Preparing Cogan Hall’s boiler for Warley
Published 1 November 2016 | 
our team are now removing the fittings that hold Coagan Hall’s boiler onto the frames and release it for sitting on 6880’s chassis for the Warley show. Cleaning the boiler and starting to give it a coat of red oxide paint.
‘In other work we have taken delivery of the refurbished cross heads and the front draw hook now fitted with the screw coupling.
Inside motion being fitted
Published 27 October 2016 | during the latest working weekend and as preparations for Warley continue our team started the assembly of the inside motion parts.
‘The following views taken within the frames show the Weighshaft, the eccentric straps and the expansion link.
TV Celebrity Mark Evans is new Ambassador for 6880
Published 19 October 2016 | It is with delight that we are pleased to announce that TV presenter Mark Evans has agreed to be our first and foremost Ambassador.
Mark has delivered a number of programmes on Channel 4 and Discovery including
An MG is Born
A Race Car is Born
A 4×4 is Born
A Chopper is Born
A Plane is Born
Mark is a vet by profession, but is a self-confessed petrol head and science explorer. He obtained his passion for engineering from his father and is very much a down to earth person. We expect Mark to visit a couple of events a year and promote us both on his website/social media and within his circle of family, friends and acquaintances.
Mark joined us at Llangollen on the 15th October and received a warm welcome from the 6880 directors who explained all aspects of the project to him. Ideas flowed as to how Mark could help us achieve our ambition of finishing 6880 within the next 2 years.
Check him out on www.markevans.co.uk
Grange 80 – What a great day!
Published 28 September 2016 | Saturday 24th September 2016 saw our Society celebrate 80 years since No. 6800 Arlington Grange was built at Swindon in 1936.
To mark the occasion our members and invited guests attended a day where everything ‘Grange’ was indulged.
The day started with tea, coffee and bacon baps in the Henry Robertson Suite and storyboard panels erected to chart the development of railways, culminating in the design and life of the GWR Grange Class. A commemorative booklet was handed to each attendee as a memento. A twenty minute film show of archive Grange footage was then shown before a tour of the Llangollen Railway’s workshops conducted by our Engineering Director Chris Moore. This led to the unveiling of a replica nameplate and number plate of Arlington Grange for the attendant press. Also in the workshop were a display of no less than four miniature Granges of different scales and a genuine name and number plate from No. 6802 Bampton Grange owned by Brian Jones. After returning to the Henry Robertson Suite a specially made cake was cut and everyone enjoyed a glass of champagne before we took to the reserved carriage on the train to Corwen and return. Before departure members were asked to pose for a photograph with No. 80072 wearing the specially produced headboard to celebrate the event.
A great day enjoyed by all which brought our group closer together with the commitment to finish the locomotive within the next couple of years
Next we go to the Warley Show on 26-27th November with the locomotive.
6880 is back on its Wheels
Published 7 September 2016 | re-wheeled yesterday 6th September. We can now build the locomotive up for show at the NEC’s Warley Show 26-27th November.
Latest Working Weekend
Published 6 September 2016 | Prior to wheeling being carried out this next week, and following on from the Llangollen Railway Workshops carrying out the final fitment and alignment of the Cylinder, Chris along with Rich P, Robin, Quentin and Dave B worked hard to re-fit the front footplating brackets and platework, giving the locomotive its distinctive Grange shape, also fitted for the first time was the vacuum reservoir tank. Thanks to all involved!
A Morgan from Germany
Published 6 September 2016 | In June we were delighted to welcome 2 visitors Rüdiger Gaydoul and Christoph Wachendorf, when we had a chance to show them round 6880 Betton Grange. We are delighted that Rüdiger has bought as a gift for his friend Christoph Wachendorf for his 60th Birthday sponsoring the Smoke box Feed Lubricating casting.
Willington’s Boiler stripped ready for quotes
Published 26 July 2016 | Chris and the Team worked remarkably hard this weekend, finishing off removing the tubes from the boiler. Here we see some remarkable shots from inside the boiler, which has now also had its tube plate partly removed. Meanwhile the wheels were re-painted ahead of re-wheeling and further holes drilled in the cylinders ready for the cleating. Many Thanks to everyone, Chris,Colin, Richard P, Quentin, Mick, Barry, Max, Bill, David and Lynn. Also saying a fond farewell to Max who is returning to the Carribean (see you next year!)
Progress on the boiler and other things
Published 2 July 2016 | our working parties continue to bring results with three new photographs to show progress
The boiler barrel with most of the tubes removed
The new container shared with 4160
The new bench donated by New Bucks University
Stripping the Boiler
Published 13 June 2016 | our team worked on stripping the tubes out of Willington Hall’s boiler last weekend. It was dirty work removing life expired tubes with the cutting torch. The work will continue during subsequent working weekends.
We welcome members to the annual AGM this coming weekend in Llangollen.
