Photo:
Dick Blenkinsop© - Taken on 21st September 1961. 6989 backs out of Paddington to pick up the 11:15 Worcester train, having brought in the 06:30 from Hereford

We have done really well on the locomotive's history front over the last few months, obtaining 8 more in life pictures of 6989. The splendid picture above is one of a series of 3 shots taken by renowned railway photographer Dick Blenkinsop. These, plus one recently obtained on e-bay and 5 from the Kidderminster Railway Museum, brings our collection total up to 50. Visit our website www.wightwickhall-6989.com to see a selection of these new photographs.

We have done little work on the engine this year as we are concentrating on the tender frame and tank. Come along to the down yard shed and see the progress we are making. We have refurbished the majority of the re-usable items from the old tank and we are assembling these items, such as steps and grab handles, while we still have easy access to them at ground level. It also gets them out of the way and less likely to be mislaid. As we are completing these items they are being put back in the Romney due to the limited space we have in the down yard shed. The latest of these is the tank dome. A rummage in Romney 3 has also located the brake spreader we were missing. Worrying thing is none of us remembers taking it there! We have also now located the water scoop column which was hibernating in a member's garage.

We have found a supplier of rivets and are taking careful measurements so we can get the rivets ordered. We need to make the holes 1/16 inch larger than the rivet to allow for its expansion when hot. We also have to specify the gripping length, which is the exact thickness of the materials being joined; the manufacturer then adds the correct amount for the rivet head to be formed. Our limpet drill is a boon for drilling the rivet holes accurately and quickly and saves us lots of time and effort. We will do as much of this as we can while the sheets are horizontal on the ground.

We expect the pins for the brake hangers imminently so we can get the hangers on the frame and put the base plate in place. Access to the rear hanger brackets is virtually impossible with the tank base in place. Once the base plate is fitted we will jack up and level the frame. This is essential if it is to be built true and square. The remanufactured tank sump is also back with us and is being made ready for fitting when the base plate is located.

Notes:
The text in this Quainton Railway Society publication was written in 2007 and so does not reflect events in the 7+ years since publication. The text and photographs are repeated verbatim from the original publication, with only a few minor grammar changes but some clarifying notes are added if deemed necessary. The photos from the original publication are provided as scans in this internet version of this long out of print publication.

Reference:
6989 Update - Jeff Jackson - Quainton News No. 98 - October 2007