David Holmes

50007 / 033 / 044 / 049 / 035 in action at Kidderminster SVR 5th October 2020 (Kenny Felstead)

was Brush Traction at Loughborough who provided the most comprehensive option. The task required removal of the power unit (engine + main generator) then detaching the generator from the engine and disassembling the generator for cleaning and overhaul.

With two mainline registered locomotives and with continuing commitments to the SVR we never lost sight of the fact Kidderminster was our base and that supporting the SVR remained our priority. We were clear that ultimately we should pursue the aim of a proper diesel maintenance facility at the SVR but in the interim using our network of railway industry contacts we would try and make use of other suitable facilities around the country, if or when the need arose to undertake heavy engineering work on the fleet.

Enter Defiance

In late 1999, 50049 arrived at Kidderminster for the SVR diesel event and that weekend clearly demonstrated how much could be gained by the two groups working together even more closely. We agreed to stable 50049 over the winter at Kidderminster before it returned home to Williton. Ultimately fate took a hand in our strategic thinking here and the WSR decided that they didn’t need 50049 and it became homeless. We therefore decided to merge the organisations. With Project Defiance being a limited company this would provide much more protection from liability for our shareholders. So Project Defiance was reincarnated to become “Class 50 Alliance Ltd” which would own the locomotives and undertake the commercial trading whilst The Fifty Fund would remain as support organisation to primarily focus on fundraising. By combining the skills together with materials owned by both groups, we really had all that was needed to keep the locomotives operational. All we needed now was our own depot. 50049 itself was also in very good condition and it soon returned to mainline operation alongside 031 and 044.

During the early 2000s 50031 and 50049 became a regular sight working across the country on charter trains. Unfortunately in this period 50035 and 50044 suffered main generator issues and from 2004 the fitment of Train Protection & Warning System (TPWS) would become mandatory for all mainline locomotives.

Old Oak Common Return

Again, largely due to our professional approach and network of contacts across the railway industry, the opportunity arose to use the famous ‘Factory’ at Old Oak Common Depot where the facilities had been designed for diesel locomotives and were perfect for our needs. Between 2000 and 2009 this historic depot would be critical in terms of our ability to undertake engine lifts, bogie work, wheelset changes and even repaints, all largely under the direction of

Tony Middleton. It was very fitting therefore that the final locomotive to depart from the Factory before final closure was our own 50035.

All hire revenues arising from the use of our locomotives are always used to further improve the condition of our fleet. The years 2004-2006 saw some classic tours with 031 and 049 where they reached such far-flung places as Mallaig, Thurso and Ipswich on their travels. Service trains in South Wales also returned again in the summer of 2006, with a stint on Cardiff to Fishguard services operated by Arriva Trains Wales.

As one chapter closed, another opened and through the late Tom Clift, we were able to relocate to another famous WR depot, this time Cardiff Canton where similar facilities were enjoyed from 2009 to 2012. .

As the decade progressed further new systems became mandatory for continued operation on the main line. We decided to focus this investment onn 50044 and 50049, and keep 50031 and 50035 operational at the SVR.

By 2012 there was no longer any space at Canton but we had taken the most from the opportunity including a full bogie overhaul to 50049. All our fleet returned to Kidderminster where the focus now just had to be a new diesel maintenance facility. Over the next couple of years, we really struggled to undertake major work in the open air completely exposed to the elements.

Kidderminster TMD – Realising The Dream!

Ultimately around 2013 all the ingredients came together that enabled the construction of Kidderminster TMD. A few years previously, I had been elected as a Director of the Severn Valley Railway (Holdings) Plc Board. This enabled the strategic debate to take place at an appropriate level as to the need for such a facility and of course there was a much broader case than just a base for the Class 50 Alliance fleet.

During 2014, I worked alongside Paul Koch of the Diesel Traction Group and Chris Bond the SVR’s infrastructure Manager to produce the optimum design for a Diesel Depot at Kidderminster. Construction began in 2015 with completed building being officially opened by the Chairman of Network Rail, Sir Peter Hendy in May 2016. Appropriately, 50035 was driven in as part of the ceremony given it was the last loco to leave Old Oak Common.

Four serviceable locos and now our own facilities to maintain them was how 2016 drew to a close, but then there was a surprise development to come. The owner of 50007 Hercules announced he was looking to sell the locomotive. This was an operational main line certified locomotive and therefore we were seriously interested. After inspections and the very generous support of two shareholders we purchased 50007 and it soon moved to Kidderminster. The engine was quickly removed so that the main generator could overhauled, and after just three months and 50007 entered service on the SVR. Soon we would again have a pair of Class 50s available for main line operation.

Golden Jubilee Celebration

As we entered 2018, thoughts turned to appropriate celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Class 50s and a special gala event on the SVR was planned for October. We aimed to have as many operational 50s as possible alongside our own five and 50008/50015/50017 and 50050 were lined up with 50026 which was undergoing engine work.

At this time we approached the team at Tyseley Locomotive Works to see if 50033 Glorious could at least be made available as static exhibit. They responded positively and following inspection it was clear ‘33’ could well be returned to operational condition in time. This ‘miracle’ restoration has been well documented already but quite simply could not have been achieved without the superb facilities of Kidderminster TMD.

The Golden Jubilee Event has been hailed by many as the finest modern traction event ever held on a preserved railway and importantly showed how profitable a diesel event can be. 2019 saw the partnership between C50A and GB Railfreight underlining our professional approach. Who will ever forget the inaugural run of 007 and 049 in full GBRf livery on the “Terminator Phoenixed” railtourcommemorating 25 years since the final BR main line run? Not bad for a bunch of amateur enthusiasts!

