nferguso
21-01-10, 01:06 AM
Raising Steam at Wirksworth!
Steam engine begins to come-together with help from local industry
Wirksworth, 20th January 2010: As the volunteers of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association prepare for a very special return to steam at Wirksworth, the boiler of Ferrybridge No. 3, a Barclay 0-4-0 has now returned to Wirksworth station, following an extensive rebuild by a local company not normally associated with locomotive preservation.
The boiler has been rebuilt by William Twigg Limited of Matlock who, although an established manufacturer of high pressure vessels, had never repaired a steam engine boiler before. The work on the boiler for Ferrybridge No. 3 represents a new departure, not only for William Twigg but for the steam preservation industry as a whole. Twigg’s workmanship was of a very high standard and, significantly, cost a third of the price quoted by established steam boiler repairers.
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association received a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £48,000 to repair this engine, which is similar to those which operated in the local quarries up until the mid-1970s. Ferrybridge No. 3 is due to be returned to service in late April 2010 and is a true ‘Cinderella’ of the steam preservation movement, having been stored out of public view at a haulier’s yard in Sheffield since the early 1970s.
The Association has also received a grant from the Derbyshire Aggregate Levy Fund, operated by Derbyshire Environment Trust, totalling £9,200 to build an ash pit to serve this and any other steam engines visiting the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway when it reopens to Duffield in 2010/11.
Ends.
Note to Editors:
Four high-quality digital images are available to download:
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120176.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120176.jpg)
Depicts Ferrybridge No3’s boiler undergoing its steam test at Wirksworth.
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120183.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120183.jpg)
Volunteers look-on anxiously as the boiler reaches its working pressure of 160 pounds per square inch.
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120185.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120185.jpg)
Another view of Ferrybridge No3’s boiler coming back to life after over 35 years.
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120191.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120191.jpg)
We’re there! Ferrybridge No3’s pressure gauge registers 160 pounds per square inch pressure on the clock.
Photo credit, John Hastings-Thompson, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association
About the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway:
WyvernRail plc is working with the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association to reopen the Duffield to Wirksworth railway in the heart of Derbyshire.
The line passes through the beautiful Ecclesbourne Valley to the award winning and beautifully restored town of Wirksworth, nestling at the foothills of the Peak District.
The line is a time capsule, with its intermediate stations largely intact and the layout at Wirksworth virtually unchanged since the days of steam.
There are 8½ miles of single-track railway, which meet the Midland Main Line at Duffield Junction near Derby. There are five station sites, two level crossings, a yard with extensive sidings and a mineral branch to the old Middlepeak quarry at Wirksworth. Since 2004, 4½ miles of the line have been reopened and it is planned to complete the reopening by 1st October 2010 in time for full operation in the 2011 season.
About William Twigg (Matlock) Limited
Better known locally as Twiggs, the company is a one stop shop for industrial, engineering, plumbing and DIY supplies. It is renowned for its comprehensive range of steel stock and processing ability. The fabrication division specialises in bespoke projects of all shapes and sizes. As a family business established over 100 years ago, Twiggs is a highly regarded local company offering excellent service.
For more information on Twiggs, visit the website www.twiggs.co.uk (http://www.twiggs.co.uk).
Steam engine begins to come-together with help from local industry
Wirksworth, 20th January 2010: As the volunteers of the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association prepare for a very special return to steam at Wirksworth, the boiler of Ferrybridge No. 3, a Barclay 0-4-0 has now returned to Wirksworth station, following an extensive rebuild by a local company not normally associated with locomotive preservation.
The boiler has been rebuilt by William Twigg Limited of Matlock who, although an established manufacturer of high pressure vessels, had never repaired a steam engine boiler before. The work on the boiler for Ferrybridge No. 3 represents a new departure, not only for William Twigg but for the steam preservation industry as a whole. Twigg’s workmanship was of a very high standard and, significantly, cost a third of the price quoted by established steam boiler repairers.
The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association received a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £48,000 to repair this engine, which is similar to those which operated in the local quarries up until the mid-1970s. Ferrybridge No. 3 is due to be returned to service in late April 2010 and is a true ‘Cinderella’ of the steam preservation movement, having been stored out of public view at a haulier’s yard in Sheffield since the early 1970s.
The Association has also received a grant from the Derbyshire Aggregate Levy Fund, operated by Derbyshire Environment Trust, totalling £9,200 to build an ash pit to serve this and any other steam engines visiting the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway when it reopens to Duffield in 2010/11.
Ends.
Note to Editors:
Four high-quality digital images are available to download:
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120176.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120176.jpg)
Depicts Ferrybridge No3’s boiler undergoing its steam test at Wirksworth.
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120183.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120183.jpg)
Volunteers look-on anxiously as the boiler reaches its working pressure of 160 pounds per square inch.
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120185.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120185.jpg)
Another view of Ferrybridge No3’s boiler coming back to life after over 35 years.
http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120191.jpg (http://www.e-v-r.com/press/PB120191.jpg)
We’re there! Ferrybridge No3’s pressure gauge registers 160 pounds per square inch pressure on the clock.
Photo credit, John Hastings-Thompson, Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association
About the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway:
WyvernRail plc is working with the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway Association to reopen the Duffield to Wirksworth railway in the heart of Derbyshire.
The line passes through the beautiful Ecclesbourne Valley to the award winning and beautifully restored town of Wirksworth, nestling at the foothills of the Peak District.
The line is a time capsule, with its intermediate stations largely intact and the layout at Wirksworth virtually unchanged since the days of steam.
There are 8½ miles of single-track railway, which meet the Midland Main Line at Duffield Junction near Derby. There are five station sites, two level crossings, a yard with extensive sidings and a mineral branch to the old Middlepeak quarry at Wirksworth. Since 2004, 4½ miles of the line have been reopened and it is planned to complete the reopening by 1st October 2010 in time for full operation in the 2011 season.
About William Twigg (Matlock) Limited
Better known locally as Twiggs, the company is a one stop shop for industrial, engineering, plumbing and DIY supplies. It is renowned for its comprehensive range of steel stock and processing ability. The fabrication division specialises in bespoke projects of all shapes and sizes. As a family business established over 100 years ago, Twiggs is a highly regarded local company offering excellent service.
For more information on Twiggs, visit the website www.twiggs.co.uk (http://www.twiggs.co.uk).