'Newport's New Boiler Arrives at Havenstreet
The new boiler for 1878-built London, Brighton & South Coast Railway Class A1x ‘Terrier’ locomotive No.W11 ‘Newport’ has been delivered to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway at Havenstreet Station. Constructed at the Bradford works of boilermaker Israel Newton & Sons, the new A1x boiler is the second of its type to be commissioned by the railway and emphasises an ongoing commitment to keep its two Victorian ‘Terrier’ locomotives steaming well into the future.
The new boiler was ordered in 2007 after a survey of ‘Newport’s existing boiler revealed it to be virtually life expired. It was assessed that it was more cost effective to construct a new boiler rather than to attempt to repair the old. The completed boiler arrived at Havenstreet on Wednesday, 15th September 2010, having made the journey down from Yorkshire on the back of a trailer provided by local Haulage Contractor (and IWSR Engineman) Mike Lightbown.
On arrival at Havenstreet the new boiler was craned into position on a purpose built cradle outside the Mechanical Engineering Workshop. It will remain there until it can be fitted onto ‘Newport’s frames. The frames and other components of the ‘Terrier’ are currently inside the workshop where repairs will soon commence.
2010 has seen both the return to service of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway’s flagship locomotive, 1891-built London & South Western Railway O2 Class W24 ‘Calbourne’ after an absence of eight years and the arrival of a new boiler for W11 ‘Newport’. These two significant achievements have brought closer the day on which it will once again be possible to see all three of the railway’s historic Island locomotives in steam together; O2 class W24 ‘Calbourne’ and the ‘Terrier’ pair, W8 ‘Freshwater’ and W11 ‘Newport’.
The Isle of Wight Steam Railway will be celebrating ‘Calbourne’s return to steam between Friday 8th and Sunday 10th October 2010 with a long weekend of special events featuring both ‘Calbourne’ and ‘Freshwater’. More details can be seen on the 'Calbourne Weekend' Special Events web page.