The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust have released a May 2018 update on the building of new steam locomotive No.82045 and other news.

Engineering

On the engineering side of things, the cab roof has been replaced and has the damper controls, drivers pedestal and temporary cab floor. These items had to be removed to gain access to the lifting points on the mainframes for the lift which took place on the 17th April 2018.

Preparations by the trust are now in progress for fitting the springs and they have enquiries in progress for the manufacture of the brake rigging.

Also, the trust is looking at getting the firebox foundation ring, longitudinal stays, transverse stays and palm stays manufactured in order to have these items ready for when the boiler and firebox construction starts.

The cladding covers the cylinder and steam chest end covers are in the middle of being manufactured.

Fundraising

The group look to have their work cut out for the next couple of years, The rate of the project has been accelerated and now approximately £200,000 needs to be raised above whatever income streams bring in.

Some ideas have been put forward which the group will be discussing at the meeting on the 8th June.

Meanwhile, the trust are now looking to make the loco a 2-6-2 locomotive as soon as possible. Peter Line has suggested the following components which are needed for the pony trucks, the wheel assemblies are ready:

• Side check spring beams. 2 are needed at a cost of £900 each.
• Side movement retarding gear. 4 sets are needed at a cost of £1,500 per set.
• Check spring brackets. 4 are needed at a cost of £250 each.

82045 on the mainline?

This question has been circulating around for the last few years. Whilst it is difficult to make an economic case for equipping a Class 3 tank with 1500 gallons of water and 4 tonnes of coal with the necessary equipment for the mainline, the group have always kept a ‘never say never’ argument.

Seeing 82045 on the main rail route is not going to happen, but the group are envisaging the idea of occasional short runs. One idea is Birmingham Moor Street to Kidderminster and Bridgenorth. How about 82045 banking a Bulleid Pacific out of Waterloo? What about working the ‘Kenny Belle’, which was the last steam worked local passenger train on Southern Rail, a regular turn for a Nine Elm’s 82XXX

Mainline certification is certainly costly but would open up a lot of possibilities for the trust without interfering with the fact that 82045 has been intended for use on heritage lines.

A Class 3 tank regularly hauled seven coaches over the Cambrian Line (Machynlleth – Pwllheli via Barmouth, Harlech and Porthmadog) and handled them with competence, so mainline runs are not out of the question.

The problem currently facing the Trust is that if they are going to proceed in this direction, the decision needs to be taken now as mainline certification is a boiler off the frames job.

The trust wants to know what the general feeling is before being laid to rest. They feel as though the people that have put money into 82045 should be able to say yes or no.

If you would like to give in your answers, please send in your answers to Chris by the 31st July by clicking here.

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