The Holden F5 Locomotive Trust is making preparations to erect the frames and create the ‘rolling chassis’ of its Great Eastern Railway 2-4-2T No. 789, with the completed cylinder castings delivered to Tyseley Locomotive Works, and design work well in hand on the rest of the ‘bottom half’.
The CAD (Computer Aided Design) patterns for the driving wheels have now been finished and will be sent out for quotations in the coming weeks, along with those for the axles and axleboxes. The modified axlebox horn guides and their infill plates have also been designed.
The last remaining large part to be produced for the frames will be the motion bracket – but because the drawings for the Stephenson valve gear have not survived, a new design will have to be produced from scratch and modelled to ensure that it fits together.
Project Manager Elliott Powick of Stafford Road Design Ltd said: “Once this is finalised Tyseley can put together a plan and costing for the frame erection, so the kit of parts that the group already have can be turned into something more than a large Meccano set.”
The frame plates were cut in 2012 and the cylinders cast in 2014, while the Trust has also produced the ‘star stay’ (a star-shaped frame stretcher beneath the cab), the smokebox and door, chimney, bunker and bufferbeams.
For more details or to make a donation (payable to Holden F5 Steam Locomotive Trust) write to 49 Beech Avenue, Halstead, Essex CO9 2TT
The group’s sales stand will be in attendance at The North Norfolk Railway on 3rd September 2016 and the Festival of British Railway Modelling, held at Doncaster Exhibition Centre on February 11/12 2017. For additional information please click on “Meet the team”