The 4709 Group says that the chassis for No. 4709 has been relocated to the workshop at Tyseley.

The priority will be to assemble the chassis into a rolling chassis.

The assembly work for the pony truck is now nearing completion and will be finished when the wheelset is fitted.

The cylinder block and extension frames are now approaching becoming a single unit.

4709’s compensating beam is approaching completion for machining, and the new equalising beam brackets have been cast and are awaiting machining.

The next job is to fit the buffer beam, which will allow for a new centre stay to be machined, which can then be fitted to the front end assembly.

The eccentric sheaves now need to be refurbished and refitted to the main driving wheel set. Donor loco, 4115, only provided three driving wheelsets, so a new trailing driving wheelset will require a balance weight, which has been cast but needs lead filling before being used.

With the chassis moving into the workshop, work will proceed quickly. However, to complete the rolling chassis, £30,000 needs to be raised, and donations can be made via the 4709 website.