Giants of Steam Weekend

Just a short report from the Giants of Steam Weekend

We had a sales and information stand on Platform 1 on the Saturday of Giants weekend, we took the decision not to have a stand on the Sunday after taking advice from Tomasz Schafernaker on the BBC, he was correct, there was drizzle and wind for most of the day.


We had a good day with plenty of interest from our visitors resulting in a happy treasurer!



The stand is behind the interested visitors!

Whilst there was no formal presence at the restoration area, there proved to be plenty of interest in what was going on and we had many comments of feed back.


Whilst to the casual observer not much seems to be happening there is plenty of changes going on in the villa and on the frames.

The horn apertures have now been ground so that both sides match,
the area of grinding has been given a protective coat of bonder primer to protect the surfaces

A close up of one of the horn apertures

Inside the villa, the hornguides are being worked on. this involves a thorough cleaning and painting of the castings and forgings as can be seen in the pictures.

One of the assemblies waiting to be cleaned and painted

After cleaning and painting, in the company of brake hanger brackets, buffer beam plates and other items

As you can see, there is actually plenty of work going on to make sure that it will be possible to start to erect the frames towards the end of the year, with a view to having a rolling chassis next year.


This work can only continue with your support and donations, Thank you all for the donations you have made in the past and also for your continued support, and future donations.


We greatly value your support and interest in the restoration of the loco, and without your donations we could not continue the work we are doing. 

 

If you would like to help us with a donation, please go to our BT MyDonate page https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

 

If you would like to contact us please use the following address:

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support and interest, it is much appreciated.

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

Couple of events

Just a quick not to say that we are running a stand at the Worthing Model Railway Club's annual exhibition this weekend. We will have our updated display boards on show, together with a display of models of Bluebell Railway locos on shed (some may have the wrong numbers on!) and other models showing the little locos we are looking after, in 00 and 0 gauge!  Of course we will have the sales stand with us too, with some new lines in the pickles and preserves department!


We will also be attending the Giants of Steam weekend on the 13th and 14th of October where we will be promoting our Gnat of Steam! 


Hopefully we will see you at one or other event for a chat to discuss the progress of the restoration of No.27.


We always enjoy speaking to our visitors, so why not come along and have a chat?

We value your support and interest in the restoration of the loco, and without your donations we could not continue the work we are doing. 

 

If you would like to help us with a donation, please go to our BT MyDonate page https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

 

If you would like to contact us please use the following address:

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support and interest, it is much appreciated.

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

Shareholders Weekend Activities

Restoration News

The team spent Saturday working and talking to some of Bluebell Railway shareholders. Between the visits the team also did some useful and valuable work.  Sean was on hand to clean up a pair of Horn Guides and keeper plates during the day.  This involved bead blasting the castings to remove all traces of paint, rust and other detritus, this was done in the main works at Sheffield Park, with the cooperation of the works manager. following the blasting, they were brought back to the painting bench in the villa and given a coat of Bonder Primer.  This gives the first layer of protection.


One of the Horn Guides before treatment showing signs of rust and paint



one of the keeper plates having been bead blasted back to bare metal



The identification on one of the keeper plates as applied by the Southern Railway



 

 

The cleaned and painted horn guides

Matt also was able to grind the opening in the frames for the trailing horn guide.  This ensures that both of the holes are lined up and in the right place!

The ground and painted opening for the rear horn guides

Sales Stand

We had a great weekend on the sales and donation front this weekend.  We attended the railway on both Saturday and Sunday with the sales stand located on the platform adjacent to our tank.  Thanks to all who came along and donated or bought things from us.  It was a very good to talk to people and let them see what was happening.  We also had a presence on the loco on Saturday and for a while on Sunday to talk to the people on the tours round the yard.

one of our many customers peruses the stall

 

great interest was shown in the updated display boards

 

Arkwright and Granville!

We value your support and interest in the restoration of the loco, and without your donations we could not continue the work we are doing. 

 

If you would like to help us with a donation, please go to our BT MyDonate page https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

 

If you would like to contact us please use the following address:

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support and interest, it is much appreciated.

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




Bluebell Railway Shareholders weekend

No. 27 on the coal dock at Sheffield Park in the early 1970s (P. Heelas)

In addition to the activites put on specifically for the Bluebell Railway shareholders this coming weekend, the yard is open with access to the project area, including Atlantic House, The Class 2 Project and of course PROJECT 27!


We will be on hand to show you what we have been up to on the frames, wheels, cab and many other parts.  We will have a new updated photographic display of the work progressing too!

Come along and speak to the chaps that are doing the work on a week in - week out basis and get an even better understanding of what is involved and see why we have made the decisions we have!


Oh, and why you are with us, why not get yourself one of our new tee shirts?  maybe a replica LBSCR 1st World War service badge?  or maybe just jam or marmalade. 


