The first 47XX in Devon for a long while
After weeks of COVID-caused delays, the chassis of GWR 47XX no. 4709 inched its way out of the Llangollen workshop and into the daylight for the first time late last week, en route to a new home in Devon.
The 10+ tonne chassis had to be moved out of the shed, to be craned onto the low loader for its long journey south. Out in the open, suspended from the crane, there was just a hint of the finished size of this giant 2-8-0. It will weigh around 83 tonnes when complete, with the tender accounting for another 46 tonnes.
Now firmly in the care of Leaky Finders’ Rory Edwards and George Balsdon, work on 4709 is expected to ramp up quickly in an effort to make up time lost to the COVID lockdown.
The project’s Chief Engineer, Paul Carpenter was delighted that 4709 had found a new home and that work could re-start for the first time since “…what feels like the beginning of the year. It’s been months and while we’ve managed to complete a number of small projects in that time, we were always going to be a long way behind once the lockdown was lifted.”
Waiting at Leaky Finders are a wide range of 4709-related jobs that can be commenced and progressed immediately . Joining them soon from Tyseley will be the wheelsets and pony truck. “The cylinder castings have also been impacted by the lockdown, but we’re hoping to have that part of the project back underway by the end of August.”
Once the cylinders are complete and in place, the critical cylinder and hornguide alignments can start. “Who knows, we might even have a rolling chassis by the end of the year,” adds Paul.
4709’s move was handled by a haulier well known in the preservation sector; W J Balsdon Heavy Haulage, who are also scheduled to shortly collect an additional container of 4709’s components from Llangollen as well as the wheelsets and pony truck from Tyseley.
Outside the Llangollen Railway shed, waiting for the low loader
Leaving Llangollen - ready to go
