Today, Monday 1st December, 1918 built Andrew Barclay 'Bahan' Class' 0-6-0 T 'AJAX (Works No.1605, IWSR No.W38) 'Ajax' was in steam for the first time since 1968.

This was the locomotives first steam test and follows several years of restoration work undertaken by the Mechanical Engineering Department at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, led by Chief Mechanical Engineer Len Pullinger. During this work, the locomotive has been completely stripped down to its frames and a vast amount of repair and refurbishment undertaken to all parts of the loco A great deal of the original superstructure of the locomotive including the side tanks, cab and bunker are being replaced with new material, fabiricated in the Havenstreet Mechanical Engineering Workshop. The boiler itself was repaired under contract at the Tenby, South Wales, works of Bartlett Engineering in 2002. The work carried out included the fitting of a new steel inner firebox, manufactured for the locomotive some years ago, fitting of a new front tube plate, fitting of a new smokebox, re-tubing of the boiler and having patches inserted in the lower half of the outer firebox. A successful hydraulic test was carried out on the boiler before it returned to the Island in October 2002.

'Ajax' in steam for the first time in thirty five years. The mounting bracket for the Westinghouse pump can be clearly seen on the side of the smokebox.

There is still much work and testing to be undertaken to complete the rebuilding of the locomotive, including the fitting of the Westinghouse Automatic Air Brake system with its distinctive steam powered air compressor, to enable 'Ajax' to haul passenger trains on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. This first test steaming of the locomotives boiler is part of that process.

With the boiler now passed as fit for service, the newly fabricated superstructure will be fitted into place in the coming months.

Built to the order of the Sulphide Corporation of London in 1918, 'Ajax' was requisitioned on completion by the Ministry of Munitions and sent to Persia where she remained for many years, latterly in the service of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. It is uncertain exactly when 'Ajax' returned to the UK but she was recorded as working at Llandarcy Refinery, near Swansea and later at the Stanton Iron Works in Sheffield. She finished her industrial service at Harlaxton Ironstone Quarries, near Grantham, being withdrawn in 1968. 'Ajax' was purchased by Mr Henry Frampton-Jones who placed her on loan to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway in 1972. No major restoration work was carried out for over twenty years but, following agreement regarding her future use, repairs are now well underway. The vast majority of the work required is being undertaken by the works staff at Havenstreet. It is anticipated that 'Ajax' will return to fully operational condition sometime during 2004.

The newly fabricated side tanks for 'Ajax' seen in the works at Havenstreet during October 2003.

For more information on the work of the IWSR Mechanical Engineering Department visit the latest edition of the On-Line Newsletter Mechancal Times.