The Holden F5 Steam Locomotive Trust is pleased to announce that the frame plates have been produced by Tata Steel of Cradley, West Midlands. The steel plates have been specially rolled to 1 inch thick as specified on the original drawings and laser cut to the required profile. In addition to the frame plates the mid-frame stretcher and the rail guards (the brackets on each corner of the frames to “catch” the locomotive in the event of a derailment) have been cut from the same material. This, as we are sure you will agree, is a major step in this project as it coincides with the 150th anniversary of the formation of the Great Eastern Railway Co.
“The distinctive curved bonnet that sits beneath the smokebox has been manufactured by Hunwick Engineering Ltd, Halstead. This is hinged to the front centre footplate (also visible) and allows access to the front of the cylinder block and valve chest. Also shown is a genuine eastern region locomotive lamp which was purchased at the 2011 Festival of Model Railways & Hobbies.”
The Holden F5 Steam Locomotive Trust is pleased to announce that the order for the frame plates has been placed with Tata Steel of Cradley, West Midlands. The steel plates will be specially rolled to 1 inch thick as specified on the original drawings and laser cut to the required profile. In addition to the frame plates we have also ordered the mid-frame stretcher and the rail guards (the brackets on each corner of the frames to “catch” the locomotive in the event of a derailment) cut from the same material. This, as we are sure you will agree, is a major step in this project and will be a fantastic start to the year 2012, the 150th anniversary of the formation of the Great Eastern Railway Co.
The pattern for the driving axle spring hangar brackets has now been completed by South Lincs Patterns based at Spalding Common. The four brackets will be cast from this pattern in two to three weeks.
The pattern was manufactured using a copy of the original Great Eastern Railway Co drawing, nr 7939a-E, dated 22nd June 1909. Note how G.E.R has been altered to L.N.E.R and the additional note for part marking.
The original drawing is part of the Dupen Collection of the Great Eastern Railway Society comprising of some 9500 official GER drawings of locomotive, carriage, wagon and road vehicle details, from the mid-1800s to 1963. These drawings form the residue from the Stratford Works Drawing Office, after selection had been made for the National Collection, now at the NRM. They were rescued immediately prior to their incineration by the late Peter Dupen.
Drawings have been prepared for the main frame plates profiling and we are ready to order the plates from Tata (ex-Corus, ex British Steel) in Cradley Heath. The aim is to then have the holes drilled at Boro Foundry just down the road in Stourbridge. This will save us transporting the plates all the way to Essex and then back again at a later date.
It also makes sense for the mid-frame stretcher to be cut at the same time as this is also 1 inch thick. Other items to follow will be the front buffer beam stiffener, buffer beam mounting brackets, buffer beam gussets and the main diagonal frame brace that sits under the cab. This is the minimum number of components required to assemble the frames, hopefully by the end of the year. In addition to the ongoing work with regards to the frames, smaller components are also being sourced. The hangar brackets for the driving wheel spring are to be cast shortly and investigations are underway to join a group to source material for major forgings in bulk and thereby reducing costs. Useful drawings from the Great Eastern Railway Society ‘Dupen collection’ continue to be photographed at the Essex Records Office. In addition, copies of the casting and final component drawings for the driving and coupled wheel hornblocks have been ordered ready for requests for quotation. Work is ongoing to convert the drawings to CAD to ensure compatibility between all parts. All CAD models have been generated with wireframe (lines representing the materials edges and form) so far but a start has been made with what is known as solid modelling where, as the name implies, the component has recognizable volume and form.
The bunker of F5 67218 has received a liberal coating of redoxide paint prior to repositioning as part of the Holden F5 exhibition at Mangapps railway museum.
The embryonic F5 67218 has been relocated from Ovington to Mangapps railway museum, Essex. Our new home has the benefit of being an operational museum facilitating public access to our project plus the added benefit of in-house engineering expertise.
John Jolly, owner of Mangapps railway museum has granted use of what is believed to be a WW1 aircraft hangar to the trust. Our immediate plan is to develop the interior of the building into a an exhibition that will feature progress made with the project and in addition a comprehensive display portraying the history of this once extinct class of locomotive that featured so prominently throughout east London and the eastern counties of England.
The Holden F5 Steam Locomotive Trust is a non profit making charitable Trust and we welcome donations to bring forward the completion date of F5 67218. Membership, Gift Aid and Standing Order forms are available to download from this site.
F5 67218 front bufferbeam off-loaded at Mangapps Railway Museum
The bunker fabrication has been completed by Hunwick of Halstead and is ready for collection. Upon arrival at our workshop the bunker will be prepared for display in British Railways lined black.
