Galatea - 45699

Built in 1936 to the design of Sir William Stanier was purchased by a Consortium of enthusiasts headed by the late Brian Oliver from The Severn Valley Railway and moved to Tyseley Railway Museum. A considerable amount of preliminary work was carried out by volunteers starting in 1996 and progressing through to mid 1998 some of which is documented on this web site.

A dispute then arose over the ownership of the loco between the Museum and the Trust set up to fund the restoration work. The locomotive was moved from Tyseley in August 2002 to the West Coast Railway Company at Carnforth for further restoration - this will be one of the most complex restoration jobs to be attempted on a preserved locomotive, requiring the casting of two new driving wheels, as the originals were cut when the loco derailed at Barry Scrapyard.

History of the Engine
Galatea - myths & legends
Picture Gallery
Galatea Work Parties - 1997
Galatea Work Parties - 1998
Press Coverage
HMS Galatea

On Tuesday the 11th of October (2005) I drove up to Carnforth and dropped off all the parts that I had lying about the house and in the shed. This comprised the sandbox tubes and parts related to the drain cock operating gear.

Progress on the loco was as follows :

  • The frames had been stripped down to nothing, shot blasted and are being built back up.
  • The dragbox (under the cab) has been cut out and scrapped and replaced.
  • Ditto for the front buffer beam.
  • The hole in the smokebox saddle has been welded up and had a patch bolted over it.
  • The cylinders and valves have been re-bored
  • The driving wheel sets (including the new centre pair) are at Tyseley for turning
  • The smokebox has been scrapped off
  • A new front throat plate has been made and is ready for fitting
  • The firebox wrapper has been cut back at the sides to a height of about 4 feet for replacement
  • The firebox back plate has been scrapped off
  • The tender is 99% complete (assuming that painting consitutes 1% of the job) and is ready for running in behind some other loco.

    Another 2 years to go I reckon


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