Nick Simpson, MPD Manager, gives us an update on the work being undertaken in the Engine Sheds at Grosmont.

A large part of next year's plans for the MPD and the T&RS department involves No. 44806 and its return to traffic after the major overhaul, I think this will be a good news story the railway can celebrate next season with its outshopping and return to traffic. At the time of writing the boiler is due back to Newbridge from the contractors, a wagon is at the yard ready and waiting and the boiler department are going across when it lands to secure it for its move to Grosmont. The plan is for the boiler to make its way to the shed and be shunted into the boiler shop so the next phase of the rebuild can begin, the making ready for the boiler to go back in the frames. Cladding, handrails, smokebox drilling and boiler fittings can then all be thought about and installed.

At the shed a major milestone has been reached this week, the shunting of the tender from the storage sidings behind the works and siting behind the frames on No. 2 road where our steam rebuilds take place. The tender over the summer was shot blasted and various paints applied ready for this moment. Shunting on shed to the back of the works is a big undertaking and we try to combine these movements with others so that we do not miss a trick in terms of locomotive orders and priority of work. No. 2 road gets shunted fully out very rarely as the long term work happens down here so that we disturb the boiler shop as little as possible so tools, scaffolding and staging are not downed for long periods.

The frames, after No. 29 in the Boilershop was shunted clear, have been pulled out and put under the coal stage while the tender came in then the frames put back on top as a full length engine once more.

The next work will be to make the tender ready for installing the signalling equipment required for the running to the seaside, finishing the lockers, application of paints and transfers and finally coupling the engine to tender, then the boiler can go in.

This will be the main focus for the overhaul team in the new year, as the fitting staff take a break over Christmas after running the festive traffic for Santa Specials.

All the best to you and yours from the team on shed and myself.

Nick Simpson, MPD Manager.

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