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Old Oak Common 03 May
64. The latest picture we have of the loco before she was condemned and consigned to Barry. Copyright Mike Green. Chairman’s message:
First, a belated “Happy New Year” to you all. Whatever
2010 brings, it certainly looks as though everyone will be concerned about their money. Prices of materials and professional
skills are likely to rise steeply soon, so the Committee and work team will be spending even more carefully on 6989’s
continued restoration this year. We are often asked, while working on the Loco, “When will it be finished?
a question whose answer depends on two vital components: 1) the extent of our funds and 2) the amount of help we can rely
on from volunteer workers and fundraisers. For most of 2009 we relied on the same small team in the Sales Coach, chiefly Miriam and Ken Ashman and Ann and Chris
Tayler, to whom we are ever grateful. The
Loco Working Party has also been the same few, although with two very welcome additions. Charlie and Andrew Jones and Jeff
Jackson have born the lion’s share of the load but the grandfather/grandson duo, (sorry, I can’t remember
their names!!) from Stratford-on-Avon, have joined us during the year. Again, thank you all. The most dramatic progress last year was on the Tender. Jeff, John Spaull and Paul Emerton
have now almost completed brake-gear and pipe-work between the frames, while Andrew and Charlie transformed the overall look
of the tender with baffles, side and end sheets and coal chute now in place. We can now confidently predict that the Tender
will be completed by the end of 2010, if not by the summer. The main task here, which will be both visible and highly audible,
will be to rivet the baffles and sheeting together; not a task for the faint-hearted. Meanwhile, Jeff and I have continued piping up the boiler and cab fittings. However the main task
to be done on the Loco itself, will be to the inside of the boiler where smoke and super-heater tubes and firebox stays all
have to be fitted, again with much noise!! So
to answer the oft-spoken question, it depends how much money we can raise and how quickly, also how many volunteer-hours can
be given by the Teams and, hopefully, new helpers. We all want the old girl to steam again as soon as possible. With the right
amount of help, that really won’t be long now. Meanwhile, thanks for your help so far and please keep supporting us in any way you can. We can’t do it without
you.
Best wishes, Rod.
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