Article Update: We have had a few comments regarding the update stating news on the Star loco.
We have asked The Night Owl project for confirmation on this, as their update stated plans for a Star, but we know these were cancelled previously
The Night Owl project has issued its latest update on the progress to construct No.4709 as a Great Western Railway 4700 Class 2-8-0 tender locomotive.
The 4700 Class was a class of ten locomotives built by the Great Western Railway to haul heavy trains from the west, southwest and south Midlands into the London area. As well as being ideally suited for their designed tasks, they were also used to haul holiday specials, often in excess of 75 mph.
Two years ago, a pair of new cylinders were cast and machined, and are now waiting for the loco's leading pony truck, suspension and braking system, before they can be installed in the waiting frames.
The took ownership of Castle Class No.7027 Thornbury Castle last year, allowing its standard Swindon No.8 boiler, which is in surprisingly good condition, to be used as a donor. Although the No.8 boiler has slightly different dimensions to the No.7 boiler used on original 47oo Class locomotives, visually it would be very difficult to tell them apart.
Provided that the initial inspection of Thornbury Castle's boiler was accurate, a major overhaul would have it ready for service for a fraction of the cost of a new boiler and several years earlier. The time and cost savings have been conservatively estimated at £500,000 and at least five years.
As well as its boiler, Thornbury Castle came with its chassis and a shipping container full of components including number and nameplates, new safety valve assembly, rods, and a collection of other essential items, all of which would cost a small fortune to make or purchase.
Future work will focus on three main areas – the motion, boiler, and tender. The tender will be relatively straightforward as a fully-wheeled chassis has been identified and is in store, although the fabrication of a tank may pose a few challenges. The plan is for this part of the project to start in the 2024/5 timeframe.
The project has a major part of the necessary inside motion, with much of it coming from donor locomotives, and are now fundraising to obtain the remainder.
Funds to purchase Thornbury Castle have almost been achieved, which will both preserve and secure these critically important components and earlier this month it was moved next to 4709 at Tyseley.
Because of Swindon's reputation for standardisation, many of 7027's components can be used on 4709, much of the locomotive will not be required. Last year, plans were revealed about a possible Star locomotive to be made from Thornbury Castle's chassis, though these were cancelled. (Update: we are awaiting confirmation from the 4709 Group regarding these plans as their latest update once again mentioned Star loco plans)
Although progress on 4709 so far has been slow but steady, as the final few items are delivered later this year it is hoped that the preparation, machining, and assembly of the front end will progress more rapidly. Once the front end is complete, 4709's chassis should have been wheeled and, provided that sufficient funds are available, the boiler overhaul will be complete and installed in the frames late next year.
This superb class of GWR loco is of course well worth preserving – the use of 7027’s boiler is OK as we already have Castles saved and operational. I witnessed some of the 7F’s express passenger running at Westbury during the mid ’50s as well as freight and parcels trains, and what an amazing job was done with such a versatile locomotive. Well done and I look forward to seeing her running.
The people who commented that it would be see as vandalism to fan out components to construct a class that has not been preserved should stop moaning for the last year 7027 has been put up for sale to anyone or a group to buy and restore, as a result no came foreward with a reasonable offer or plan.
They had they’re chance and basically done naff all and they would in a sense be the vandals in letting it rot away in a siding, at least donating parts to a new build that is already in progress keep part of it alive.
All of you that wants Thornbury Castle tobe restored should just stop saying it’s not right to let this fine locomotive be dismantled to make another class that has not made it into preservation and put up the money to buy to purchase 7027.
Don’t forget it was put up for sale with the view to give a group or someone to purchase & restore it, but no-one did so get over it as a comment was made by someone that it would be vandalism to fan out parts to create another class would they rather let it just rot away to a pile of rust that would just be the same thing.
“They had they’re chance and basically done naff all and they would in a sense be the vandals in letting it rot away in a siding”
Not really a true statement, now is it Mr Pearce. As a Facebook page had plenty of photos of it progressing with a restoration and even Wikipedia confirms that stance;
“An April 2020 report stated that restoration had started; the project was headed up by the chief mechanical engineer of Great Central Railway, Craig Stinchcombe.[4] Reports and photographs posted in 2022 indicated that restoration was well underway.”.
There has been a lot of emotion about both projects over the last year, 7027 was progressing and this is why I suspect a lot of people feel that they have a right to argue their corner. It is just unfortunate that emotions have gotten away with a few people during this time.
Our government wastes much more money on ridiculous policies and approaches. I trust this project will keep some skilled people gainfully employed in manufacturing. Manufacturing is only 13% of our GDP which is way too low.
No one donate can we scrap the night owl project and can we have thornbury restored please this is vandalism not preservation
Given the dire financial straits much of the country is in, is this locomotive now simply too big and expensive to run as times have changed drastically since the project began?