Dates for your Diary!

There are a couple of events coming up in May that may be of interest to you.
The first is an evening talk to the Sussex Woodcraft Society at the cypress Hall in Burgess Hill.  This will give an up to date description of how the restoration has got to where we are now. further details can be found on their website http://www.sussexwoodcraft.co.uk/


Then on Saturday 11th May we will be attending the Haywards Heath Model Railway show. This will be at the Dolphin Leisure Centre, Pasture Hill Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1LY. again for further details please go to their web site:  https://haywardsheath2019.wixsite.com/hh2019


Our next stand after that (apart from the possibility of a small table when I am in the signal box) will be at the Bluebell Railway Model Railway Exhibition on the 29th and 30th of June. https://www.bluebell-railway.com/whats_on/events-dates/  This also gives dates of other events at the railway, some of which we will be in attendance for.


We have got to where we are with the help of people like you who support us, and thank you for that.  We do need to keep the ball rolling though and with the recent expenditure we need to try to keep the coffers full, so if you are able to help us pay for the restoration please do!


Thank you

If you are able to help, please donate only as much as you can afford.

To donate on line, please go to our BT MyDonate page:

 

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

PLEASE NOTE

The BT My Donate page will be removed by BT on the 30th June.  However, we are working closely with the Bluebell Railway Trust who are currently setting up a new donations page. Details will be posted as soon as we have them. 

If you would like to make a regular donation, please ask for a Standing Order form by email to the address below.

Please also use this address for enquiries and offers of physical help.

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

This Project is entirely self funded and relies on your donations and sales stand purchases for the work to continue

A few more riveting pictures

These are a few of the pictures I took during a whistle-stop trip on Saturday.

Cylinders

The rear of the cylinder block showing the machined and honed bore and the machined faces

 

The top of the block showing the exhaust port, upon which will be mounted the Blast Pipe also temporary bolts holding the halves together.

 


A closer view showing the exhaust and other connections

Riveting

A close up of the end of one of the riveted up stretchers

 

Two of the stretchers firmly riveted in place, also note the running plate bracket riveted in place

One of the 6 running plate brackets riveted in place.  These being adjacent to the cylinders are countersunk on the rear

The view from the front of the locomotive showing the bolted motion plate and rear buffer beam, together with the riveted stretchers and running plate brackets.  The holes forming a T shape in the brackets are the location holes for the brake hanger housings.

Rear Drag Box

The new drag-box plate riveted up and ready to be installed

 

This is all that remains of the original drag-box plate, obviously in need of replacement!

WE DESPARATELY NEED YOUR HELP TO CONTINUE!

The work so far has depleted our funds and to continue to progress at the same rate we need your help.  It is expected that by the time we have finished we will have spent in the region of £150,000 on the repair / rebuild / restoration of the loco.  We have currently spent in the region of £30,000, so there is still some way to go!

This is an important loco in that it served in France during the First World War along with 753 (now on the KESR) and as such became one of the first standard gauge ROD locomotives. 

No.27 was also part of the pioneer fleet of locos on the Bluebell Railway, being the second P class to arrive and working virtually continuously from March 1961 until September 1974. 

This loco deserves to be working again!  

If you are able to help, please donate only as much as you can afford.

To donate on line, please go to our BT MyDonate page:

 

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

PLEASE NOTE

The BT My Donate page will be removed by BT on the 30th June.  However, we are working closely with the Bluebell Railway Trust who are currently setting up a new donations page. Details will be posted as soon as we have them. 

If you would like to make a regular donation, please ask for a Standing Order form by email to the address below.

Please also use this address for enquiries and offers of physical help.

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

This Project is entirely self funded and relies on your donations and sales stand purchases for the work to continue

Some right riveting pictures!

Riveting Pictures

Matt has sent through some pictures of the work carried out by Ben and him a couple of weeks ago.  These show the two middle stretchers riveted in place together with the running plate support brackets that have been riveted to the frames on both sides.


The frames with the two middle stretchers riveted in place together with the six running plate supports.

Countersunk rivets waiting to be ground flush



The picture above shows the countersunk rivets that have been used to locate the front running plate brackets.  The rivets need to be flush to allow the installation of the cylinders.  these will be behind the cylinders when they are installed.

Domed Rivets

Further down the frames normal dome headed rivets are required. In the background it is possible to see the new rivets holding the stretcher in place. 

Viewed from the outside of the frames, showing the dome headed rivets

From the outside of the frames it is possible to see the new rivet heads which are securing the running plate support brackets.  You may notice the four holes which make a "T" shape.  These will locate the top mounting point for the brake gear swinging arms which carry the brake blocks.


There will be another rivet party in the not too distant future to assemble and locate the rear drag box between the frames and also to add the rear buffer beam.  Please look out for future updates which will show this being done.

