News Archive - 2014

 

22/10/2014 - "YourTube" Scheme

 

Well, 2014 is turning out to be a bit of a troublesome year isnt it, but some mixed news going forward with respect to repairs. Given the nature of the job of fitting the new throatplate to the boiler barrel, patch screws were the chosen method to avoid removing the tubes (Saving money).  However, this is no longer the way forward due to rules on boiler repair. 

 

The way forward will be to remove the superheater and tubes so that the throat plate can be stayed to the barrel in the conventional manner. It obviously means that there is even more strain on our finances but this is the only way to go and it will give us a fresh start in 2015.

 

We are running a scheme where you can sponsor a tube for a donation of £50, we have 146 to buy and we have already had pledges for 14 so we have a long way to go. I must mention that we have been extremely grateful for the near £20,000 we have received for our boiler incentive scheme. If you would like to sponsor a tube please contact me via the contact page by clicking here or download the Donation Scheme for from the Membership page here. 

 

 

10/09/2014 - An Update

 

Firstly, thank you to all of those who have attended 7822 events this year, the Summer Social and the recent slideshow, you have helped us raise £1000. The next event will be a railways quiz night on the 18th of October at 21:00 after the Real Ale Train. 

 

I also want to invite you to a working day on 7822 on 4/10/14, all are welcome, members or not. We will work on the repaint of 7822 and excellent progress is being made. The throatplate forming is almost complete so keep your fingers crossed that we will see 7822 in 2014!

 

 

28/08/2014 - 7822 Fundraiser at Berwyn Station

 

On Saturday the 30th August (Saturday night of the Llangollen Railway Autumn Steam Gala), there will be a fundraising event at Berwyn to assist with the boiler repairs of 7822.

 

Dave Southern will present a slideshow about the Ruabon to Barmouth line from his extensive collection, tickets are priced at £5 (paid on the night) and the show will start at 7:30 PM.

 

See you there.

 

08/07/2014 - Foxcote Manor Society Summer Social 2014

 

Dear all, the 2014 FMS Summer Social will be on Friday 25th July 2014 commencing at 18:00.

 

There will be a BBQ (included), steam hauled round trip, live entertainment, real ale and other refreshments, and "Driver for a Tenner" where you can drive the engine!

 

Tickets for the evening cost £15 per person and can be booked through the contact form on the contact page or at mattygrindley@hotmail.co.uk. Please come and support Foxy to get her back in traffic sooner rather than later. Any help is gratefully received.

 

 

08/07/2014 - Throatplate Delivered

 

7822's new throat plate has been delivered to Llangollen MPD for drilling and fitting to the loco. It has taken longer than we had hoped but we are on the road to recovery. Painting is being undertaken on the loco and I hope we will be back in action soon!

 

Watch this space!

 

 

30/05/2014 - Time Waits for No Manor

 

Well... where do I start, it is now 6 long months since our much loved "Foxcote Manor" turned a wheel in anger. The boiler job has twisted and turned but we are tantalisingly close to a return. The loco has received backplate patches to cover the cracking in the corners and we are awaiting delivery of the new throatplate so that the reapir has been completed. 

 

We havent stood still. A gang of a few Manor members have been busy cleaning and degreasing the frames and repainting them. The idea is to have a fully painted chassis, inside motion and cab for when the repaired boiler goes in. Meaning we only have to apply the final coat and varnish and she will be good to go in her new livery. 

 

If you wish to donate to the society to assist with the boiler work which we are in need of assistance for, please contact me via the contact page. Thank you.

 

 

16/04/2014 - So, What Has Changed?

 

In the last month or so things have really started to gather pace in Foxcote Manors recovery. The door plate patches have been fitted and the throatplate being built at Tyseley is almost complete. Llangollen Railway have presented the Foxcote Manor Society with all the options and work will commence as soon as the components are delivered.The paint job continues and any help you can offer would be great. We are currently compiling a program of work and we will publish this in due course. We will have an appeal out in the near future for any help you can offer 7822 financially to ensure she gets through the work and back into traffic!

 

 

10/03/2014 - Still on the Sidelines but Edging Closer

 

Well, a month has passed since I last wrote here, so what has changed? Well, by looking at the pictures below, you will see that the tender is being painted at the moment while the front end of the locomotive is being repaired. 

 

While this continues, the society is looking to supply new branded merchandise that we hope you will like the look of, these will be advertised on here as soon as possible. 

 

Also the 41st Annual General Meeting will be held at the Henry Robertson Suite at Llangollen Station on the 12th April at 14:00. 

 

 

10/02/2014 - Work Underway

 

Well by way of update, the sanding down of the tender is almost complete, and the same is to be said of the cab. That leaves the splashers and the cladding to rub down before the painting starts this month.

 

The Llangollen fitters have removed stays around the cracked section of the doorplate and will be fitting the doorplate patches in the coming days, a big enough job and labour intensive. The new throatplate has been ordered so we are getting on with the job and will do all we can to get 7822 back for the summer season. 

 

The Foxcote Manor Society welcomes you to the site and hope you choose to join us.

 

 

31/01/2014 - It Could Be Worse..........Couldnt It?

 

Well since I last typed things have changed dramatically, the diagnosis of cracking in the locomotive throat plate led to two portions of the throatplate being cut out to be replaced. Some regulations meant that the original repair couldnt be completed and larger portions would need to be cut so that riveted and welded seams had enough distance between them. 

 

The repair will now consist of a new throatplate being ordered and the sections required put in place. It is a big job but a small one than changing the entire throatplate. While this is happening the engine will be painted, Graham Hoyland, Martin Fuller and myself have started on sanding the engine down for the undercoat. It is a busy time and any help would be great. We can provide tools and tea but we need some help from you. Please contact me on Facebook or stiffler.grindley7822@gmail.com if you would like to help. We have a fortnight to finish sanding the locomotive down, if you are free at any time and would like to help please give me a shout.

 

07/01/2014 - Boiler Repairs

 

7822 was hit with a set back in November when steam was found to be leaking from underneath the cladding at the front of the firebox. Since then she has been NDT'd and it was found that there was significant cracking on the right hand side of the throatplate. The decision was taken therefore to cut out the cracked piece of steel (requiring a boiler lift) and Dave Owen, CME of Llangollen Railway suggested that the other side would probably be just as bad despite nothing showing up on the NDT. 

 

He was right, upon removal of the same piece of steel on the left hand side, deep scores were found due to water flow and the age of the boiler. New steel inserts will be cast to the right shape, which isnt as simple as it sounds as the Manors had a special boiler design to allow them to fit into the frames. The offending section of the throat plate has 3 different radius' which has contributed to its failure. Dave Owen is still confident that the repairs are straight forward and we have 7822 back in the very near future. 

 

Please see the pictures below which show where the section has been cut from, and the cracks in the steel found upon inspection.

 

The engine will receive a new coat of paint during the next couple of months and we hope that she will return in time for the Croes Newydd 84J gala at Llangollen, a shed her classmates would have visited in steam days.