MAGAZINE OF THE SOUTH TYNEDALE RAILWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY
NUMBER 145���������� SPRING 2006
�BARBER� STEAM LOCOMOTIVE PROJECT
The report about the �Barber� Steam Locomotive Project
which was published in Tynedalesman No. 136,
September 2003 issue appears below:-
52C Alston
Engine Shed Report by Alan Blackburn
Rare Locomotive to be Restored by the Society
I am pleased to announce, on behalf of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, the completion of a flagship agreement between the Society and Leeds City Museums for the loan, restoration and operation of their unique Thomas Green and Company of Leeds built 0-6-2 saddle tank steam locomotive Barber.
Built for the Harrogate Gasworks Company in 1908, Barber is the only known �Greens� locomotive that survives. Both parties are very keen to see the locomotive running again, especially as its centenary is not far off.
This is a very special arrangement for the Society. We are proud to be entrusted with the restoration of this rare locomotive and with the opportunity to run it at a northern base, which is not far from its original home. Our agreement is based on the lines of loans for preservation pioneered by the National Railway Museum at York and closely follows the long-term loan of their �protected� Simplex diesel locomotive by Leeds City Museums to the Moseley Railway Trust.
Barber is currently about 60% restored, including most of the boiler repairs. In conjunction with the Engineering staff at Armley Mills Museum, we will be restoring Barber to as close to its original working condition as possible. With the backing of Leeds Museum Services we plan to transfer Barber to Alston by the end of the year, 2003, and to raise the funds to complete the restoration in a reasonable time. Our absolute deadline, which we should easily achieve, is to have it ready for its Centenary in 2008. It may be a surprising coincidence, but this will also be the 35th anniversary of the STRPS, (i.e. from 1973 to 2008).
Briefly, Barber is 6 feet 5 inches wide and 18 feet 3 inches long, weighs about 19 tons empty and has a tractive effort of 6,000 lbs at 75% boiler pressure. As you will see from the photograph above, its height was restricted due to the tunnel entrance at the gasworks, so there is a curious, low, cut-out cab roof typical of the three locomotives that worked at the site. In fact, the tunnel was so restricted that Barber�s cab has an emergency rear exit in case of failure in the tunnel! The photograph is taken from �Narrow Gauge Railways, England and the Fifteen Inch� by Humphrey Household, published in 1989, ISBN Number 0-86299-575-2. It is available online from http://thebarberline.repton.org
These details were rushed to the Tynedalesman newsletter just after we had received official agreement. In future editions, we hope to tell you more about Barber, with pictures, a history and progress with the rebuild. We will of course also provide details of our fundraising efforts and we sincerely hope that members will feel able to help.
With regard to the locomotive reports that I usually write about, this naturally takes pride of place. With the Summer Steam Season, taking away workshop time, progress as always has slowed. Nevertheless, Helen Kathryn is now a painted rolling chassis and the boiler is nearing re-tubing. Unfortunately it will need a new smokebox front making and fitting, but at least we can turn this on our new lathe. Thomas Edmondson, our Heritage Lottery locomotive, is now almost fully stripped, and the long clean up and re-assembly is slowly starting. The tubes are out of the boiler, and we shall soon get the verdict from the boiler inspector. Naklo has put in a good season�s work, marred only by a small session of leaking tubes, which have been fixed and a blown cylinder cover gasket that sounded like an ear piercing dentists drill whenever the regulator was opened. It was repaired in a day.
I hope that by the next newsletter to have made good progress in all areas. If �Steve M� who I spoke to in the shed some weeks ago, is still keen to join us, then please contact me. (By the way, I got the Bridgeport feed lever working properly after taking it apart, thanks for your help). That also applies to any other keen mechanical types out there. Or even keen painters. Don�t forget the midweek session if that appeals, and search those garages if you have any equipment that you no longer use.
Alan Blackburn
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Mission Statement for the South Tynedale Railway:-
�To provide satisfaction for our customers and volunteers
by operating a friendly, safe and efficient narrow-gauge railway.�
� South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society, June 2006.