

Foremarke Hall, departing Gotherington a little over 2 years ago

It wasn't quite all about Foremarke Hall on Saturday, a small team of people were working on 2807,  Bruce was busy lapping in the pep pipe valve, which had not been very generous with supplying hot water for cleaning the cab and damping down the coal dust hitherto.  Hopefully it will do a better job now.

2807's pep pipe valve

And finally, all of us in the Steam Loco Dept are eagerly awaiting the very generous offer of cake from our friends over in the Carriage & Wagon Dept.