The first driving wheel for 'The Unknown Warrior', was cast at the Boro Foundry, at Lye in the West Midlands on 13th September 2010.
Weighing 2.5 tons after casting, the new wheel is the first of six, 6' 9" driving wheels that are being made for the new 'Patriot' 4-6-0. A £58,000 contract with the Boro Foundry has been placed for the driving wheel castings.
The driving wheel pattern was already in existence, having been used to cast two new driving wheels for Jubilee class loco ‘Galatea’. The pattern was kindly loaned to the Project by Bob Meanley, CME at Tyseley Loco Works.
The wheel casting is another momentous milestone for the LMS-Patriot Project as we are only the second year of the construction. Thanks to the tremendous support of our Members, and all of our supporters, including Heritage Railway Magazine readers we are well on the way to achieving our aim of having a rolling chassis.
The actual pouring of the molten steel for the first wheel took only 90 seconds. After cooling for two days the new casting was revealed and was later shotblasted and machined, reducing the weight of the finished wheel. The remaining five wheels are expected to be cast by the end of 2010. Fitting of tyres, crank axle, plain axles and crank pins will take place at the South Devon Railway, before the completed wheelsets are taken to Llangollen.
The ‘Patriot’ driving wheel is thought to be the largest wheel that has been cast as part of a complete set for a new steam locomotive, since steam locomotive construction ended in the UK in 1960. The engineering skills needed to undertake such a feat are very much alive in the West Midlands in the 21st century.
Photos by Bob Sweet/LMS-Patriot Project.
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