THE PROTOTYPE...newsletter of the 7200 Trust

Issue 18, September 2007

Chairman's notes

Well where do I start? Good question! The A.G.M. has been and gone together with Spring, the Summer never has and now the weather feels like the end of October, and my allotment was nearly flooded by the cloudburst. The good news is that the work on the locomotive is progressing well and we have obtained more working party members.

The sales ladies are raising funds and the two “backroom boys” are turning (no pun intended) out their superb machined parts for the brake gear on the chassis. The working party are now attending on the occasional mid-week day so that members who cannot attend on Sundays can join in on the Tuesdays/Wednesdays whenever. Prospective attendees please contact John Porter.
Ray James

From the Treasurer's Desk

With the impending move and the high costs coming from Swindon, together with bills from Severn Valley and Peter Robinson and others in the pipe line, funds are going to be short. I have found out that the brake shoes together with delivery will be £100 per shoe. I understand this is a good price for them. I am hoping that members may feel they can sponsor a shoe, we still have some to go.

With our loco in the workshop at Swindon, the 7200 working group turned their attention last autumn to the dilapidated Goods Van sitting in the Restoration Shed. A photo of this van is shown in the Stock Book and noted as – Midland Railway Goods Van (AD 47251). The Midland Railway would have known it as a 17’6’’ covered goods wagon and it was probably built in 1911, but the works plate is missing and it’s number lost. The team have replaced some of the boarding and other timber details on the sides and quite a lot of the flooring. A broken spring has been fixed and the door action has been improved. The external finish has been cleaned off (no evidence of army paint colour was found) and fresh lead grey paint has been applied with black below sole bars. It is soon to be finished in Midland Railway insignia circa 1912.

The wagon will be relocated in Rewley Road and used for storage, as it would have been many times in its past. And 7200 will soon be taking it’s place in the Down Yard shed. (For further reading see ‘An Illustrated history of Midland Wagons’ by R J Essery.)
Chris Andrew

Prototype Models

Chris Andrew and John Porter showing off our new ‘7200 Trust Prototype Freight’ polo shirts.

Chris Andrew and John Porter showing off our new ‘7200 Trust Prototype Freight’ polo shirts which are embroidered with our logo. They are available in all sizes, colours burgundy or grey. Sweatshirts and fleeces are also available, all at affordable prices in support of the Trust. Give Chris a ring on 01296 423755 if you would like to order or get more details. Kate Moss has nothing on these lads!

Secretarial jottings

Everything seems to be a bit of an anti-climax since the return of the chassis of 7200, the last mainline locomotive and the last Great Western Locomotive to leave the renowned Swindon Works. So the locomotive can now claim to be the “first of the few” (7200 class) and the “last of the many”. Not a bad claim to fame in the Heritage Steam Roll of Honour!

We were unsuccessful in our claim for a grant from Aylesbury Town Council, their imposed guidelines and strictures about benefitting Aylesbury and its occupants would appear prima facie, to rule out another application, although some 30 – 40% of Quainton visitors are from Aylesbury (some 15 – 18,000) and numerous school parties from Aylesbury are guided round Bucks R.C by 7200 members.

In addition to this a high percentage of our members come with Aylesbury connections. This being so it is difficult to remain optimistic about future funding until a more informed and enlightened viewpoint comes to the fore! All visitors to the site will benefit from the locomotive’s restoration and it will be a massive draw to the Centre when this occurs. It was a friendly meeting with the Councillors, some were for us and they all enjoyed their visit to the site. It was accepted that the Trust was an Aylesbury-based charity and this may be helpful in the future. There are other grant applications in the pipeline so maybe we will have some better news later on in the year.

The Sales Team will be trying out their new (to them) fund raiser over August – a Tombola stall. If successful they will run it on some days in the future. If you have any unwanted Christmas presents from years gone, this is your big chance to dispose of them for a worthy cause! The Clay Pigeon Shoot will be on Saturday September 29th at the Oxford Gun Company Shooting Grounds at Oakley. I hope as many members as possible will be able to come along and “have a go”, you might not hit a clay but you will have some fun and staff there will be available to help you. Why not try it out? This remember, is one of our biggest fund raisers every year, so why not make it even bigger this time!

We have some new members, two of whom have volunteered for the Working Party, and we welcome them to the Trust. Many members have acquired Trust Clothing, the items are still available, please contact Chris Andrew on 01296 423755 should you wish to purchase, polo shirts, sweaters, woolly hats and fleeces with our distinctive logo on them. When worn this all raises our profile on site or at home.

Working Party Report August 2007

Work has been progressing on a number of fronts by the small working party of John, Frank, Peter, Chris and Andy with Les and Mike in the machine shop. On the chassis the 9 cut-off bolts on the L.H. plate which secures the boiler expansion plate have been drilled out and re-tapped 1 in BSW. 3 of the brake hanger chains have been fitted over the floating bearing of no 4 axle.

Two inner bearing seal covers, complete with new felt seals have been fitted to No 3 axle. As we only had 3 original G.W. style pressings for these covers, 3 more have been pre-fabricated by SORB Engineers of Marlow and these are in the process of being fitted to the front two driving axle bearings. On the bunker front we are progressing a ‘budget’ plan for the reconstruction by cutting out the rusted bottom around the inside of the bottom framework and across the baffle plates so one day the bottom will literally – fall out. We have datum holes to produce a new bottom to be welded in at a later date once all the inside edges have been cleaned up. The R.H. side has been removed as are all the rivets. In the machine shop Les is working on re-assembling the brake vacuum cylinder, and has machined 2 trunnions and has to thread the remaining 4 tie bolts. Mike is machining linkage parts for the valve gear. Thus all work has been on the rolling chassis and investigation work on the bunker section, sides, bottom and floor.

Activities for Members

Any member wishing to join the working parties will be made most welcome. Many hands make light work and below is a list of some of the jobs to choose from. No experience is required for many of the jobs that need to be done.

• Restoration work
• Painting
• Engineering
• Fitting
• Mechanical
• Fund raising
• Sale stands
• Sponsorship/contacts etc
• Lectures

Contributions to the Prototype

Please send any comments, letters, or articles for publication in the Prototype to the News Editor:

c/o The Registered Office address below.

For general queries please contact:

Mr E.W.J. Miller,
Honorary Secretary 7200 Trust,
c/o The Registered Office,
4 Haven Shaw Close, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire HP21 9RG
Tel: 01296 623762

The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the contributors and are not necessarily reflections of the official policy of the Trustees and Editor of the Prototype.

Modified: 2 December 2007 To top of page