About the Trust


Work on the overhaul of 5025 began at the beginning of 2012. This was thanks to grants or promises of support from the Strathspey Railway Company, the Strathspey Railway Trust, the Heritage Lottery Fund the Strathspey Railway Association and the significant amount which had already been raised from our supporters though appeals.

Major progress has been made on the locomotive and tender frames, axleboxes, motion, dragboxes and valve gear at Aviemore and on the major rebuild of the boiler, reprofiling of the tyres of the locomotive and tender wheels and construction of a new tender tank at Riley Engineering of Bury. Work has also included the casting and machining of a pair of new cylinders

The WEC Watkinson Trust originally hoped to return 5025 to service in 2015, however owing to the amount of work needed, we now hope that the engine will be ready towards the end of the 2019 season. ( see edit below)

We are still on track for 2019 to be the year in which the oldest and best example of a L.M.S. Black Five steams again. Due to a very tight budget the original intention was to return 5025 to traffic by carrying out the minimum necessary work. However, she is an iconic locomotive and quite early on the sensible decision was taken to restore her to “as new” condition. This has resulted in considerable extra work and expense and has left the Watkinson Trust desperate for funds.

Edit, we were heavily delayed waiting for the boiler, this has put the completion date back to around summer 2020.

Further edit, owing to covid lockdown, this has been further delayed, completion date is now summer 2021.

The original budget of £354,050 has been spent wisely and with care. However, additional boiler work has cost a further £39,345, new cylinders and frame repairs £33,350, and other work such as a new cab, injectors and super heaters upwards of £22,500.

Although most of the work now being carried out is labour intensive, certain costly goods and services are essential to finishing the job and it is only with your help that we can make it happen.

We still need to complete the tender tank and the under frame, produce boiler cladding, purchase copper pipe and various fixings and fastenings and pay for transport, crane hire and specialist machining.

The Watkinson Trust would like to thank you for any generous donation you are able to make towards a successful conclusion.

Please use the “Donate” facility below to support this worthwhile project through Paypal.














Thursday 7 June 2018

update 7th June 2018

On May 06th 5025's frames were drawn out of the shed for the visit of the 20.55 club members.


Another view taken on May 06th, this time from the front.


Most of the workshop time has been taken up with the re-tubing of our other loco 46512.  The work that has been carried out 5025 has centred on the cylinders and motion.  Here the piston rod has been attached to the new piston head.


A new set of piston rings are being fitted.


This picture shows the piston having been fitted into the cylinder bore.


The rear of the piston rod protruding out of the rear of the cylinder.  It is being lined up with the cross head, when the two slots line up a cotter will be driven in to secure the two pieces.


The cross head and piston rod are now connected.


On the rear cylinder cover the piston rod seal housing has been fitted.


The cross head lower bracket has also been fitted.


The piston rod for the left hand side awaiting the fitting of the piston head.  Both piston rods have been machined true before being refitted.


This is the valve piston ring pot.  The pot is machined externally and internally to the size of the valve rings, following which the individual rings are then cut.


These are the valve spindle cross head die block guides.  These have been re-white metalled and are awaiting machining.  They can be seen finished and fitted in an earlier picture showing the cross head and piston rod.


These are new bearings which have been tinned (a light coating of white metal) ready for the addition of the body of white metal which will form the bearing face.


These are the cylinder front covers.  They are awaiting non destructive testing to check for defects.


The valve spindle cross head die blocks again, now fitted.


New valve heads have been made.  This is one of them in the lathe being machined to size.


Fittings added on and around the cylinders


Oil box on the slide bars


The right hand piston head having its final tightening


The piston valve rod, in the vice in the machine shop, awaiting the new valve heads


The right hand cylinder cover has now been fitted.  The white area is where the non destructive testing has taken place.


 The right hand valve piston assembly has been fitted into the cylinder.


Another view of the right hand cross head with lower bracket.


The left hand cross head having been machined.  At the rear of the cross head, right hand side in the picture, an additional piece of metal has been added.  When built in 1934, 5025 was fitted with a cross head vacuum pump.  It is the trusts aim to restore 5025 to as near as possible to an as built condition.  This extra piece of metal added to the cross head will have a bracket attached to it, which will hold a vacuum pump.


Tommy fitting the cross head.


The cross head in position.


A piece of metal cut to form the vacuum pump bracket.


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