Work over the last four months, taking place over three locations, to bring the sole-surviving Southern Q-class back into service on the Bluebell
September 2024
Leaky Finders have completed copper welding on the inner firebox, enabling them to move on to re-assembling the steel outer firebox. On the locomotive’s frameswork has concentrated on the horn blocks, which having been removed, are all now machined, and starting to be refitted. The new rear dragbox is almost complete.
The 4253 Group continue making progress with the rear half of the new tender tank and a new (second) access hatch (from the front half of the coal space).
The photo (from Leaky Finders) shows the new rear drag-box of the locomotive, inverted.
Read/download the full September report (pdf) here.
October 2024
Leaky Finders now have the outer wrapper welded in place and the smoke and flue tubes ordered. All the rivets on the running plate angles are done, along with re-riveting the rear frame stretcher and boiler mounting bracket. Both frame stretchers adjacent to the driving axle have been removed, cleaned and re-attached. The new rear dragbox has been riveted in place. The new horn block wedges, slippers and associated nuts/bolts have been machined and all axle boxes undergoing crack testing.
The 4253 Group at Rolvenden are welding in the two rear half sides of the tender tank, onto the previously fabricated inner frame – see photo. The original sand boxes are back up on the front of the tender tank, and the steps and lamp irons from the back of the old tank have been rivetted onto the new platework.
Back at Sheffield Park the corroded front dragbox of the tender and a short wasted length of the inner frames have been removed. The front section of the outer frames had been needle gunned back to bare metal. Fred Bailey is preparing drawings for new rear and front dragboxes. The stripping and repainting of the loco and tender brake rigging is in hand.
The tender wheelsets have returned from tyre turning at the South Devon Railway.
The photo shows the inside of rear end of the new tender tank (4253 Group).
Read/download the full October report (pdf) here.
November 2024
Down in Devon, Leaky Finders have completed reaming 2/3 of the firebox stay holes. Once the final inner firebox repairs have been completed, the new firehole ring can be fitted. On the chassis, the horn faces and wedges have received new steel plates, the axle boxes have received Magnetic Particle Inspection, and welding repairs. The riveting of frame stretchers, angles and bracketry is pretty much finished.
The replacement tender tank being made by the 4253 Group, as of the end of October, is roughly 70% complete. The rear section of the tank is fabricated and ready for fitting. The original tank-top edge beading has been repaired.
At Sheffield Park, workshop staff and volunteers have the front dragbox fabricated and bolted in place ready for riveting onto the tender frames. Maunsell Locomotive Society volunteers have continued to clean and paint the brake rigging, prior to it being re-bushed. The outside of the tender frames have been de- greased.
The photos (thanks to Leaky Finders) show the firebox side sheets being drilled and reamed ready for fitting the stays, and the new dragbox being riveted in place on the loco frames.
Read/download the full November report (pdf) here.
December 2024
As of the end of November, the main structure of the tender tank is now complete over at Rolvenden, with the top of the water space and coal space having been welded into place. The front of the tank including the tool lockers and shovelling plate are finished and painted in primer. The repaired original beading has been rivetted in place on the top of the tender tank. The tool box doors have been re-hung to give a better fit.
At Sheffield Park, the rear dragbox has been rivetted into place. Other repairs to the tender chassis are also progressing well.
The photo (by Melvyn Frohnsdorff) shows the new rear drag box fabrication rivetted in place in the tender frames.
Read/download the full December report (pdf) here.
THE Q NEEDS YOU!
The Maunsell Locomotive Society has agreed to try and raise £40,000 towards the cost of overhauling the tender and providing a new tender tank. The Q is an ideal size and economical loco for Bluebell operations. It fits in well with the ‘Southern’ image, and it did actually operate in the vicinity.
Online payments to the appeal can be made by clicking either of the DONATE buttons here and then selecting “Q 541 Overhaul” in the drop-down box.
