Well, here we are in the summer of 2024 although by the weather you would not realise it. As I write the engine is on washout having done her first stint in service. She obviously took part in the GWSR Steam gala at the end of May which was extremely successful with the launch of 6880 Betton Grange and running alongside the Saint class loco from the Great Western Society at Didcot, 2999 Lady of Legend. The third loco was the Mogul from the West Somerset Railway. This started life as a tank engine and was re-engineered into a tender engine.
Foremarke ran well except on Monday when I reported for driving duty to be told she had a busted tender spring. Now we have spare suspension springs for all axles so a real team effort then took place as we jacked the tender up slightly to take the weight off the spring and removed the damaged one and slid the new one into place. After securing the spring then adjusting the ride height the engine was ready for completion of her oiling preparation and ready to go off shed. We in fact went off shed just ten minutes late from the booked time, A great achievement by the four-man team, Mike Sollaway, Mark Harding, Phil Lister and me.
The driving turn with Foremarke included a double-headed run with the Grange, nonstop from Broadway to Cheltenham, which was good fun and a lovely experience. It also included a run back from Cheltenham with the freight train, which was something else a bit different.
The engine is running well although has a few issues we are working on. The first is the safety Valve casting, which is cast bronze has sprung a small leak. We have a new casting which has taken two attempts to get it right. They were notorious even for Swindon to cast right. It is said 50% of what they cast was melted down again. However, it is now being machined and we will hydraulically test it once it is fully machined. Then it will need to be fitted to the engine at a convenient point.
The second issue is she keeps breaking piston rings. Now we know the pistons are worn and the cylinders require reboring. This is in hand, and it is just getting the timing right of when to stop the engine to do the work. It is likely it will have to come sooner than later.
The washout itself is well advanced and nearing completion. we are just looking at getting the boiler some minor caulking up by the boilersmith to stop some tiny weeps of the boiler getting any worse.
Overall the engine does what it is supposed to do, well most of the time.
My thanks to Graham Nuttal for his consent to use the photograph taken at the gala.
John Cruxon Locomotive Manager
Repaired Petticoat
Exposed Firebox Crown