The usual appeal for help!

The work so far has depleted the funds to quite a degree and we urgently need to replenish the coffers to allow the work to continue at the rate we have set.  There are a few ways to help us.  for an instant donation, please donate on line. It is also possible to set up a standing order to give a regular amount via the Bluebell Railway Trust, who can also take one off donations.  Please add gift aid if you are able when donating via the Trust.  We also have a collection jar on the stands we operate on occasions at Sheffield Park for all your loose change (or notes!).  We are also now able (subject to getting a signal) to take card payments in person at the stands.

 To donate on line, please go to our BT MyDonate page:

 

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

PLEASE NOTE

The BT My Donate page will be removed by BT on the 30th June.  However, we are working closely with the Bluebell Railway Trust who are currently setting up a new donations page. Details will be posted as soon as we have them. 

If you would like to make a regular donation, please ask for a Standing Order form by email to the address below.

Please also use this address for enquiries and offers of physical help.

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

This Project is entirely self funded and relies on your donations and sales stand purchases for the work to continue

The Cylinders are back!

Picture Report

A few pictures from Matt Holloway showing the freshly machined cylinders for 27 starting with a view at Statfold Engineering plus some close ups of them at Sheffield Park.

 

The cylinders on the truck at Statfold Engineering. 

All secured and ready for the trip to Sheffield Park

Safely back at Sheffield Park!

Looking through the bore of the right cylinder

 

The front of the cylinders now in the loco works store

The front of the cylinders

 Well, I think this can be said to be the end of the beginning!  We are now, or soon will be, in the same position we were (visually) two and a half years ago!  

There is a big difference though we now have a new set of frames and cylinders.  These have made a big dent in the bank account, however without them we would be dead in the water. 

The frame riveting is coming on very well, as mentioned in the last blog. Once the frames are riveted up, it should be possible to fit the cylinders.  The next task will be to finish the drag box and rivet it in place, and this will be followed by the installation of the horn guides.  plenty of work still to be done on the frames before the wheels can be replaced.

The usual appeal for help!

The work so far has depleted the funds to quite a degree and we urgently need to replenish the coffers to allow the work to continue.  There are a few ways to help us.  for an instant donation, please donate on line. It is also possible to set up a standing order to give a regular amount via the Bluebell Railway Trust, who can also take one off donations.  Please add gift aid if you are able when donating via the Trust.  We also have a collection jar on the stands we operate on occasions at Sheffield Park for all your loose change (or notes!).  We are also now able (subject to getting a signal) to take card payments in person at the stands.

 To donate on line, please go to our BT MyDonate page:

 

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

PLEASE NOTE

The BT My Donate page will be removed by BT on the 30th June.  However, we will have another donations page up and running by that time! 

If you would like to make a regular donation, please ask for a Standing Order form by email to the address below.

Please also use this address for enquiries and offers of physical help.

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

This Project is entirely self funded and relies on your donations and sales stand purchases for the work to continue

More Exciting Restoration News!

Frames

Following a weeks hard work, the two stretchers and the footplate support brackets have been riveted into place.  This operation involved Matt and Ben using a week of their annual leave to carry out the reaming and riveting up.  Work will now concentrate on the completion of the rear drag box and reaming the holes before riveting takes place to fix it between the rear frames.  There will be some pictures posted shortly.  Other riveting operations include the location of the horn guides either side of the openings in the frames.
Once the riveting has taken place a small amount of cleaning up will be required before painting of the frames can be carried out.  The usual treatment of bonder primer, undercoat, top coat and varnish will be applied.

Cylinders

The cylinders have now been returned from Statfold Engineering to Sheffield Park, where they are in store awaiting final fettling before being located between the front of the frames.  The machined castings were collected by Matt and Ben late on Friday and unloaded at Sheffield Park on Saturday.  Again pictures will follow shortly.

Sales and Funding

Following a good two days at Branch Line Weekend, we are looking forward to our next fundraising opportunities. The first will be a small table outside Sheffield Park Signal Box on the 27th of April when Clive is signalman for the day.  Following that, we will be at the Haywards Heath Model Exhibition on the 11th of May.   https://haywardsheath2019.wixsite.com/hh2019 We hope to see you there!
We have access to a machine for card payments and donations at Sheffield Park, and hopefully at other venues, depending on connectivity!

The usual appeal for help!

 To donate on line, please go to our BT MyDonate page:

 

https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

PLEASE NOTE

The BT My Donate page will be removed by BT on the 30th June.  However, we will have another donations page up and running by that time! 

If you would like to make a regular donation, please ask for a Standing Order form by email to the address below.

Please also use this address for enquiries and offers of physical help.

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

This Project is entirely self funded and relies on your donations and sales stand purchases for the work to continue