Work on the new build Standard 3MT Tank has been coming along nicely of late.
The Locomotive Trust added the boiler to the frames on the 3rd of June to test clearances and make minor adjustments before removing it to allow work to continue.
Once back on the ground, the joints between boiler barrel firebox have been drilled and reamed and are presently being held together by a series of bolts while awaiting the fitting of the rivets.
Some parts of the cladding sheets for the firebox are also being made, these will be checked for a premilitary trial fit around the firebox in the coming months.
At the front end, the tubeplate is being made ready so it can be installed and riveted into the front end of the boiler barrel.
The valve spindle crossheads were machined at the workshop on the Severn Valley Railway, while the coupling rods have completed the first stage of their machining at The Boro' foundry. The second part of this process is due to start shortly.
The cladding sheets that were around the cylinders have been taken off so that pipe work from the lubricator and other stem connections can be installed, while the cladding cover sheets have been freshly painted on the inside.
The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust is based on the Severn Valley Railway, where they are building a new build Standard 3MT 2-6-2 Tank locomotive.
British Railways built 45 of these locomotives at Swindon works from 1952 to 1955. The locomotives were shedded across the UK from Darlington to Exeter, though most of the class saw regular work in the West Country, the West Midlands and Central Wales.
No.82045 should have been built in 1956, but the Modernisation plan intervened and which led to the cancelation of the building of the locomotive and seventeen other locomotives of the same class.
Surprisingly, given their ability and range of work, none of the Standard 3 Tanks made it into preservation, with the whole class becoming extinct by late 1968.
The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust are rectifying that, by building this New Build locomotive to represent a class of locomotive that were extremely useful on branch lines and local passenger services and to fill in the gap of having at least one Riddles standard class locomotive from each power classification in preservation.
You can find out more, along with details on how you can help over on their website at http://www.82045.org.uk/
