PROGRESS on the project to construct the 81st Collett ‘Grange’ – No. 6880 Betton Grange – continues at Tyseley and Llangollen, with a view to having the 4-6-0 in traffic next year.
Work on the loco at Tyseley Locomotive Works is running slightly behind the original schedule, but the rebuild of the ‘Swindon No. 1’ boiler (ex-Willington Hall) is now close to completion.
All the small tubes are in, and the large tubes have been NDT tested and were being fitted at the time of writing. A hydraulic test is imminent, which will be closely followed by an out-of-frames steam test.
If this is successful, the boiler will be returned to frames and smokebox fitted before being piped up. The boiler cladding sheets will also be fitted at Tyseley before No. 6880 returns to the Llangollen Railway for steam testing and running-in.
Read more in the September 2019 issue of The RM – on sale now!
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