Cornish Steam Locomotive
Preservation Society
J94 Bagnall 0-6-0ST
Austerity No 2766
News on 2766 – Feb 2005
2766 was
purchased in 1996 by a group of BRPS and CSLPS members for use on the B & W.
It was in store until 2002 due to the pressing need to keep the existing
locomotives running.
The intention is to turn it out in BR black as a J94 class as this fits in with
the liveries used on the B & W rather better than an NCB colour scheme.
In 2002 the saddle tank, cab and boiler were removed from the frames. Since then
there has been steady progress on all fronts although not necessarily in the
order listed;
Front bufferbeam replaced, siderod bushes rough turned, crankpin collars made
and fitted,
cylinder block blast pipe seat surfaced and studded, frames in way of cylinder
block built up,
running plates replaced and faired, cab floor plates and side sheets patched and
reset, bunker patched and reset, cab doors made and fitted, ashpan assembled
and welded, big end brasses castings obtained, frames and wheels prepared and
painted, boiler foundation ring removed, copper welding repairs made to inner
firebox, outer firebox built up with weld metal near blowdown valve and mud
doors, twenty slings stays removed and replacements made, eight crown stays
replaced, additional saddle tank handrails made, patch repairs made to saddle
tank, lamp brackets and other detail fittings made and fitted, foundation ring
re-studded, gravity sand boxes adapted for steam sanding, copper pipes and
fittings obtained/made, commenced removal of boiler backhead (this involves
drilling out approx. sixty stays, removing the longitudinal stays and stripping
out internal steam and feed pipes from the boiler).
All the foregoing has provided many happy hours of activity for those involved with great satisfaction achieved. After all, that’s why we are doing it!
As the railway has obtained additional locomotives since the J94 project was launched there is not the urgency to complete now the B & W is not reliant on hired motive power. We have an agreement that the railway will take over the operation and maintenance of 2766 when in working order and continue to receive excellent support. As always, volunteer time is stretched in many directions and supporting the operation of the B & W has to be the priority.
We have hit one major snag in that the entire firebox backhead will have to be replaced rather than patching the existing one as had been planned. This is due to the grooving at the flanged connections being more extensive than indicated by the earlier investigations. The backhead has been removed and sent off to Gordon Newton’s works at Bradford to act as a pattern for a new one. In the meantime we have plenty of other little tasks to attend to.
Left - The copper weld repairs to joint between the inner tubeplate and side sheet