L&B Loco build 2014 - 2021
by Gary Tyso, Brian Clark, Chris Greene, Mike Brophy
Mark Dale, Phil Davis
The club decided they required there own large steam loco for the use at big events
This project started in Feb 2014 when we received the parts for it.
Atrocious weather conditions greeted what few brave soles who arrived at Balleny Green today. The rain was lashing down on the already waterlogged ground. Garry arrived with the Lynton and Barnstaple locomotive frames etc. which he had been carrying around for 12 days!
He managed to circumnavigate the copse, but only just, as traction was a great problem. However, he finally got to the traction engine road, and safety.
Dave M and Allan D had already sorted out a method of unloading the frames which we estimate to weigh in excess of 500Kg. Following a snowstorm, the weather improved at around 11-30 so the 'team', now strengthened by the arrival of Mark D and B, and John, started to unload. This was effected by assembling a steel plate on top of one of the sit-in carriages and pushing the carriage onto the unload lift.
Garry, Dave M, Allan D and John, laid grass grids, timber and old doors to form a road for Garry to drive on and back up to the unload point. A sling was attached between the loco frames and the tractor, and the assembly was then slowly towed off the van and onto the waiting carriage. Once on, the assembly was pushed down to the NE corner carriage shed.
Garry Tyso
March April 2016
The current status of the L&B loco is that the weighshaft is finally fixed and dowelled in the correct position in the frame, and the cylinders are nearing being placed in position on the frame. Next actions will be to set the motion brackets to the weighshaft, fix the wheels onto the axles and fit the axle boxes into the horn blocks in the frame to make it a “rolling chassis”.
We will then make a frame onto which the wheeled chassis will sit on the lifter for the remainder of the assembly. The material for this frame has been cut ready for welding.
The steel boiler has been ordered for delivery before the end on the year.
Brian Clarke
After the initial start this project went very slow for the next two years with a small amount of work being done
The Chassis
Many Parts were manufactured in our Workshop
The Boiler
The Water Tanks
The Cab
The Tender
Painting
Finishing Touches
Testing First with Air then Steam
Due to COVID this project was put on hold for over a year, mainly is 2020. In early 2021 this loco was tested several times to sort out small teething problems. The final part as they say the icing on the cake was the brass dome which was fitted in may 2021.
Completed Project L&B REA 2021
6th June 2021 The engine passed its first steam test and is now ready for service.
Ready for our AGM on 4th July 2021