Conclusion

This is just a small insight into the story of the Fifty Fund / Class 50 Alliance over its first thirty years. Back in 1991 many commentators speculated that 50s were too complex to be maintained by volunteer enthusiasts. History shows that with a professional approach in all areas, miracles can be achieved. In April 2021 we were pleased to become the first recipients of the newly created Heritage Railway Association award for Diesel Locomotion in recognition of ‘30 years of Class 50 Preservation excellence’. I wonder what the next development will be?

(restoring ex GWR 28xx no 2874)

David Holmes Trustee 2874 Trust

When I was a child it was very much still The Great Western Railway although, British Railways came into being just a year or so later. I remember well, as a fairly young child standing beside the fence at Stonehouse Burdett Road, watching the wonderful steam locomotives of the GWR or by then WR speeding by with their chocolate and cream carriages, or lumbering by, doggedly pulling a long rake of coal wagons towards London, or of course, empties in the other direction. We must also not forget the busy little 14xx on their auto trains to Chalford or Gloucester, maybe at the time one of my favourite locomotives.

My early Introduction

I was born next to the Stonehouse to Nailsworth line at Dudbridge and sometimes saw small freights run along that line on my trips out on my bike, (passenger services finished on that line in June 1947 and freight by then was intermittent). We did use to go spotting near Standish where we could see both the LMS or Midland Region and The Glorious GWR but the LMS locos never seemed to have the appeal of the GWR locos even the hardworking freight, often dirty and leaking steam, seemed to have more majesty than even a fairly clean Patriot or Jubillee and as for the 2P’s clanking along ……

One class of loco which we saw a lot of back then were the hard working and eminently powerful GWR 28xx and their Collett derivatives. Dirty but oozing power and easily coping with the 90 or so loose fitted coal wagons. In February 1906, locomotive 2808 hauled a recordbreaking train from Swindon to Acton. The trainload of 107 loaded coal wagons was made up of 20 twenty ton, 6 twelve ton, 78 ten ton, 2 nine ton and 1 eight ton capacity coal wagons. Assembled at Swindon, the whole train totalled 2012 tons, including the dynamometer car and brake van. This record by a production locomotive stood during the whole steam era, surpassed only by the one-off prototype G.W.R. locomotive The Great Bear which hauled 2375 tons in 1909.

Becoming Involved

You can thus imagine my surprise and feeling of elation when, about 6 years ago, I was asked to become a trustee of The 2874 Trust, owners now of ex-GWR 28xx No 2874 and, almost certainly when restored, to be the only inside steam pipe example of the class in operation. The loco had come from Barry via The Pontypool and Bleanavon (originally purchased by Terry Rippingale - he was one of the unsung heroes of loco preservation).

No 2874 on a goods train approaching Stratford (Brian England)

Some of the rust damage which is going to mean a replacement

Ray celebrating the pony truck coming out Valve boring

Tracey painting the first coat of a black undercoat on to the shot blasted and primed frames

The frames almost clear of the wheelsets (Below, left) Mark and Dave preparing the chassis for lifting to remove the wheels using the 100 ton hydrauic jacks The frames with one coat of anti-corrosive paint

After many years, she then moved to Minehead having been bought by the WSR who, in turn, sold her to Dinmore Manor Locomotive. Realising the huge cost of restoration, having already restored 7820 and 3850, and in order to ensure she was safe for the future, it was agreed that a charitable trust was the best option and she was then sold to the newly formed trust (www.2874trust.org.)

How Is Restoration Progressing

I have no intention for regurgitating much of what is on the trust’s website, which you can read at your leisure and is regularly updated. But now to give a flavour for how we are progressing. We are restoring 2874 as closely as it is possible to do so as to when she came out of Swindon in November 1918 .

Nearly all the remaining 28xx’s have been modified in some way, not least in the 1930’s by the GWR, many losing their inside steam pipes and gaining the more traditional outside variant. The cabs lost their spectacle plate windows for instance - a feature now incorporated in 2874’s new cab (sadly most of the plate work was beyond salvation but the angle and hand rails have been incorporated into the new cab.) The colour she was back in 1918, and will be when restored, was unlined GWR Chrome Green - no not black!

Work as many of you will know is a slow process, removing rusted and seized parts, trying to preserve as many as we can either for re-use or as a pattern. Oddly enough, despite standardisation, GWR locos have some variations both between and within classes. Currently we are removing rivets in order to remove the drag box and buffer beam, both of which sadly need replacing (a cost of around £4000 for the drag box alone). All the footplates need replacing, a new floor frame has been fabricated and put in place, valve chambers have been bored out. A new stretcher has been fabricated and installed at the rear, a job that had to be done before we could even contemplate removing the drag box.

Changing the Wheels

I should mention that when we removed 2874’s wheels we did a swap with Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd’s No. 3850, which had Churchward pattern and 2874 the Collett pattern. The frames and wheels were shot blasted and painted with anti corrosive paint, undercoated with 2 coats of black undercoat. The wheels then went to The South Devon Railway for new tyres, a number of new crankpins and work on the journals - also every counterweight rivet was replaced as many were found to be loose. (Thanks to Ray and his team for an excellent job). Sadly as with most things with loco restoration, the bill was, let us say, a lot more than small change.