Its All Systems Go for 1891-built 'O2' Class No.W24 'Calbourne', as the Isle of Wight Steam Railway now has £25,000 of grant funding available, the first stage of the Heritage Lottery Fund contribution to the overhaul of the Railway's unique Flagship locomotive. The first tranche of HLF funding has enabled preliminary work, including indentifying a suitable contractor to undertake the boiler work, to get underway. Many thanks go to Iain McLean for his work on the successful submission to the HLF and to Simon Futcher for his efforts in running the W24 Boiler Appeal Fund, which remains open to meet the total required.

W24 'Calbourne' leads a typical Isle of Wight Steam Railway train of LB&SCR and SE&CR coaches away from Havenstreet Station - August 2000.

CME Len Pullinger and his team are now well on the way to dismantling 'Calbourne' ,which will enable the boiler to be lifted and transported to the London & North Western Railway Works at Crewe, who have been contracted to carry out the boiler overhaul. The main area for their attention will be the copper inner firebox, where extensive repairs are required. Whilst the boiler is away work will continue at the Isle of Wight Steam Railway's Havenstreet Engineering Works to ensure that the target of completion by mid 2006 can be met.

'Calbourne' on 29th May 2005. The cab roof had been removed minutes before this photograph was taken, the regulator rod was extracted from the boiler later in the day.

Amongst the tasks to be tackled will be the refitting the original 'MacLeod' extended bunker backplate and the associated side extension pieces, fabricated during the 1992 overhaul. Consideration is also being given to the replacement of wasted platework in the area of the side tanks.

For details of the 'Calbourne' Boiler Appeal click HERE

If you would like to learn more about the history of the last remaining 'O2' click HERE

The 'MacLeod' extended bunker backplate will be refitted during the overhaul.

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