5025 The oldest surviving LMS Black 5: update May 31 2019

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.

Friday, 31 May 2019

update May 31 2019

We are still awaiting the return of the boiler, however there has been some more tasks carried out whilst we wait. The smoke box which was put in place with its door and chimney for the new cover picture, has had some finishing work carried out.
The smoke box door liner is pictured whilst being worked on.

The smoke box itself being aligned to have various holes cut out.

Steam pipe holes and new rivets, holes drilled for the door ring fixing rivets.

The door ring now riveted in place.

At the rear of the smoke box the spacer ring in place to have its rivet holes drilled.

At the rear of the tender the tanks support brackets are welded in place.

The tender tank water valves have been cleaned up and are ready to be refitted.

Underneath the tank the locating bosses for the water pipes that were found to be fitted incorrectly have been cut out. The right hand water pipe can be seen in place to align the new bosses when they are fitted.

The left hand water pipe ready to be re-fitted.

The smoke box door and liner now fitted.

The smoke box door from the front.

Underneath the tender tank the water pipes have been fitted to the new bosses which in turn are part of the new pieces of plate that have been welded in place.