Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway

S112 Revenge (formerly Spitfire)

This is one locomotive which has never actually run at Embsay. However, things are about to change as it is in the middle of a heavy overhaul following a change of owner. The left hand pictures show the loco leaving Acton Hall and also upon its arrival at Embsay. The photo on the right shows S112 once it had been unloaded, well before any work was started. The photo lower down shows the state it has remained in for most of its time on the line - having been cosmetically restored, sitting on the shed base in the snow.

Loading onto trailer at Acton Hall. (C) Charles Adams Arrival at Embsay(C) Charles Adams (C) Charles Boylan
Although it looks very similar to an Austerity it is in fact a predecessor of the mass produced Austerity design, works number 2414, built in 1942. The loco itself is one of eight of the 50550 class - the differences being:
  • sloping bunker back
  • gib and cotter coupling rod brasses (C) Robert Milner
  • compensated springing
  • boiler manhole
  • squared off frame ends
  • buffer beams to rail level (later altered - see second photo)
  • boiler presure of 180lbs (Austerity: 170lbs)
  • larger heating surface
  • increased weight
  • smaller wheels
  • greater tractive effort
This has led to the owner's statement that 'it would pull an Austerity inside out'!

(C) Dave Outibridge It was withdrawn in 1972 with very worn motion and a few patches on the firebox. The loco was never named whilst at work at Acton Hall Colliery, Pontefract (where it worked alongside Airedale and Beatrice), and acquired the name 'Spitfire' shortly after arrival at Embsay, where it was cosmetically restored. The name will be altered to 'Revenge' when the restoration is complete, after one of the locomotives John Marrow Snr. worked on at Walkden. Its last movement prior to the overhaul was when Monckton No. 1 was removed from the shed base for its overhaul. This is what is seen in the third picture, taken by Dave Outibridge. The sloping back to the bunker can be seen clearly.

(C) Dave Barlow The overhaul itself is very thorough and will involve the construction of a new bunker, cab and smokebox, as well as work on the frames to restore them to 'as built' condition, as they were cut back (along with the rear buffer beam) at some stage in its career. New bufferbeams have been fitted, and the frames have been built back up to their original profile. The wheels have been returned to Embsay having been turned, and a new bunker is to hand. The firebox will need repairs, but is suitable for a further period of use. The quality of the old tubes was such that they are suitable for re-use in a smaller engine, and to this end have been donated to Airedale. During the overhaul so far, the locomotive has been found to be in far better condition than had previously been reported.

(C) Tim Warner If you would like to follow the progress of this loco in more detail, I can recommend visiting http://Respite3696.tripod.com/Hunslet2414/, a website devoted to this engine, as well as the other surviving locos of the same class. This also includes information on the Marrow's latest project, No. 8, formerly 'Sir Robert Peel', from the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway.

Recently an article appeared in the YDR News magazine which contained some information about the loco during its army career.

The foundation ring has now been removed from the firebox, revealing a huge build-up of cooked 'muck' which would appear to have been there since it left the Port of London Authority! Re-wheeling has been successfully completed, as can be seen from the photos below.

More photos of Revenge under overhaul

(c) Tom Ireland (c) Tom Ireland Viewed from the front of the loco, Revenge's cylinders are seen prior to the re-boring. They had also been tested under pressure to ascertain whether the casting was sound, which it was. The result can also be seen clearly.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland Other work that was going on was the alignment of the horns, enabling the wheels to be fitted accurately quite soon. Alignment is especially important, otherwise problems will be experienced with the axleboxes running hot and other such things. This was a problem with Cranford initially as the frames were mis-aligned following a collision in the Ironstone industry.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland (c) Tom Ireland The Marrows brought a pallet of axlebox brasses with them recently for Revenge, seen here from the side and above.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland (c) Tom Ireland (c) Tom Ireland One of the newly machined journals, awaiting its brass and receiving it.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland The jacks are seen in place under the loco chassis, now raised into the air.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland The wheels are easily rolled in, underneath the frames, clear of the jacks.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland Once underneath, the wheels are located, with the brasses in the correct position, ready for the frames to be lowered down onto them.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland (c) Tom Ireland The frames are then lowered carefully with the jacks, with each wheel carefully watched into place.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland The loco is now sitting on its wheels for the first time since the overhaul commenced, with new axleboxes and re-profiled wheels.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland A close-up of one of the wheels showing a small wedge keeping the frames from sitting directly onto the boxes before the springs are hung from their hangers.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland A view of the overhauled motion between the frames of Revenge. The slidebars can be seen clearly here. New pistons have been made as the cylinders were bored out, and these are now ready to be fitted.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland A more general view of the motion.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland The brakeshaft, seen between the frames, below the running boards.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland The spring hangers have been fitted here so that the chassis is technically able to roll now! LT presumably refers to Left Trailing axle.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tom Ireland One of the crosshead slippers.
(c) Tom Ireland.
(c) Tim Warner S112's boiler has recently seen further attention from John with work continuing to remove the inner firebox which is going to be replaced. The firebox is due to be sent away to be used as a pattern so that the new firebox will be returned ready for fitting.
(c) Tim Warner.
Revenge's firebox removed. (c) Tim Warner The firebox has now been removed, and can be seen here with the rest of the boiler, as well as on its own giving some impression of the size. It differs from an Austerity boiler by having girder stays at the top as opposed to crown stays.
(c) Tim Warner.
Some indication of the size of the inner firebox is apparant here, as is the use of girder stays. (c) Tim Warner

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