NEWSLETTER No.4 Spring 2006

A meeting for all members and potential members of The 82045 Steam Locomotive Trust has been arranged for Saturday 5th August at 2.0pm in the library room upstairs at Kidderminster railway museum, Kidderminster SVR station. All supporters of the BR standard class 3 tank engine project are invited to come along and make yourselves known and air your views. We would particularly like to hear from anyone who has fund raising skills and would like to get involved. Many railway minded people have verbally endorsed the idea of a new 82XXX loco to us but regrettably many of them have not offered any financial support. All contributions large or small are welcome, for example a basic membership fee of £20 will purchase several copies of the all important engineering drawings vital for the forward progress of the project.

Further drawings of the frames, driving wheels and axles have been purchased since Christmas. Some components related to locking arrangements for the coal bunker doors have been fabricated. The centre driving wheelset was undercoated in black before. Christmas and we are now awaiting settled good weather before applying the gloss.

We have asked if our wheelset accompanied by an information and photographic display can be exhibited at The Engine House (the new SVR museum and educational facility) at Highley. We hope that this will provide us with a more public face and generate more widespread interest in the 82045 scheme.

A railway artist with an interest in our project approached us with a view to making a BR class 3 tank engine painting. We have enthusiastically accepted his kind offer. More on this as the situation develops.

The spring meeting of the BR Standard Loco Owners Group was held at Kidderminster museum. One of the members who already has had various patterns and parts manufactured has now moved on to the Gresham & Craven graduable steam brake valve and boiler feed clacks amongst other things. Prices on these items were not yet available but we are keeping a watching brief on the matter. Perhaps some members or potential members may feel they would wish to sponsor a specific component of the loco?

We have made further attempts to find sponsorship for the more expensive items, such as the boiler, but as previously no luck so far.

We are looking forward to meeting supporters of the 82045 project on 5th August at Kidderminster.

Tony Massau
Chris Proudfoot