THE removal of a locomotive’s rolling chassis from a workshop might appear on paper like a straight-forward task, but for the Tanfield Railway (TR) the extraction of Andrew Barclay 0-6-0ST Horden (1015/1904) from the railway’s works on November 14 was a true demonstration of logistical planning.
Restoration of the ex-Horden and Shotton Collieries’ loco has been underway at the TR’s Marley Hill works since 2012, and represents one of the most challenging loco projects tackled by the railway to date.
After 69 years heavy use, including damage sustained with a head-on collision with an NER ‘Q6’ 0-8-0, and almost 40 years of open air storage, Horden was in a sorry state when work began.
The ‘bottom end’ has now been completed, the work including replacement of the tyres, crankpins, bearings, brake gear, suspension, buffer beams and footplating.
A concealed mechanical lubrication system and vacuum brake equipment have also been installed, while almost all of the rods, valve gear and the other motion parts have had to be straightened to make good.
Read more in the December issue of The RM – on sale
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