THE Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway has reached an important milestone in the restoration of the only steam locomotive wholly owned by the line, Hunslet ‘Austerity’ 0-6-0ST Wheldale (3168/1944).
Fundraisers have raised the sum of £200,000 towards the estimated £250,000 cost of the overhaul and this was celebrated by a short ceremony at Embsay station on September 1, with chairman Rob Shaw and railway volunteers displaying a board with the message “£200,000”.
Embsay spokesman, John Beesley, said the chassis is now being overhauled at Statfold Barn, which has involved stripping it down, assessing and then repairing. These repairs have included machining all the hornblocks and then refitting them square to the chassis, regrinding the slidebars then refitting, and work to the cylinder block including repairing the end covers and replacing all metal packings. The railway’s painter, John Furness, alongside other Embsay volunteers, has then been painting the repaired chassis and wheels.
Pictured celebrating the fundraising milestone are, left to right are railway volunteers Malcolm Harrison, Mike Walsh and Rob Shaw.
YDR