The 4253 Locomotive Company Ltd have posted their latest update on the overhaul of their Great Western Railway 4200 Class No.4253.
With the boiler, currently being overhauled at Heritage Boiler Steam Services Ltd, due to return back in the not too distant future, the team has started to prepare the rolling chassis to take the boiler.
Beginning with removing bolts that hold the smokebox and side water tanks in place, along with cab fittings for safekeeping.
With the damper doors for the ashpan reattached, work can commence on manufacturing operating rods, cranks and plate the rods pass through. Work will start on machining the new coupling screw rods with the blank metal block recently delivered.
The handrails and sockets have been taken out of storage, cleaned and offered up to the tanks to drill new holes to fix them. Attention has also turned to the new crankpin nuts, which are currently being made.
For more information or to support the 4253 Locomotive Company Ltd in overhauling 4253, please visit their website here or Facebook page here.
Well done so far – terrific to see one of these excellent GWR 2-8-0 Tanks coming back – used to spot these at Westbury Wilts from the road bridge by the Westbury North Box coming south from Wales usually on coal trains! I have photos of at least one locos and the North Box! Keep up the good work.