E850 - Lord Nelson
Maunsell LN Class 4-6-0 No. E850
Latest News
ERPS Ltd AGM
8th
December 2011
Report by Ian
Saunders
13 people were
present at this meeting at the Loco
Engineers Club in
After the general
topics of an AGM agenda were finalised
i.e. Financial Report etc, a discussion
was started by Clive Clifford regarding
the organisation of E828 by creating 4
trustees (maybe more, maybe less) so the
loco wouldn't be sold un-duly or taken
as an asset if ERPS gets into financial
difficulty. Member David Smith mentioned
that there is a possibility of some
paperwork confirming something was
done about this many years ago, although
this couldn’t be confirmed by long
serving members present at the meeting,
Clive Clifford said any form of
documentation regarding this needs to be
produced rather than it being hear say
so. Clive suggested that this should be
in place by 2012’s AGM but I suggested that
it should be acted upon as soon as
possible, rather than delay this
matter for some considerable time as
seems to happen on other occasions. It
was also mentioned that other members
have said something may exist but again
Clive said it needs to be produced in
writing sooner rather than later.
With regards to 850,
Clive stated that ERPS would loose money
if the contract regarding 850 is
terminated but it needs to be decided in
the near future if the society should
take the loss or continue to
discuss the matter further with the NRM
and MHR regarding 850’s running
agreements. Clive has requested a
meeting with the NRM in the new year and
more details will be announced in due
course presumably after the next
committee meeting?
(The
contract with the NRM, MHR and ERPS
Ltd expires early in the new year.)
It was reported that
Arlington Fleet Services have extended
their sponsorship of “Steam On”
The poor turn out
for the meeting was attributed to the
weather and so it was said that next
years meeting would take place in
October.
The ERPS Annual General Meeting has been amended to Thursday 8th December rather than the orginally advertised 1st December 2011. The start time has not been changed so the AGM will commence at 19:30 prompt and will still take place at:
18 Southampton Road
Eastleigh
SO50 9FJ
1st December 2011
After an appeal, ERPS is happy to announce that a storage area has been found in Southampton for it's sale stand.
Many thanks if you offered to help with the society's request.
3rd August 2011
Lord Nelson made it's long awaited comeback from heavy maintenance at the MHR Spring Gala where the loco ran for all of the 3 gala days. As I understand, the loco performed well and hopefully will now be in use frequently over the coming months.
9th April 2011
Lord Nelson is not far away from returning to traffic now, click here to view the latest from the sheds at Ropley on 850's return to traffic after general maintenance and repairs to its piston's and valves.
12th March 2011
Significant progress has been made with 850 as it's now been re-united with its valves. The rear wheel set has also been placed back into the frames so Lord Nelson has now gone back to it's original 4-6-0 rather than the recent 4-4-0. Please click here to view the photo's direct from the MHR website.
25th February 2011
Friday 25th March sees the start of the Mid Hants Railways annual spring gala running until Sunday 27th March. It is hoped that 850 Lord Nelson will be running depending on the status of the loco after repairs, along with King Edward I, the National Railway Museum's City of Truro and the Bluebell Railway's Dukedog Earl of Berkeley. For further details on this event, please click here.
22nd February 2011
• Lord Nelson is soon to be re-united with it's rear axle after repairs to the axle bearings along with other routine maintenance. Click here to view the progress courtesy of the MHR website.
22nd February 2011
• Lord Nelson has been making steady progress on it's return to running at The Watercress Line, the engine is currently awaiting re-fitting of it's four valves after having its pistons repaired. It's rear axle is sitting on the wheel drop and is also waiting to be re-united with the loco. Please click the links below to view progress so far courtesy of the MHR website.
The bearings for Lord Nelson were also being re-metalled, again pictures and information taken from the MHR Website.
4th February 2011
• Chairman's Report:
A meeting took place at the Mid Hants Railway in August to discuss the future of 850 “Lord Nelson”
Work will start on the repairs to the loco as soon as the facilities become available. As most of you will know, The Mid Hants Railway suffered a disastrous fire which has obviously upset all their planned work schedules. It is possible that the work on Lord Nelson may be carried out and completed by Christmas, but of course, this could be subject to change.
Lord Nelson will not now be returning to main line running and is likely to stay at Ropley. There is a chance that it may visit other preserved lines next year perhaps and as a result of this situation, the ERPS support coach will no longer be required and is now up for sale to the best offer.
Work continues at Ropley on 828 with our regular band of volunteers and it is thought that future boiler work will be undertaken at Ropley.
Mike Bragg - ERPS Chairman
• Lord Nelson has had its rear driving wheelset removed for examination along with an inspection of its piston and valves, click the links for further information from the Mid Hants website.
• Lord Nelson's appearance at the Mid Hants gala was unfortunately blighted by the loco being withdrawn early on Sunday afternoon. Running on the Friday and Saturday of the gala, the loco appeared to be running well but on its first trip from Ropley to Medstead the loco seemed to have a loss of power and after careful consideration by the footplate crew, Lord Nelson and Bittern swapped trains so 850 could return the Ropley for further inspection. After inspection the loco was sent to Alresford for a test run back up to Ropley, doubling heading with Tornado. However the problem persisted so as a precaution Lord Nelson was withdrawn from service. It is thought that a piston and valve exam will take place to try and discover what caused this problem. Further information will be posted in due course.
