No.85 Overhaul (2009-2013)

After its original overhaul in 1989, No.85 was taken out of traffic for major boiler repairs, which at that time were the most extensive undertaken at Whitehead. After these repairs were complete the locomotive operated again on mainline railtours from 1994 until 2004. But every ten years a locomotive boiler must be lifted from its frames to allow a statutory thorough inspection and repair. This gallery shows some of the work undertaken.

25/7/2009: No.85's last appearance in public was for display on "Summer Steam" open days at Whitehead, hauled out of the engine shed and cleaned and polished for the education of visitors. (C.P. Friel)

7/8/2009: Dismantling work began and all the boiler fittings were labelled and removed from the cab. Although in essence a simple machine, a steam locomotive has many parts which have to go back in exactly the same place from where they were removed.

8/8/2009: The locomotive was split from tender No.73, one of three RPSI tenders she has used during her career in preservation to date. The Carlow diesel locomotive is doing the shunting.

8/8/2009: The tender, originally for a "U" class locomotive, was rebuilt by the RPSI to replicate the tender which Merlin ran with while still in company service. Here Eddie is cleaning off ten years of oil and dirt to allow its condition to be assessed.

8/8/2009: The cab needed to come off to allow the boiler to be removed, so it was unbolted from the frames. In the smokebox, Alan is uncovering bolts to allow it to be disconnected from the cylinder block.

August 2009: The cab was lifted off using our hand crane, an exhibit in itself built in 1943 for the NCC by Cowans Sheldon, a company still making rail mounted cranes today! However, their modern products don't use muscle power like this one. (G.W. Moore)

August 2009: The cab was placed on a flat wagon, which will be used to store the larger components from the locomotive. (G.W. Moore)

August 2009: The cladding, thin metal which covers the boiler and gives the exterior a smooth and more attractive appearance, were lifted off using the hand crane. They date back to the 1980s and were manufactured by Harland and Wolff. (C.P. Friel)

5/9/2009: With the fittings removed, the boiler was ready to be lifted from the frames. No.85 was positioned under the shear-legs and slings were attached to the front and back of the boiler. (N.J. Lightowler)

5/9/2009: The recently-overhauled shear-legs are doing the sort of job they were designed for. The boiler was lifted clear of the frames and then No.3BG "Guinness" shunted the rolling chassis back into the engine shed.

5/9/2009: The boiler was set down on accommodation bogies - to be tested and examined to find out what work is needed next. (N.J. Lightowler)

6/4/2010: No.4 was used to shunt No.85’s frames.

6/4/2010: The frames were brought to the heavy lift gantries, from where this spectacular shot was taken.

6/4/2010: The heavy lift cranes have lifted the frames off the wheelsets. All three GNR 4-4-0s tend to hide just how enormous their driving wheels are until lifted from them. Here No.85's 6'7" diameter driving wheels tower over the leading bogie.

6/4/2010: The crank axle on the driving wheels can clearly be seen in this shot. A good deal of de-greasing and cleaning is required before an in-depth examination of the condition of these components can be made!

6/4/2010: Here Nathan guides No.85's frames, mounted on works bogies, away from the heavy lift area. In the background, Ben keeps a careful eye on proceedings.

6/3/2011: Here Brian is at work machining one of the four driving wheel axleboxes.

6/3/2011: No.85's bogie wheels are now looking a lot better. (E. Friel)

19/4/2011: The big end brass on the right is an original, while that on the left has been cast in our own foundry and then machined as seen here. (C.P. Friel)

8/5/2011: The driving axle outside the workshop. All of No.85's wheels have now had the tyres reprofiled, and all the journals have been skimmed. They have also been painted - it's a difficult job to do with them under the engine! (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: Since April 2010 the frames have been on temporary bogies. Jobs done here include rivet renewal and removal of carbon from the steam passages to the cylinders. The boiler is on stands to the left awaiting its turn in the workshop. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: Michael is dwarfed by the wheels which were to be reunited with the frames. First the wheels were moved from the workshop to the heavy-lift road, under the cranes. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: Individual wheelsets are difficult to wheel by hand - they tend to derail. The sheer size of 85's driving wheels, and their counterweights, would make them particularly awkward, so they were moved by No.3BG and the hand crane. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: The overhead workshop crane was called upon to put the bogie back on its wheels. The bogie frame had received a lot of attention, including welding work and renewal of slack rivets. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: With a little guidance, the axleboxes slide easily into the hornguides. Volute springs and rubber dampers will be added at a later date. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: The four-wheeled bogie is rather more manageable and pushing it into position by hand was fairly easy. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: Peter encourages his minions to put their backs into it! (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: Now, any volunteers to list all the missing parts? (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: Some of the missing parts appear as No.3BG brings the frames into position. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: The frames are lifted, wheels wheeled underneath, and the frames lowered on top. (R.C. Edwards)

8/5/2011: The wheels should now be fit for several years of main line service without needing any major attention. (R.C. Edwards)

4/11/2012: Adam has been doing some painting. Here he is in between the frames, where the firebox and ashpan will be fitted before long. He is applying a coat of gloss black. (C.P. Friel)

4/11/2012: 9 new volute springs were made in the Workshop for the front bogie, after finding that no manufacturer could make as required. Here Adam fits one of them. To his right, a spring fitted previously sits in its final position. (C.P. Friel)

4/11/2012: Meanwhile, James is planning out where the modern safety equipment can go. No.85 must be fitted with TPWS and AWS, as well as a speedometer and electric headlights, etc. (C.P. Friel)

4/11/2012: Nathan, the champion of No.85's "bottom end" overhaul so far, tightens each bogie spring in sequence, so as to avoid overloading and possibly damaging the new springs by putting too much weight on them. (C.P. Friel)

4/11/2012: Meanwhile Adam has finished painting. Take a good look - you won't see it again once the boiler goes in! (C.P. Friel)

19/1/2013: No.85's boiler was steam tested outside of the frames. (E. Friel)

9/2/2013: The boiler is returned to the frames. (E. Friel)

6/4/2013: We were finally ready to try moving the engine under her own steam. Here it is quietly raising steam outside the shed. (A. Lohoff)

6/4/2013: The engine is seen in steam in front of the new station building which is under construction. (A. Lohoff)

16/11/2013: Work continues on the painting of No.85 in the Carriage Shed at Whitehead. (M. Beckett)