After a busy day at Statfold on Saturday on ‘Max’, I was back again on Sunday for a private visitor to have a play with the loco on Monday.

She was still warm from Friday on the Sunday and despite lighting up at a reletively late 10:00, adequate presure was reached by about 12:00 without much trouble. On a day such this when the loco is not expected to do much work – a couple of trips around the line and some running up and down light engine, keeping the engine quiet was always going to be a challenge. Past experience has shown that the boiler is such a good steam raiser that if you get a good thick fire in and let the  water get high, she will just blow off continually! I opted for running with low water and not letting the pressure get above 140psi. plenty of space in the boiler allowed judicious use of the injectors to keep the presure from rising too fast.

The train consisted of the ‘Grean Dragon’ coach and the two SAR flats (one still with mines loco on board). A gentle run down was followed by a blast up the bank which was tackled with only about 120psi and pressure dropped to about 100psi by the time we arrived at Statfold Central. My guests were not English and the language barrier hit hard when I gave the instruction to my guest to open her up for the last charge into the station and instead he shut the regulator! Result: we ground to a halt and had to set back for another run!

Later we had another go and made a better fist of it. I do like the way in which the loco will still put some grunt down even with ‘low’ pressure.

Just a quick report to say that the loco has passed its first annual Boiler examination (cold) with no reported problems. We will be steaming her on the day before the Statfold Open Day for the Inspector but not on the Day itself as there are just too many locos. I have bee very kindly given a turn on one of the ‘resident’ locos instead for which I must express my gratitude to Graham and Henry!

The loco will continue to stay at Statfold for the time being but we hope to go and visit some interesting places in the near future!

Chris P

La Meuse ‘Type 6’ 0-4-0T   

Works No 3355 of 1929

2’6” (762mm) gauge

In full working order with new 10 year boiler Certificate (to June 2019)

This locomotive has undergone a thorough overhaul and is currently located on a private site in Central England, where it may be inspected in steam and test driven.

History:

Then loco was delivered new to SA Hoboken in Antwerp, Belgium where it worked on the company’s internal rail system moving steel and other metallurgical products and waste around the site.

At some stage in the locomotive’s life it was heavily rebuilt using parts from its sister loco No 3243 of 1926. This included the frames and significant parts of the motion. The boiler carries a plate identifying it as from No 3355. The original works plates from 3355 survive (see photo, left). A replica set of plates for no 3243 have been made allowing the loco to run with either identity (or both!)

The locomotive was bought by a dealer in Belgium and was briefly stored at the Maldagem Museum. In the late 1980s the loco was bought and moved to a private site in England. After an overhaul she briefly ran in 1993 at the Welshpol and Llanfair light Railway (photo, right)

Subsequently the loco was sold again for use at a proposed new narrow gauge railway in Pembrokeshire, unfortunately this project did not develop as planned.

Between 2004 and 2006 the loco was dismantled and the boiler was overhauled at Bennett’s Boilers (Highbridge) and WSRA (Williton) and in May 2006 the loco, in component form was moved to the works of the Hunslet Engine Co. at Tamworth. In May 2009 the loco was tested and successfully passed the final Boiler Inspection and was granted a new 10 year Boiler certificate in accordance with the EU Pressure Equipment Directive.  

 Due to circumstances mentioned earlier the loco does not have a public home railway to operate at on a regular basis. In running to date she has been shown to be an exceptionally strong and free-steaming locomotive which is not a surprising with a good boiler design (short with a wide barrel and Belpaire firebox) and large cylinders.  The driver’s controls are well laid out lending themselves to easy one man-operation if required. A steam brake is fitted and the loco is through piped for twin-line air with a driver’s control valve. In addition provision has been made for the fitting of an air pump (pump available if required).

 For more information including Prices, please email: chris.phillimore@tir-ltd,co.uk.  a short video of the loco in action is available here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5lXF0y78Co and photos ar on the gallery pages

The loco was successfully run on Friday 5th June without any problems, hauling a variety of trains around the entire line and proving that the air brake system was functioning. The crew for Friday consisted of Dave Dilnot(Trustee GVT trust) and myself and we were later joined for the last trip by Keith Vingoe (MD L&B Rly)

Saturday dawned very wet and along with the 7 other locos, she was steamed and was the first to come off shed. We were sent down the line to water at Oak Tree Loop while shunting went on and when we returned we were put straight onto the Mixed passenger. After the usual Crew briefing at 09:30 we were dispatched as first train. Our crew for the first trip consisted of Keith Vingoe, Pete ward (W&S Driver and formerlyof Hammersly Iron in Australia where he drove Pendennis Castle on a number of trips and was instrumental in getting her repatriated!) and myself. we ran easily on the outbound trip to the loop, however when we came to leave after the second train had passed, Ifound that the reverser was very stiff. once going there appeared to be no problems and we stormed the bank with ease! Once again leaving Oak Tree halt we experienced the same problem and after arriving at Statfold Central we decided to retire to shed for an investigation. After much shunting up and down, we came to the conclusion that the regulator valve was not closing properly. The fire was thrown out and steam allowed to escape which took over an hour. Dismantling of the (very hot) regulator housing showed that the valve had warped and was not repairable on the day. Further investigation has shown that the valve as fitted, may have an inherent tendency to drop into the port thereby causing the distortion. A new modified valve will be made and the loco will be available again within a few days.

We were nevertheless very disappointed to have let everyone down and hope that we will be able to show the loco’s true abilities later in the year. The next public event will be an appearance at Chirk on 27th June – watch this space for more info!

I would particularly like to thank Graham Lee and all the guys at Statfold Works and especially Phil Bates. My thanks also go to David Dilnot, Keith Vingoe, Pete Ward and David Herbert for their help as ‘support crew’

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.