The LNWR George the Fifth Steam Locomotive Trust has released the latest update on progress with the project to construct its namesake locomotive.

The Frame Assembly campaign is making progress, with three major items currently being manufactured at a cost of something over £30,000.

Boro Foundry has cast the motion plate and frame stretcher and supplied the necessary materials and test certificates. They are now waiting to be machined, which is expected to be complete by mid-January.

Work has started on the dragbox at TCL Seal of Sheffield, which is also home to new-build Clan and B17 steam locomotives.

They are profile cutting of the plates, which vary in thickness from 25 mm up to 40 mm thick, and a total weight of approximately ¾ ton.

Work has currently progressed to welding the “H” section that takes the load from the drawbar and feeds the loads into the main body of the dragbox and also carries a large Vee bracket for the brake crank.

This section needs to be drilled for the bracket’s fasteners and the drawbar pin before it can be welded into the dragbox.

Once the dragbox has been fully welded, it will be heated to relieve stresses and minimise distortion caused by solidification and cooling of the considerable volume of welded metal.

The final stage will be to machine flat faces on either side to the exact width needed to place bolt holes precisely for attaching it to the frame plates.

The next stage is to dismantle the exhibit that has been on display at Crewe Heritage Centre. However, the Heritage Centre is not suitable for carrying out significant engineering work, and the space currently occupied is needed for a forthcoming ‘Crewe in Wartime ‘exhibition. Possible options are being considered, and a plan forward will be published next month.

After the locomotive has been stripped down, the work required for the permanent frame assembly will be defined and a list of potential contractors drawn up.

One of the prime requirements for the Trust is to have a properly structured organisation that can demonstrate competence to Ricardo, which is the Acceptance Body.

That will include having build systems examined in detail, producing documentation records, and providing evidence of how a random selection of items were designed, manufactured, accepted, and assembled.

The necessary processes are in the process of being developed, and the Trust is confident that it knows what is needed to support its design and manufacturing submissions to Ricardo.