Quality work takes time
Our initial image on this page shows 76084 at Barry before she was sold to Phil Rollins in 1982. 76084 always stood out as she was painted in primer almost on arrival at the scrapyard in 1968. Perhaps this treatment assisted in minimising the decay that would take place over the 14 years 76084 was at Woodhams.
When 76084 went to Phil Rollin's home in South Levington he gave her a cosmetic makeover so she at least looked good at the bottom of the garden.
When the locomotive came into the possession of the 76084 Locomotive Company Limited she was moved to what was once a rail-served yard of an engineering company where rails still existed. Progress on the locomotive proceeded at a moderate pace using the engineering skills of the nearby workshop personnel and those of willing volunteers.
Restoration work had to be done in the open which meant that the weather played a large part in what was achievable everything having to be stored under tarpaulins.
Sometime ago the decision was made to divert some capital away from buying parts and services for the actual restoration into building at the very least a shelter under which work could be performed. It was decided to build a Restoration Shed to house both locomotive and tender.
So the work team spent over 6 months preparing the ground, casting concrete to form an inspection pit and finally erecting the Restoration Shed. It was completed in late summer 2010 and officially opened by Steve Davies MBE, Director of the National Railway Museum at a specially arranged Shareholder's Day on Saturday, 25 September 2010
A separate shelter has been erected to cover the boiler whilst out of the frames so our boilersmith can work in any weather including 150mm of snow! 31 December 2010 saw the boiler end tube plate be finally separated from the main casing for subsequent use as a model for a new one.