We always enjoy speaking to our visitors, so why not come along and have a chat?


We value your support and interest in the restoration of the loco, and without your donations we could not continue the work we are doing. 

 

If you would like to help us with a donation, please go to our BT MyDonate page https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

 

If you would like to contact us please use the following address:

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support and interest, it is much appreciated.

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

Spreading the word!

A one day opportunity to raise a few bob!

The Sales stand at St Botolph's Church Near Bramber

The Sales and Information team decided to have a day in the countryside, spreading the word regarding the restoration of the loco.  We were invited to the Friends of St Botolphs Special Fund Raising weekend.  Unfortunately we could not attend on the Sunday as the weather was definitely against us!


However we had a good time on Bank Holiday Monday and made a few bob too!


Our next event is this coming Saturday at the Burgess Hill Model Railway Club exhibition at Burgess Hill Girls School.  It would be good to catch up and for us to let you know the up to date progress with the restoration of the loco.  So if you are thinking of coming pop along to the stand and say hello.


We will have an updated display (hopefully) to show you too!


Thanks as always for your continued interest and support.

A talk to the Mid Hants Railway

A date for your diary!

Clive Emsley will be giving a talk to the Croydon area group of the Mid-Hants Railway on Friday 14th September. This will give a short history of the P Class and a brief timeline of No.27 up to entering Bluebell Railway service.  There will then be a description of the work she carried out before being withdrawn for overhaul in 1974.  We then hope to give a fairly comprehensive description of what has been done since then.  It will be as up to date as possible with details of where we are now and where we are going with the restoration.  I am sure that you would be welcomed at the meeting should you wish to come along.


The Croydon Area Group of the Mid Hants Railway meet on the second Friday of the month at West Croydon Baptist Church, Spurgeons Bridge, Whitehorse Road, West Croydon. CR0 2JH at 19:30.


Their details can be found on the Regional groups page of the Mid Hants Railway website https://preservation.watercressline.co.uk/groups#g347 where you can also find details of other regional groups.

27 and 72 double heading at Three Arch Bridge during Bluebell on Parade in 1974
Fireman is the late Gerry Butler (Photo by the late Norman Blake)

Also, Bluebell Driver Ian Wright is giving a talk to the South West London Group on Tuesday 6th November Entitled "Steam on the Southern 1965 to 1967"

We value your support and interest in the restoration of the loco, and without your donations we could not continue the work we are doing. 

 

If you would like to help us with a donation, please go to our BT MyDonate page https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

 

If you would like to contact us please use the following address:

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support and interest, it is much appreciated.

Network Rail Volunteer days - Final report

The last day (and a half!)

With the rain on Thursday, we were delayed in getting more preserving coats of paint onto the cab.  This was rectified by a crack team on Friday when we managed to finish applying the primer and then added a complete coat of grey undercoat.

Steve and Sherena applying primer to the cab before lunch

late in the afternoon the grey undercoat is applied

At the end of the day the cab was resplendent in grey undercoat

As we failed to get any gloss onto the cab during the 4 volunteering days, mainly owing to the inclement weather on the Thursday, Clive returned to the railway on Saturday to apply the coat of gloss which will help to keep the weather out until the time comes to restore the cab properly.  It does look good from "normal viewing distance" at the moment, but there are areas of perforation on the roof and rust expansion in some of the joints which require rectification.  The work we have carried out (and some more to do) will help the chaps on the ground to be able to assess and work on the cab when the right time arrives.

Clive adding gloss paint to the front cab plate

 

The black gloss applied to the cab roof and green to the cab sheets


A great vote of thanks goes to the volunteers from Network Rail who came to help.  It is much appreciated by the project team.  No need for name, they know who they are!

Forthcoming sales stands

We are attending an open day at St Botolphs Church by the banks of the river Adur  where we will be spreading the word and hopefully selling a few items! on Sunday and Monday of Bank Holiday weekend.  We are also aiming to be at a few gala days and model railway exhibitions, these are:

• September 1st - Burgess Hill Model Railway Club Exhibition - Burgess Hill Girls School
• 8th / 9th September - Bluebell Railway Shareholders Weekend - Restoration viewing tours
• 22nd/23rd September - Worthing Model Railway Club Exhibition - Durrington High School
• 13th/14th October - Giants of Steam - Sheffield Park
• 3rd/4th November - Sussex N Gauge Group Exhibition - Angmering School

We are also giving talks to a couple of groups over the winter. If you would like a talk regarding the restoration, please drop us an email.


 

We value your support and interest in the restoration of the loco, and without your donations we could not continue the work we are doing. 

 

If you would like to help us with a donation, please go to our BT MyDonate page https://mydonate.bt.com/events/27

or use the QR code below.

 

If you would like to contact us please use the following address:

thefenchurchfund@gmail.com

Thank you for your continued support and interest, it is much appreciated.