Engineering notes

By Tony Massau

A schedule is now in place for getting the pony trucks into the erecting shop on one of our working days and then fitting them under 82045 on another of our working days.

Lubrication pipework around the chassis continues and some planning towards assembly of the reversing shaft is in progress.

The sides of the outer firebox are now in place and drilling of rivet holes around the flange areas is in progress.

82XXX in BR Days

By Chris Proudfoot

Last month's shot of 82001 at an undisclosed station brought two spot-on replies, from Phil Bullock and Bob Woodland, who correctly identified the location as Polsloe Bridge Halt on the Exmouth branch. I wouldn't have had a clue, but both picked up on what looks like a UFO in the distance (far right), which was apparently the water tank for 72A Exmouth Junction.

Well done, gents, and thank you to my Stanier Mogul Fund colleague Ian Marshall for sending me his Dad's 1963 cameo. Ian now lives in Sussex, but is an expat Devonian and tells me that Polsloe is pronounced 'pose-low'. Again, I wouldn't have had a clue!

This month's images of these widely-distributed tanks come from my friends Neil Evans and Ivan Whitehouse.

Neil has sent me this stirring image of 82034, express passenger lamps up, piloting 7819 Hinton Manor over Talerddig on Saturday 31st August 1963. The sound effects would have been something to remember as the pair work hard on a gradient of 1 in 71, and it would be lovely to think that this scene could one day be re-created on the notorious bank. Sadly, it doesn't seem likely at present - never say never, though - but we should be able to do a fair imitation of it on the SVR given the ingredients of 82045, 7802, 7812 and Eardington Bank.

Even Hinton is still around, although it is unlikely to run again in the near future; a pity, as it is a splendid engine, greatly loved by the late Ray Tranter and known as 'Ray's Babby'. It was one of the first engines I fired as a rookie Passed Cleaner, and after a dispiriting run on The Great Marquess (I couldn't get the coal through the letterbox-like firing flap) and a not much better one on Gordon (though I did come to love this old brute once I'd got the hang of it), the 'Manor' was sheer pleasure!

Ivan has sent me the next nice little hat-trick of scenes on the Severn Valley line in the old days.

All are poignant reminders of a lost age that so many of us still remember with love. I don't think we will ever see trains at Ironbridge again, but the other two scenes will be repeated before too long, God willing.

The shots of 82004 and 82008 were taken by M. Mensing; for 82001 (?) at Bewdley and 82034 on Talerddig Bank, I don't have any information regarding their provenance. If anyone knows better, please let me know so that the photographers can be properly credited.