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Overhaul of Fletcher Jennings 0-4-0T "Baxter"


"Captain Baxter" returns - August 2010

Brighton Belle Car 88 at Sheffield Park - David Jones - 20 July 2010

Named "Captain Baxter" before 1947, this historic loco returned to steam in this guise for our 50th Anniversary Gala at the start of August 2010.

David Jones' photo on the right shows the arrival on 20th July for our 50th Anniversary Gala of Southern Railway Brighton Belle Pullman Car No.88, and also shows Baxter, which was being tested around Sheffield Park station that day.

"Captain Baxter" moved under its own power up to Horsted Keynes on 4th August, where it is seen in Andy Prime's photo below, in preparation for the official return to service.

Alan Bedford's photo shows it at Horsted Keynes in light rain on 7th August.

Captain Baxter at Horsted Keynes - Andy Prime - 4 August 2010 Baxter at HK - Alan Bedford - 7 Aug 2010
Baxter at Kingscote - Derek Hayward - 15 August 2010

Derek Hayward's photo taken on 15th August, commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the loco's arrival at Sheffield Park, seen with a goods train to Kingscote.

"JoeS231989" has some YouTube videos from the Gala weekend:



Baxter re-assembled - Trevor West - 14 March 2010 14 March 2010

Trevor West's photo shows recent progress with the overhaul. The loco has been re-railed. The boiler has passed its steam test and been re-fitted to the frames. The loco now has new axleboxes, and a new front buffer beam, in addition to the work done to the boiler.

5 May 2008

Firebox repairs complete - 5 May 2008 - Trevor West Painting the smokebox - 5 May 2008 - Trevor West

Trevor West's photos illustrate the work which is currently concentrated on the boiler. The frames have therefore been covered with a tarpaulin that was found unused in the yard.

The first photo above shows that new platework for the firebox has now been welded, riveted and had the stays fitted and this repair is now virtually finished. The photo also shows what we are reliably informed are Stuart Marks' feet!

Work has also continued on the paintwork, the most obvious being the smoke box, which Katy Brown was painting on 5th May, when these photos were taken.

The small mudhole doors on the backplate have now been replaced with washout plugs, as seen in the first photo below.

The concrete has been removed from the smokebox and this revealed corroded plate and rivets. The plate has now been built up with weld and the rivets replaced.

The new boiler tubes have been delivered, painted and pinned into place in the boiler and now await expansion. This is seen below, with Dave Martin at work.

Backplate with new washout plugs - 5 May 2008 - Trevor West Tubes in place, awaiting final fitting - 5 May 2008 - Trevor West

20 January 2008

Rivets being heated before fitting to Baxter's boiler - 20 January 2008 - Nick Talbot Rivets being heated before fitting to Baxter's boiler - 20 January 2008 - Nick Talbot

Rivet being fitted to Baxter's boiler - 20 January 2008 - Nick Talbot Three photos from Nick Talbot (above) and four from Ken Upton (below) show rivets being heated, and then fitted, to the foundation ring of Baxter's boiler, where the replacement outer-firebox platework had previously been welded in place.

The team working on it are:

Dave Martin - heating the rivets
Matt Holloway - putting rivets in position
Paul Russell - inside the firebox, riveting
Andy Wilkins - riveting on the outside

More of Nick's photos are on his photobox site. Ken Upton's photos of the work on Baxter the same day.


Rivet being heated before fitting to Baxter's boiler - 20 January 2008 - Ken Upton Rivet being fitted to Baxter's boiler - 20 January 2008 - Ken Upton
Paul inside - 20 January 2008 - Ken Upton New rivets in place - 20 January 2008 - Ken Upton

September 2007

Baxter with buffer-beam in place - 28 August 2007 - Trevor West

Baxter's boiler - 28 August 2007 - Trevor West Trevor West's photos show that some limited, but significant, progress has been made over the last six months.

The engine now has a new front buffer beam fitted, the timber having been prepared in the Carriage & Wagon Dept., and a new piece of boiler plate has been welded into the firebox.

The coded welder is expected in the next few weeks to do some more work on the fitting of washout plugs to replace the small mudhole doors that were on the backplate.


January 2007

Baxter re-wheeled

Trevor West's photo above shows that Baxter's overhaul is progressing. The new axleboxes and crowns have been completed, and with the newly metalled bearings fitted to the journals on the wheelsets, the engine was finally rewheeled on Friday 12th January.

A visit by our coded welder to weld in a new piece of boiler plate is awaited.

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