Breaking news this week is that Furness Railway No. 20 is now scheduled to pay a visit to the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway as part of that railway’s 40th anniversary celebrations, once its steamings at Didcot Railway Centre have concluded. There will be two weekends when FR 20 will haul the scheduled passenger train whilst the loco will also be hauling a coal train over the Spring Bank Holiday weekend.
Back at Preston, 5643 was finally placed in the FRT shed on Wednesday, 8th March. No time was lost in starting the long job of undertaking the ten-year overhaul on the boiler.
The cab floor was soon removed and Paul Balshaw is seen here cleaning up some of the coal dust that had fallen between the wooden floor planks.
Phil Bell has been in his element since Keith, with his long experience of servicing industrial machines, managed to repair the table saw that had previously been donated to the FRT by the RSR joiners. Phil has been making up wooden mouldings for the kitchen in Great Eastern Railway Royal Saloon No. 5 that is currently being fitted out.
Anne and Phil Burton have continued their work on the chaise longue in the east saloon of the royal coach, despite Anne having recently suffered a broken finger at home. The moquette for the back of the chaise longue has now been fitted, having been buttoned onto the backing material at home by Anne and Phil.
Finally, FR 20 successfully underwent its 14-month steam test examination by the boiler surveyor at Preston last Friday. John Dixon, Matthew and Sam are seen giving the loco a clean and polish whilst Alan kept an eye on the fire.