W11 'Newport' pilots fellow
'Brighton' locomotive, the Bluebell Railway's E4 Class 'Birch Grove',
through Havenstreet Station during the summer of 1999.
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W11 'Newport' pilots fellow
'Brighton' locomotive, the Bluebell Railway's E4 Class 'Birch Grove',
through Havenstreet Station during the summer of 1999.
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| The new boiler will be almost identical to that built for the IWSR by Israel Newton in the mid-nineties and which has just completed a very successful ten-year period of service on 'Terrier' No.W8 'Freshwater'. Isle of Wight Steam Railway Chief Mechanical Engineer Len Pullinger said 'I am delighted to once again be working with Gordon Newton on such a worthwhile project, our complete satisfaction with 'Freshwater's boiler made Israel Newton the obvious choice when it came to selecting a builder for another new 'Terrier' boiler.' |
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Sister 'Terrier's W8 'Freshwater
and W11'Newport' at Havenstreet in August 2002, just after 'Newport's
last day in service.
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| The exciting decision came after a survey of 'Newport's existing boiler earlier this year. It was realised that the repairs required were so extensive that they would not be cost effective, the construction of a new boiler was the best way forward to ensure continued operation of the locomotive in the long term. W11's old boiler will be conserved and stored for future display and reference as a museum piece. Although life-expired it is in itself a very interesting piece of steam locomotive engineering history and includes some copper riveted patches and false lap repairs which would have taken an incredibly skilled boilersmith to execute. The outer firebox has been patched over the years but little life remains in any of the major components or fastenings. A further 'Terrier' boiler, once carried by class member 'Bodiam' and acquired from the Kent and East Sussex Railway for spares ten years ago, is to be retained and used as a training aid for teaching and practising boiler repair techniques. |
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'Newport' approaches Ashey
Station during the summer of 2001.
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| This new project reinforces the Isle of Wight Steam Railway's continuing commitment to the future operation of it's historic locomotive fleet. With a new boiler for W11 'Newport' now on order, W8 'Freshwater's boiler due to start a hopefully rapid 10-yearly overhaul and the almost total rebuild of O2 Class No. W24 'Calbourne's boiler well on the way to completion at Crewe Works, the operational future of these veteran locomotives is assured. It will hopefully not be too many years before all three will once again be seen in steam together on the Isle of Wight. |
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W11 stripped for inspection
in the Havenstreet Mechanical Engineering Workshop earlier this year.
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W11 'Newport' had one of the most interesting and eventful careers of any of William Stroudley's famous 'Terrier' class, including representing the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway at the 1878 Paris exhibition where she was awarded a Gold Medal. She eventually arrived at Havenstreet Station for restoration on 17th January 1975 and, following a protracted overhaul, returned to service in 1989. |
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During the 1990s 'Newport'
was presented as British Railways No.32640.
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'Newport' proved to be a powerful,
economical locomotive, more than capable of hauling heavily loaded trains
on the steeply graded Isle of Wight Steam Railway. Following periods in
Isle of Wight Central Railway, British Railways (as 32640) and Southern
Railway liveries she was withdrawn from service for overhaul on 24th August
2002. A full biography of this historic locomotive can be found Here.
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W11 at Wootton Station.
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| For more details of the Isle of Wight Steam Railway's historic locomotive fleet visit the Locomotives pages. Information on recent locomotive, carriage and wagon repair, maintenance and restoration can be found on the Mechanical Engineering News pages. A progress report on the ongoing overhaul of O2 Class No.W24 'Calbourne's boiler can be seen in the Latest News section. |
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