Section 7D - MW2047 Restoration Progress


Following some thirteen years as a Static Exhibit at the Kidderminster Railway Museum, during which time funds had been raised towards the cost of overhaul, the locomotive was finally removed and moved by road to SVR Bridgnorth in November 2010. Since that time the locomotive has been dismantled so that an assessment could be made as to the extent of restoration work required and the cost involved. Once the old boiler hads been removed plans were made to produce a new boiler from a new set of drawings which were duly prepared.

In 2013 it was decided to move the locomotive down to Bewdley due to better storage facilities and a willing volunteer labour force being available (mainly from resident 15xx Pannier Tank Trust Members). To this end the SVR Engineering Department at Bridgnorth undertook the task of overhauling the safety critical elements (wheels, axleboxes and springs) to achieve a rolling chassis. This would allow for the locomotive to be towed down to Bewdley on its own wheels. Once the frames had been lifted off the wheels work could really start on the restoration, the old paint being scraped from the frames prior to the application of primer then gloss paint.

The SVR reprofiled the wheel tyres and journals and ordered new bearings for the axleboxes. A complete new set of springs were also placed on order (since delivered and now refitted on the locomotive). Once machined the wheels were also scraped and painted in a shade of green as close as possible to that originally carried by the locomotive. It was also decided to remove the cylinder block assembly from the frames to try and effect a repair to the exhaust passage of the RH casting wehich was holed. Unfortunately, although this repair was successful it was later found that the cylinder bore was cracked and thus the casting would need to be replaced. The cost of a new pattern (either wooden or polystyrene) and casting was investigated and a favourable quote obtained from Timsons Engineering at Kettering (for complete cylinder assembly). The new cylinders were cast in early 2017 and the completed assembly (fully machined and pressure tested) was delivered to Bridgnorth in early May 2018.

A number of components removed from the locomotive and spare parts have already been moved down to SVR Bewdley and placed in secure storage ready to be refurbished at a later date. At the begining of December 2018

the driving wheels were placed in front of frames, the axle boxes fitted (with felt bearing pads in keeps) and the three wheelsets were rolled under frames (which had previously been jacked and packed). At the end of the year

following the positioning of the wheels in their correct location the frames were lowered until the axleboxes engaged with horns (after horn straps and fitted bolts had first been removed). The frames were finally lowered onto the wheelsets in January 2019 and the locomotive was towed down to SVR Bewdley at the end of March 2019 for further restoration work to proceed. The cab roof and sides were removed in October 2019 and brake gear was re-fitted to frames in November 2019. New bufferbeam profiles were delivered in early 2020 and it expecteted that the new boiler will be placed on order in late 2022 with delivery due in 2024/5. MW2047 was finally shunted under cover (replacing GWR 2-6-2T No.4150) on 30th March 2021. New Boiler (Version 2) approved by BES 23.4.21. A new bunker was fabricated in early 2022. New Boiler placed on Order with Israel Newton in late March 2023. Delivery due sometime in 2025.

0-6-0ST MW2047 New Boiler General Arrangement - Version 2 (Approved by BES 4.21)