The Churchward County Trust has announced that the machining of the main frames for 3840 County of Montgomery has been completed.

The frames have been completed by Goodman Metals in Netherfield, Nottingham. The company is no stranger to steam locomotives, having recently manufactured the smokebox saddle and smokebox for GWR ‘County’ 4-6-0 No. 1014 County of Glamorgan.

The work has included the drilling the 200 various holes in each plate, plus the milling of 1/4in from the axlebox cut-outs.

Goodman Metals is no stranger to working on steam locomotives, having recently manufactured the

Whilst that work was going on, TATA Steel at Wednesfield has completed the cutting of the various frame plates that make up the frame cross members/stretchers, front buffer beam, rear wear plate and bogie racking plate.

These parts are expected to be delivered to Tyseley Locomotive Works in the coming weeks. These will be joined by the mainframes after delivery from Goodman Metals.

Tyseley Locomotive Works will provide the numerous angles required to fit the jigsaw of platework together. This means that it will have all of the components to erect the mainframes once they have been delivered.

Funding for the work has been provided by the CCT’s ‘100 Hundreds Appeal’, which remains open as to help finance the actual assembly work as TLW prepares to create what will become the 41st ‘County’ 4-4-0.

What did the officials say?

CCT chairman Gary Boyd-Hope said:

“This is really great progress and puts the prospect of having No. 3840’s frames assembled tantalisingly close. The last of the original ‘Counties’ was withdrawn from Tyseley in November 1933, so it’s entirely fitting that the 41st member of the class is ‘born’ at the same depot through Tyseley Loco Works.

“We’ve got the frame components, but it’s imperative that we keep the funds coming in to allow Tyseley to turn them into a ‘County’. We are therefore keeping the ‘100 Hundreds Appeal’ open to help pay for this work.”

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