On Wedsnesday 27th May 2009, our steam loco gained a new 10 year boiler ticket. The loco had been steamed a couple of times in advance of the final Inspection (the boiler had been steamed out of the frames for the Inspector before) to check everything was sound. After some minor fettling the loco was pronounced sound and passed fit.

The loco has also had a full-repaint and only a few jobs remain including completing the polishing up of some of the shiny parts! After the Inspector had left the loco was given a good ‘load test’ hauling a two SAR wagons loaded with heavy, rusty diesels up the very steep gradient on the Statfiold Barn Railway where the loco is based. Brief experience has shown that a reasonably thick fire is needed, particularly at the front as the blast is quite hard and the fire can lift. With a good fire and the injector running, the bottom of the bank was approached a low speed (there is no opportunity to charge the bank as there is a very steep curve at the foot!) with the loco blowing off. With about 20% regulator she charged up the bank and had to be eased off before the top as the train was accellerating rapidly. By the time we came to a stand in the passing loop the loco blew off again!

I think it would be fair to say that she is a bit of a beast - the loco was built originally for a steelworks in Antwerp and has a theroretical TE of over 8,000lbs! A little bit of historical update - the loco was bought carrying the original works plates of No 3355 of 1929. During the overhaul many components were identified on the  chassis with the number 3243. This was a sister loco which was supplied to te same owner in 1926. We have to conclude therefore that the loco is a hybrid of the two as the boiler has a plate with 3355 on it. We do not know when this ‘merger’ took place. The side tanks are also clearly not original but the cab is! She will run as 3243….probably!

For those of you lucky people who will at the SBR Open Day on 6th June, we intend to be the star of the show, blackening the skies and deafening the wildlife (with apologies to my environmentalist friends!)

Photos will be posted on the gallery.

This entry was posted on Monday, June 1st, 2009 at 8:56 am and is filed under La Meuse 3243. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.