The Class F5 Locomotive Company Ltd has sent RailAdvent an update on what has been going on behind closed doors in their project to build steam locomotive No. 1759.

Whilst the group has been closed to visitors due to the coronavirus pandemic, the team have volunteered over 350 hours with lots of sanding, paint stripping, re-painting and restoring.

Work has progressed well, with the inside of the frames receiving 8 coats of paint.

The group are also restoring the buffers by paint stripping them, and then sending them to a local supplier for the springs to be changed.

Group Chairman, Mike Wood, believes that fitting them to the G5 will only be their third-ever use after being originally fitted to an LNER steam locomotive and then a diesel shunter.

This recycling over older components shows the groups mindfulness to the environmental impact and also towards saving money.

Tim Taylor, G5 Company Secretary, told RailAdvent: “Whilst COVID-19 has hampered our ability to run our monthly open days, the team have taken the opportunity to carry out some rather messy jobs that would be difficult to do if we were welcoming visitors.”

“One area we have concentrated on is improving the paint finish on the frame. It was originally painted to protect the metal, and now it’s the appropriate time for the final coat of paint, some further preparation with sanding and filling is ensuring the surface is ready. So far, this has taken hours of patient machine and hand sanding; it will be rewarding when it’s finished, but it’s has been tedious at times as we’ve spent over 350 hours. The end is in sight, though!”

If you would like to donate towards seeing the G5 in steam, then please visit the G5 Company website and consider donating whilst there. Click here for more information.

If you would like to learn more about the Class G5 Locomotive Company Ltd, then why not have a read of RailAdvent’s Project Information, click here to learn more.

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