Second cylinder cast as appeal reaches half-way point

WE are pleased to report that the second cylinder for No. 3840 County of Montgomery has been successfully cast by Hargreaves Foundry in Halifax. The first cylinder was cast in the autumn of 2021.

Pouring for the second cylinder took place for the 18in x 30in cylinder in mid-April using a sacrificial polystyrene pattern produced by specialist patternmaker, Premier Patterns, to designs by CCT Design Engineer, Elliot Powick. After cooling and cleaning the cylinder was inspected for the CCT in late May; the casting ultimately getting the thumbs up.

Polystyrene patterns have been successfully employed to cast a number of replacement GWR cylinders in the last few years. However, No. 3840’s are the first GWR cylinders with inside steam pipes to be cast using the polystyrene method.

Both cylinders will now be taken to Roach Precision Engineering in Brierley Hill and allowed to naturally de-stress over a period of six-to-nine months. They will then be machined in tandem with No. 3840’s extension frames, which are already on site in the Brierley Hill works.

The patterns and casting have been financed by the CCT’s Cylinders Club, which was set up to raise the necessary £40,000 to cast and machine County of Montgomery’s cylinders, and which is now half-way towards its target figure. The CCT is therefore seeking further supporters to join the Club in order to complete the machining stage.

CCT Chairman, Gary Boyd-Hope, said: “Having both cylinders successfully cast is a fantastic achievement, and our thanks go to everyone who had supported the Cylinders Club so far. We’re now tantalising close to having the cylinders fitted to No. 3840’s frames at Tyseley, but cannot do so until they have been machined. We still need to raise a further £20,000 to complete this stage, so I invite anyone who can afford to support the project to join the Cylinders Club and help us reach our £40,000 target.

“With the locomotive’s boiler soon to move to Tyseley, the coupled wheels currently being machined and all steel work for the running plates, splashers and cab now on order, the prospect of seeing a ‘County’ 4-4-0 is just around the corner.” 

The Cylinders Club aims to attract 40 supporters to each donate £1,000. This can be made as a one-off donation or through a monthly standing order of £25 per month for 40 months, £50 per month for 20 months or £100 per month for 10 months. Club members receive:

•             An invitation to the launch of County of Montgomery

•             A seat on the locomotive’s first train

•             A special certificate acknowledging membership of the Cylinders Club

•             A framed and mounted print of No. 3840 by artist Stuart Black

•             Their name on Roll of Honour  

•             Life membership of the CCT

Additionally, the names of all Cylinders Club members will be put into a ballot; the winner receiving a cast brass replica of County of Montgomery’s cabside numberplate.

Full details of the Cylinders Club and how to join can be found here or by writing to:

The Treasurer
Churchward County Trust Ltd
c/o 4 Green End Barns
Ramsey Road
St Ives
Cambridgeshire
PE27 5RH