December 2025 Update

By Pete Maddicks & Tony Howard

Well Christmas has come and gone for another year. The team have been working hard putting as many parts as possible back on the loco, with some major components going on and this time to stay. Unfortunately I have not been able to get to Bridgnorth much over the last few weeks, therefore thank you to the boys for keeping me updated with the progress. 

Monday 1st December
On site today: Bob L, Charles L, Dave L, Steve T, Tony H.
We looked at the left-hand rear balance pipe to see why it wouldn't sit flat against the water tank. We found the splasher that partially covers the trailing wheel was fouling the corner of the firebox. After modifications to the splasher, the pipe sat almost correctly. More painting was done on the checker plates.

Tuesday 2nd, Wednesday 3rd, Thursday 4th December.
Full-time staff fitted the Regulator box, Superheater Header and the large copper pipework in the Smokebox.

Saturday 6th December.
On site today: Dave Mc, Kevin S, Steve M, Tony H.
Steve gave the checker plates a coat of chassis black. Dave, Kevin, and Tony finished the backhead cladding and insulation; they also refitted the firehole doors.

Monday 8th December.
On site today: Bryn T, Charles L, Dave L, Dave Mc, Peter D, Phil H, Steve T, Tony H.
Phil and Tony fitted the Rear Guard Irons. Then they fitted the steam pipes cover on the Smokebox. Phil turned his attention to finishing the Steam heat control at either end of the loco. Dave L and Steve fitted the handrail on the right-hand side of the smokebox. They then made a start on the infill cladding at the front of the water tanks. Dave Mc and Peter took the nuts and bolts out of the large floor plate and using the crane, lifted it out of the cab to give access for the steam and water pipework to be fitted.

Saturday 13th December.
On site today: Dave Mc, Kevin S, Peter M, Simon B, Steve M, Tony H
In the week, the steam and water pipework had been fitted to the 10mm injector, Driver's side. Kevin and Simon fitted the remaining pipework to the overflow pipe at the end of each water tank. The fireman's side is only a short section. The Driver's side is quite a bit longer as it has to miss the vacuum pump, and is awkward to fit. The 5/8" Whitworth nuts are too close to the pipe to get a socket to fit, also there is little room for an open-ended spanner.
Tony came up with the idea of drilling  1/2" Whitworth nuts to 5/8" Whitworth tapping size and rethreading to 5/8" Whitworth.
We then fitted the infill cladding to the top of the Driver's side water tank so the pipework could be fitted to the clacks. Steve painted more of the checker plates for the cab floor.

Monday 15th Dec.
On site today: Bob L,Charles L, Dave L, Dave Mc, Peter D, Phil H, Si B, Steve T, Tony H.
Phil made the modified nuts for the overflow pipe, and they worked, but the pipe was fouling the front sand box operating system. Looks like having to modify the pipe. Charles and Si encased the base of the Blast Pipe with fire cement and fitted the steel wrapping around the base. Ðave L noticed the handrail that was fitted last week was not parallel, so with Steve they put it right. Dave and Steve then worked on one of the cladding securing bands on the firebox that was not sitting correctly. Work was done on the steel water pipes, and Bob was painting various sections when they were fitted.

Saturday 20th Dec
No work today.

Monday 22nd Dec.
On site today: Charles L,  Dave Mc, Steve T, Tony H.
During the week the 8mm injector has been fitted and copper pipework was installed to it. Regarding the left-hand rear balance pipe, Brian H, full-time staff had noticed that the flange, on the tank end of the balance pipe was not sitting correctly. After a conversation with Brian and Will Marsh it was decided to remove the pipe on a date to be decided in the new year and the flange would be machined to fit. The infill cladding was fitted on the left-hand tank. Work was done on the drop grate operating mechanism.
The problem we had with the right-hand overflow pipe was that we had two of these pipes.  One of these pipes had a longer down section before the bend. This is the correct one, but the three holes in the flange do not line up with the studs, and there isn't enough material in the flange to alter. The second pipe was fitted, but the sand box operating system rod fouled the bend in the pipe. Will need a new flange made.