Engineering update - July 2013

The completed driving wheelsets for 'The Unknown Warrior' were delivered to Tyseley at the beginning of July. The all-new Heritage Railway magazine-supported wheelsets have been assembled at Buckfastleigh workshops of South Devon Railway Engineering. At Tyseley Locomotive Works they will be balanced with lead weights, turned, and have the axleboxes fitted before being taken to the Llangollen Railway Works to be fitted to the frames of 'The Unknown Warrior' to enable the rolling chassis (minus the front bogie), to be completed. The bogie is currently being assembled at Tyseley and is now expected to be completed in 2014. The running plates, cab steps and front steps have been fitted to The Unknown Warrior as the 'kit of parts' rapidly becomes a locomotive, enabling the rolling chassis with smokebox and cab to be displayed at the Warley Model Railway Exhibition on November 23-24. Funds are still being sought to help complete the bottom end.

Meanwhile, the front end of 'The Unknown Warrior' was assembled during July at the Llangollen Railway Works with the newly delivered platework.

The wheelsets for The Unknown Warrior are seen being loaded at South Devon Railway Engineering on 2nd July. Photo by Richard Elliott.

The wheelsets were taken to Tyseley Loco Works and stopped overnight at Strensham Services on the M5 overnight on the 2nd July arriving at Tyseley on the 3rd July. Photo by Andrew Laws.

The front end of 'The Unknown Warrior' was assembled during July. Photo by Gavin Shell 24th July.