New Boiler for The Unknown Warrior to be Built at Crewe - November 2010
The LMS-Patriot Project is pleased to announce that LNWR Heritage Ltd. has been chosen as the preferred builder of the boiler for 45551 'The Unknown Warrior'. Based at Crewe Heritage Centre, LNWR Heritage Ltd. has established themselves as one of the UK’s leading contract steam engineering companies. The boiler will be entirely new and will be constructed in the traditional way, with a copper firebox , riveted seams and screwed stays. LNWR Heritage Ltd. has been chosen as they have the technical capability and have already built new copper fireboxes at Crewe. There are also historic reasons for building the new boiler for 'The Unknown Warrior' at Crewe. The Crewe built LNWR 'Claughton' class were modified and fitted with a G9½S bolier (known as the enlarged Claughton boiler). It is this same boiler that was also fitted to the later LMS 'Patriot' class. Therefore 'The Unknown Warrior' will be fitted with a Crewe built boiler that was originally designed and manufactured in Crewe. 40 of the 52 ‘Patriots’ were built by the LMS at Crewe Locomotive Works. An indicative quote has been received which is in line with the envisaged outlay for a new boiler. This includes everything apart from the superheater header and chimney, which will be obtained separately. Richard Watkins, the Boilershop manager has stated that LNWR Heritage Ltd. have the capabilities and capacity to build the new boiler at Crewe. Steve Blackburn, Engineering and Quality Director for the LMS-Patriot Project said, “Crewe is the obvious choice for building the boiler for ‘The Unknown Warrior’. With LNWR’s technical capabilities and the historical links going back to the original ‘Patriots’ at Crewe, we are delighted that the new boiler will be constructed in the railway town that was synonymous with the LMS and world renowned railway engineering”. Steve Blackburn is no stranger to Crewe having previously worked at Crewe Works himself and known to many as one of the organising forces behind the hugely successful Crewe Works Open Days and Great Gathering of 2005. The LMS-Patriot Project Board is developing a fundraising strategy and the Patriot Boiler Appeal is expected to be launched during 2011. The Appeal target of £½million has been set. The Board is discussing a number of fundraising opportunities, which will be announced in due course. The new boiler for 'The Unknown Warrior' will be the first traditionally built large steam boiler to be built in the UK for a standard gauge mainline steam locomotive since 1960. The LMS-Patriot Project has set a target date of 2018 for completion of the new 'Patriot'. This is the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice which brought about an end to the Great War. To achieve this, The LMS-Patriot Project is looking to add 300 new Regular Donors over the next 12 months. Regular Donations from as little as £5/month are being sought to help build ‘The Unknown Warrior’. |
