LMS-Patriot Project
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The LMS-Patriot Project aims to build a full-size replica of an LMS Patriot Class steam locomotive.[1] No Patriot in either rebuilt or unrebuilt forms survived into preservation but a new 'Patriot' is under construction at the Llangollen Railway. The LMS-Patriot Project, a registered charity, is appealing for donations or regular contributions to build the new, 3 cylinder, Fowler designed, parallel boiler, 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive. The new build Patriot will carry the number of the last built – LMS number 5551 or British Railways number 45551. After a public poll, the new Patriot locomotive will be named The Unknown Warrior, whose tomb is located in Westminster Abbey.
Project launch
The project was formally launched at the Llangollen Patriot Gala in April 2008, by the project's first commercial sponsor, John Buxton, Managing Director of Cambrian Transport.[2] The Frames Appeal was also announced at the gala and a Membership scheme was later launched.
Construction
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Although most parts are new, the group will use the leading wheelset from a scrapped LMS 8F locomotive. Two surviving LMS Fowler Tenders from Woodham Brothers Barry scrapyard are also being used for the project. The first parts of the engine to be constructed were the frames, followed by the wheelsets, while the Fowler tender is being restored by Rowlescourt Engineering at Alfreton Derbyshire. The driving wheels were fitted to the frames by Tyseley Locomotive Works during May 2014. The cab was constructed by R D Moore Ltd at Coalville Leicestershire and was fitted to the frames in November 2013.
Frames
On 31 March 2009, two frame plates were cut at Corus Group plc Steel, Cradley Heath in the West Midlands. Measuring 39 ft in length 4 ft high and 1 1/8 in thick (28 mm), the frame plates were then taken to the Boro Foundry, at Lye, West Midlands, for machining and drilling, before being taken to the Llangollen Railway Works where assembly is in progress. The dragbox has been fitted to the frames, the front buffer beam fitted, the bogie bolster has been cast and has been fitted, all five of the five frame stretchers have been cast and are fitted to the frames.
Wheels
In September 2010, the first driving wheel was cast at the Boro Foundry, using the pattern made for LMS Jubilee Class 45699 Galatea. The two classes share the same size 6'9" driving wheels. The six new driving wheels have been cast by The Boro Foundry Stourbridge and machined and assembled by the South Devon Railway,[3] who machined and fitted the plain axles, crank axle, tyres, and crank pins. The six driving axle boxes have been cast by Johnson Porter of Stourbridge, machined at FHT Southam Warwicks and final machined and fitted to the wheels at Tyseley Locomotive Works.
Cylinders
The three cylinders have now been cast and machined and were fitted to the frames during January 2015. This is the first use of polystyrene patterns (made by Premier Patterns of Smethwick), for locomotive cylinders which were cast at Coupe Foundry Preston and machined at Harco Engineering of Brierley Hill. The motion girders, motion brackets, cylinder covers and slidebar have now been fitted and sandboxes fabricated.
Bogie
All the components for the bogie have been manufactured and it is being assembled at Tyseley Locomotive Works with completion scheduled for November 2015. The remaining wheelset was assembled by the South Devon Railway in Buckfastleigh Devon. The locomotive has become a 4-6-0 now that the bogie is completed.
Tender
An ex LMS Fowler tender that remained at Woodham Brothers Barry Scrapyard and was later stored in the ex EWS wagon depot, has been secured for use with 'The Unknown Warrior'. The frames were in very poor condition and were cut up following the acquisition of the second tender (see below). The Project has now purchased a second tender from the East Lancs Railway, Bury. The frame plates are in good enough condition to be used along with four of its axle boxes, two of which have received major remedial work. The wheelsets and springs were removed from the Barry tender and have been refurbished. A new tank will be built as the original was badly corroded, having suffered the ravages of the sea air at Barry for a number of years. The new tank will also be redesigned to give greater water capacity to help with mainline running. Most of the work on the tender will now be carried out by Rowlescourt Engineering of Alfreton Derbyshire, where renovation of the frames should be completed by the end of November 2015. Work on assembling the tender tank will begin at Rowlescourt in January 2016.
Boiler
At The LMS Patriot Project's 2010 AGM on 14 November, it was announced that the boiler for 'The Unknown Warrior' will be built by LNWR Heritage at Crewe. The new boiler will be of traditional construction with a copper firebox. A fundraising campaign for the boiler for £1/2million has been launched. The smokebox and front tubeplate have been manufactured and were fitted to the locomotive in July 2013. The copper firebox is under construction at L&NWR Heritage at Crewe and is expected to be complete by the end of 2015, with construction of the boiler proper scheduled to begin in January 2016 with completion scheduled for the end of 2016.
Miscellaneous Parts
Much of the engine's motion has been reclaimed from scrapped Jubilee class locomotives and will be refurbished over the next year. A new connecting rod has been forged and machined and other items are currently being sourced. There have been a number of parts offered to the project as well, such as 4 original LMS buffers from a scrapped crane at Ruddington (GCR N), original LMS lamps, a genuine whistle, the surviving chimney from 45539 E C Trench and many other smaller components.
Completion
The completion date is planned for Autumn 2017 with formal dedication planned for the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War.
See also
References
- ^ "Creating the new Royal British Legion Endorsed National Memorial Engine". Lms-patriot.org.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.
- ^ http://www.cambriantransport.com/
- ^ "South Devon Railway Engineering Ltd | Specialists in locomotive repair, maintenance and restoration | Engineers to the heritage sector and National Rail Train Operating Companies". Southdevonrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 24 February 2012.