• PRESS STATEMENT - LORD NELSON
At a meeting held at the Mid Hants Railway on 2nd February between the National Railway Museum, Mid Hants Railway and Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society the partners agreed the next stages in the project to bring Lord Nelson back into main line operation.
The Vehicle Acceptance Body has inspected the repairs carried out to the locomotive at the Mid Hants Railway and has agreed that, subject to completion of the agreed programme of further work, a main line test run may be carried out without lifting the boiler, as originally requested.
The required repairs will be carried out at the Mid Hants Railway and further running in and testing will take place there. Subject to this and in line with Mid Hants operating requirements, we anticipate a main line test run in July 2010. If the test run proves successful the locomotive will be certified for main line operation during the summer and an operating programme will then be agreed by the partners in association with promoters and train operators.
National Railway Museum, York.
5th March 2010
• Lord Nelson will be appearing the the Mid Hants Railway Spring Gala this weekend along with the railway's resident loco's and new A1 locomotive, "Tornado". The gala is a 3 day event and early reports suggest that it will be a busy occasion with trains being double headed, named train specials running and also a demonstration freight train being thrown in as well. For further information click the following link which has all the gala details direct from the Mid Hants website.
ERPS will have their own sales stand there offering various goodies, including the DVD's produced by ERPS's very own Brian Southon, these coming highly recommended and any sales generated will go towards the restoration of ERPS's resident S15 locomotive E828 "Harry.A.Frith", currently being restored in the yard at Ropley.
"The Great Spring Steam Gala 5-7 March
2010"
• Lord Nelson is currently having its brake gear refurbished after an issue became apparent at the MHR autumn gala, for pictures of the progress please click "HERE".
12th November 2009
• Lord Nelsons appearance at the Eastleigh 100 Celebrations was deemed a major success and on return to Ropley, 850 has been recently been withdrawn from service to have its yearly boiler examinations carried out. It is hoped that Lord Nelson will return to traffic in the next few weeks.
3rd July 2009
• Saturday 16th May 2009 will see Lord Nelson haul 2 round trips of the Watercress Line, the 1st trip departing around 18:15pm from Alresford with this trip has been arranged between ERPS and the Watercress Line for ERPS members only. ERPS membership cards must be shown and confirmed before boarding the train and members are entitled to bring along one guest. Members wishing to travel on these trains must contact the membership secretary Derek Doling to register their interest and confirm the booking. Thanks must go to the MHR for their co-operation in running these trains.
3rd May 2009
• 850 Lord Nelsons support coach, E35317, has arrived at Alresford after being in storage in Norfolk. There is a possibility that E35317 will remain at Alresford until after the Mid Hants' Day out with Thomas event where it will then move to Ropley.
• Lord Nelson successfully participated in the 3 day Mid Hants Railway gala over 13th, 14th & 15th March. No problems were reported with the loco and if anyone has any photos with Lord Nelson in, then please contact the membership secretary to obtain his email address so he can receive them.
18th March 2009
• Lord Nelson successfully arrived at Alresford on the morning of Thursday 12th February. Once connected to its tender it was then hauled to Ropley for further inspection. Over the weekend 14th/15th February work commenced on the loco in readiness for use on passenger services. For further information of when Lord Nelson will be in action at the Watercress Line please click "Here".
16th February 2009
• Lord Nelson's long awaited return to the south of England has finally been announced. It is planned that 850 will arrive at the Mid Hants Railway on Thursday 12th February 2009. Depending on maintenance checks the MHR hope to have Lord Nelson in service the following weekend, 21st & 22nd February. Further information will be announced in due course.
5th February 2009
• Lord Nelson was due to return to the mainline on 29th November 2008 with a return run from Carnforth to Scarborough. The loco required minor running repairs which were successfully completed by West Coast employees on Friday 28th November around lunchtime, however a call from Network Rail to West Coast Railways at 5pm informed them that Lord Nelson was now "out of gauge" and therefore not cleared to take the train. Staff and volunteers at Carnforth managed to turn out 46115 "Scots Guardsman" as Lord Nelsons replacement. Further details will follow in due course.
2nd December 2008
• A press release from the National Railway Museum:
"The National Railway Museum and Eastleigh Railway Preservation Society are now in discussions with the Mid Hants Railway with a view to forming a new operating agreement for Lord Nelson, which will see the locomotive housed on the Mid Hants Railway and operated jointly by the partners. This will enable the operation of the locomotive both on the Watercress Line and on the main line railways thus fulfilling the requirements of the NRM and of the Heritage Lottery Fund, who supported the overhaul of the locomotive on the basis that it would be available for the enjoyment of the broadest possible audience in the South of England, on lines for which the locomotive was originally built."
Further information will be released in due course.
16th November 2008
• After successful firebox and boiler repairs, Lord Nelson has had a consistent period of running in on the Great Central Railway in Leicestershire where minor problems have been found but have been rectified. Lord Nelson is due to move to Carnforth in the coming days in readiness for a return to the mainline on 29th November 2008 where it is due to haul a special excursion from Carnforth to Scarborough and return, timings for this run are yet to be finalised.
14th November 2008
A history of Lord Nelson can be found here.