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Built in March 1917, Locomotive GWR 2-8-0T 4253 spent its working life in the Newport Division, and was withdrawn from service in April 1963. It sat in Woodhams Scrapyard, Barry until 1987 when it moved to Pontypool and Blaanavon Railway. It was then put up for sale in 2011 and was purchased by the 4253 Locomotive Company Ltd, based at Rolvenden, Kent.  On the 14th June 2011, 4253 arrived on the back of a low-loader, ready to begin her transformation from an 80-odd ton rust bucket, into a fully restored working locomotive, which hopefully will run on the Kent & East Sussex Railway.

The expectation was for a 10-year timeline for the project and progress was well on course until, as everyone knows, Covid-19 threw a spanner in the works and shut everything down for a lot of the last 14 months.

It was decided to have the boiler repaired by contractors and so HBSS were selected to do this based on not only ‘first impressions’ of them when they visited Rolvenden to inspect the boiler, but also the competitive quote and their positive approach to the work schedule. In addition, our lead engineer was also impressed on his visit to HBSS, with regards their set up and the condition of the ‘works in progress’. Add to this, recommendations from other restoration projects.

https://www.4253.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=4253%20locomotive%20company 

The LMS-Patriot Project is building a new LMS 'Patriot' Class 4-6-0 locomotive because all of the original 'Patriots' were unfortunately scrapped by British Railways in the 1960s.   The new 'Patriot' will be named 'The Unknown Warrior' and is the new National Memorial Engine. The new boiler that is being built by HBSS for the Project is the first all new standard gauge boiler that has been built in the UK since the early 1960s.  The charitable project is funded mostly by donations from Members and the general public. HBSS provide a professional service and our experience so far has been extremely positive. A close working relationship has been established between HBSS and The LMS-Patriot Project that has seen the progression of the new boiler to near completion. The LMS-Patriot Project chose HBSS to complete the boiler for 'The Unknown Warrior' because the founders of HBSS had previously worked on the boiler before starting HBSS. Their skills and experience were second to none and The LMS-Patriot Project was delighted to be the launch customer for HBSS.

More information about the LMS-Patriot Project can found at: www.lms-patriot.org.uk

 Dedicated to restoring, GWR 2-8-2 Freight Locomotive to working order to be used on heritage lines around the country

We have so far raised over £250,000 for the restoration of 7200 and have at the same time been able to teach forgotten skills to a variety of peoples including many still at school who are looking for an inspiration as to their future careers. We need to raise another £70,000 to complete the boiler which will be leaving Quainton  for the boilersmiths to complete the restoration to steam.  

For more information please visit:

 Home | 7200 Trust 

 (2) 7200 Trust | Facebook 

East Anglian Railway Museum LNER class N7/4 9621

Our plan is to return this unique locomotive to steam in time for its 100th Birthday in 2024 to run primarily on the Museum’s demonstration line and to also be available for Galas or short visits to other heritage railways in the UK.

Why we chose HBSS?

Lead time fit within our ambition to have the restoration project completed by 2024.

Comprehensive quote

Reputation within the industry

Professionalism 

For more information visit : https://www.earm.co.uk/n7_resto_appeal/

Following Nationalisation of the railways in 1948, the new British Railways inherited numbers of large tank engines which were particularly useful for commuter and branch line services, and while the former LMS and GWR regions had a good supply, other regions did not. A building programme was instituted, with Robert Riddles in Brighton drawing up a new loco based on the LMS 2-6-4T, whose design traces back to Henry Fowler's 1927 tank. 155 locomotives were built between 1951 and 1956, mostly in Brighton with small batches in Derby and Doncaster.

Designated Standard Class 4 Tank, the locomotives were distributed throughout the network, except in the Western Region which still had a plentiful supply of ex-Great Western "Large Prairie" tanks. They became particularly associated with the London, Tilbury & Southend line, until it was electrified in 1962, and with Glasgow's suburban services. Four were allocated to the Whitby depot in 1955 - three of them brand-new - but with the arrival of Diesel Multiple-Units to take over local services, they departed again between 1956 and 1958.

80135 was built in Brighton in 1956, and initially assigned to Plaistow and working the Tilbury line alongside her sister 80136. In 1962 a change in scenery beckoned and she left for Shrewsbury, and worked in Shropshire and Mid-Wales until her withdrawal in 1965, less than ten years after being built.

Consigned to Woodham Brothers' scrapyard in Barry Island, she was identified early for purchase by the newly-formed NYMR Trust in 1973, but with limited means nothing could be done with her until she was sold on in 1977 to Dutch businessman and rail enthusiast Jos de Crau, who funded her restoration. Returning to the rails in 1980, 80135 was painted at de Crau's request in BR Brunswick Green - the express passenger livery was never carried by any Standard 4 Tank in service, but what's the point in owning a steam locomotive if you can't choose the colour? (Rumours that he had to be talked out of LMS Red have been heard!) When Jos de Crau died in 2006, his locomotives and coaches were bequeathed to the railway, and we have kept on his idiosyncratic colouring as a mark of respect.

1014 County of Glamorgan is a replica of a County class 4-6-0 constructed by the GWR between 1945 and 1947  of which none survived to be preserved. Launched in 2005 to fill this gap, No 1014 will be the 31st member of the class and utilises a number of standard components from other GWR locomotives which survived in considerable numbers in the famous Barry scrapyard in South Wales. The locomotive chassis from Modified Hall No 7927 has been re-used, to which have been fitted a new set of 6’3” driving wheels, new outside motion, springs, cab running plate and splashers.  Anticipated completion date of this should be Spring 2022. is A new tender chassis has been constructed using pre-existing running gear and will have a new all welded tender tank fitted in due course.  The firebox from a LMS class 8F 2-8-0 has been converted to the GWR standard 15OA pattern of the County Class and new barrels of the correct design have been fitted to the firebox by HBSS over recent years. Progress on the boiler continues at HBSS’s base in Huyton, Liverpool with a projected completion date of Spring 2022. The smokebox  will then be mated to the barrels and the locomotive is expected to steam during 2023 its base, the Didcot railway Centre, Headquarters of the Great Western Society which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.

For more information please visit www.county1014.org

Boiler 1309 was built at Brighton and originally fitted to 80080 when brand new. 80080 was hauling a Fenchurch to  Shoeburyness train on Thursday 12th  November 1959 and whilst stood at East ham Station the train a collision took place at the rear end of the train when the following train ran through signals.  80080 was sent to Darlington Work for a Heavy General Overhaul with boiler 1309 being taken off, overhauled and then fitted to 80098 in February 1960.

80098 was withdrawn from traffic in July 1965 and arrived in Barry Scrapyard in January 1966. The locomotive was purchased in 1983 by the PRCLT and moved to Butterley where restoration started some years later the with locomotive steaming again in 1998.

The locomotive was passed for main line running and travelled widely round the system. She was withdrawn from traffic in 2008 and stripped down the following year. 

PICTURE  80098 at Darlington after the fitting of Boiler No 1309 in March 1960. PRCLT Collection