35027 Port Line

It was not always the spectacular runs which caught the imagination. In early 1966 I was working, of all places, in Bournemouth! After work and having carried out the usual social niceties with my colleagues, I hurried to Bournemouth Central and took a run to New Milton behind a 5. There I waited for the 19.30d, a train that, living in London, I never managed to get on that stretch. It was a very calm evening and I could hear the train coming for some minutes. First a distant rumble and then the single 'clicks' of the front bogie on jointed rail; a sound that is no more. 35027 slowed to a stop and the ample figure of Driver Green of Bournemouth leaned out, the firehole door open behind casting a bright glow from the cab. We set off with Port Line's exhaust echoing back from the buildings around the station. Dr Green was no speed merchant (excuse the pun) but did use full regulator. Into Christchurch in the darkness and then that surefooted climb up to Pokesdown. Engines always sounded much betteri in the dark! On into Bournemouth at around 11.00 pm. Port Line stood in the gloom, hissing gently and looking quite superb. Atmosphere was exuding everywhere. In a very small way it was ...............magic!

Do you have a picture that you can post?

Sorry no photo as it was dark and my then camera had enough problems taking pics in full light. I have a tape recording though!

Is there a tutorial for posting photos?

Please see the thread here.... https://nineelms.forumotion.com/forum-information-f30/posting-pictures-in-threads-t107.htm
Be great to hear the tape recording? Was it on an incline?

Yes quite a good recording up Pokesdown bank but I have not yet found a way to reduce the size of audio files in the same way as video files can be reduced. Currently they are relatively enormous which precludes posting. I will research this further unless anyone has any suggestions.

Try converting your sound file into an "AVI" file...If anyone is unsure how to do this, I can try and attempt this for you..

Thanks

Andy

Work is due to start in earnest on 35027 in the very near future and will either be carried out at Southall or Crewe once 70000 is completed. (35022's boiler is already at Crewe and it is possible that the rest of the loco may follow).

Latest information is that 35027 has been sent to Ian Rileys workshop along with 35022.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Lancashire_Railway

SR 4-6-2 Merchant Navy Class no. 35027 Port Line. (Arrived 5th January 2011 for overhaul to mainline standard at Ian Riley's works.)


This piece of information is interesting;

SR 4-6-2 Merchant Navy Class no. 35009 Shaw Savill. (Under restoration at Ian Riley's works, to be restored alongside 35027)

Does this mean that we could see 2 or possibly even 3 Merchants running on the mainline soon? This is going by the fact that 35022 has been sent to Riley's workshop also.

35022 has been sent to Riley's for assessement with a view to restoration if viable (it should be as Braunton was in a far worse state). Initialy 35022 could well provide a few more parts for 35027. 22's boiler is currently under overhaul at Crewe for use on 35027 as hers requires very extensive repairs especially to the firebox. I have a sneaking feeling we will see 35022 again especially as the owner has bought a full set of plates for the loco!

Also i hear there is a plan for a 4th Merchant to be sent to Riley's workshop also? Does anyone know which pne this is? Possibly 35018? (currently residing at Portland) Now wouldn't that be great to see these 4 Merchants and 35028 + 34067 and 34046 all running on the network at the same time..

35005CP wrote:Also i hear there is a plan for a 4th Merchant to be sent to Riley's workshop also? Does anyone know which pne this is? Possibly 35018? (currently residing at Portland) Now wouldn't that be great to see these 4 Merchants and 35028 + 34067 and 34046 all running on the network at the same time..

Could be interesting to see what happens if 35018 does end up at Rileys as it is in a lot better condition than 35022 and of course is almost complete (parts wise i.e. the owner has the majority of the parts either as forgings, castings, blanks or original items for refurbishment).

Interestingly the last of the parts from 35018 still at the MHR were recently moved off site as they were required for an audit.

Just to update things, the 4th loco is 35018. (Have put a bit of info on 18's thread).

Does anyone know if they have started stripping 35027 for overhaul yet? Also is there a time span for completion? (As we know how quick Riley turns his locos around)

The loco (bottom half) is currently being worked on at Rileys although work on the boiler would appear to have stopped with it now stored on a wagon behind Tesco's at LNWR Heritage Crewe. The tender is due to be transfered (if it hasn't already) to Southall from the West Somerset.

Sounds as though they are trying to fit an awful lot into such a short space? Why is the tender going straight from the WSR to Southall? Are they possibly expecting a quick turn-around?

35005CP wrote:Sounds as though they are trying to fit an awful lot into such a short space? Why is the tender going straight from the WSR to Southall? Are they possibly expecting a quick turn-around?

As far as I am aware the tender will be overhauled at Southall although there is still a chance that it will be done at the West Somerset. The rebuild is expected to be quite extensive starting with 3 new axles and significant repairs to the coal and water space. I believe there was also some talk of increasing the coal and water capacity along the lines of 35028's tender mods.

Adding to the mix, 35027's tender will or has been swapped with 35005's to give the former more capacity when running on the mainline. I sincerely hope that the cracked axles on 27's were / are sorted out prior to the swap!!

Does anyone have any news as to 35027's Overhaul please?