Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Thu Mar 08, 2018 3:54 pm

I have received the great news that 'Sir Keith Park has left Herston Works (following a thorough check over, including a 'Piston and Valve' inspection on each of the 3 Cylinders). The Locomotive is now 'back home' again on the Swanage Railway, after 5 years of running on the Severn Valley Railway, for the remaining 5 years of the Boiler 'ticket'.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Dougs » Thu Mar 08, 2018 10:28 pm

Great news will be logging on to the web cam to see her from time to time :)
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Minty4371 » Thu Mar 08, 2018 11:35 pm

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:34 pm

Many thanks for the YouTube clip Robert. Welcome Home 'Sir Keith Park'. :) :) :) :YMPARTY:

Did you notice that the 34053 numbers have now been replaced with those of the correct 'Southern' style? (The 'font style' has changed, plus the numbers are outlined in black). This was done at Herston Works, during the recent maintenance work.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Minty4371 » Fri Mar 09, 2018 12:44 pm

Hadn't noticed the number style change. Sorry. :(
Hope she has a good time on the line. :) :)
Shame I will never see her again in person. :((
I will only see her in photos/videos. :|
Missed getting a photo of the writing on the slide bar. :(
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Dougs » Fri Mar 09, 2018 7:45 pm

Wow she looks awesome :)
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Sat Mar 31, 2018 4:59 pm

Swanage Railway held their 'Works Outing' Spring Gala last weekend (Friday 23rd March to Sunday 25th March) which saw their 'Home Fleet' Locomotives in action, including 34053 'Sir Keith Park'. The first official appearance of this Locomotive, since returning from 5 years at the Severn Valley Railway and since her last appearance at the highly successful 'Strictly Bulleid' Gala (March/April last year).

Also running was 'Home Fleet' Class 33 Diesel D6515 'Lt Jenny Lewis RN' to 'Top and Tail' Trains beyond Norden, to the River Frome Bridge.

I have found a very good YouTube video that covers the first day of the Gala:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWgRmJHLeOg

As usual, select 'Full Screen', turn up the Volume and enjoy!

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby MOD » Sat Mar 31, 2018 5:22 pm

Thanks for that Ray. SKP is much missed up here at SVR, especially by my grandson Luca. I will have to bring him down to Swanage this summer, if we ever get one...

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:04 pm

Here are some more Photos that have been posted recently, by Southern Locomotives Ltd. Unfortunately, 'Sir Keith Park' had developed an axle box 'problem' and SDR Engineering, at Buckfastleigh, at short notice, kindly accommodated the Locomotive on their 'Wheel Drop', to enable us to carry out the necessary work. These Photos show this work.

Please use the link below to see the Photos ('my' Pics Nos 92 to 101 incl.):

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM ... ZKTkxmaWZn

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Last edited by 34053 on Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Minty4371 » Mon Jul 09, 2018 7:12 pm

Link does not work Ray. :( :(

EDIT:
Link now works. Thank you. :) :)
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby MOD » Mon Jul 09, 2018 9:00 pm

Thanks Ray. I hope you are well. I have copied your post to my eldest grandson who loves SKP and misses him dearly.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Mon Jul 09, 2018 10:26 pm

MOD wrote:Thanks Ray. I hope you are well. I have copied your post to my eldest grandson who loves SKP and misses him dearly.

Ian


Thank you Ian. It's good to hear from you again.

Yes, I am well and still enjoying working on Locomotive Restorations and Overhauls.

Although it is nice to see SKP back on 'home metals', the SVR was a great place for SKP to 'stretch her legs'. I had a couple of great experiences driving SKP through Bewdley Tunnel, back to Kidderminster from Bridgnorth, on our annual Shareholders 'Drive & Fire' days, when SLL also held their AGM at The Engine House. Really enjoyed my time on the SVR. I still keep up my Membership and am pleased to support such an amazing Railway.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Fri Aug 31, 2018 3:55 pm

5 years ago today - the Recommissioning of 'Sir Keith Park'.Here are the Photos (from the Southern Locomotives Ltd website):

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipN ... taMWtBYXpn

A Great Day!

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Dougs » Sat Sep 01, 2018 9:29 pm

Was remembering it too, Facebook came up with a 5year ago memory of my son and myself doing an outdoor pursuits day in the same area we could hear the whistle and spitfire hasn’t it gone quickly.
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:17 am

Just an Update on 34053:

Obviously, the Coronavirus Pandemic situation brought everything at Herston Works to a halt in March. However, I am reliably informed that the Works will be reopening on and from 3rd August.

The 'bottom end' Overhaul on 'Sir Keith Park' at Tyseley was completed in late March, just before 'Lockdown' was imposed. Swanage Railway (quite understandably) did not want to take delivery of a Locomotive that was going to sit there, out in the open, in the salty Swanage air with little prospect of it being used for many months, if at all, during 2020.

Therefore, it has been agreed that the Locomotive will be moved later this year and stored, in a secure Locomotive Shed (75F) at the Spa Valley Railway, Tunbridge Wells West.

The Tender for 'Sir Keith Park' requires attention to the spring support brackets and this will be carried out at Tyseley before the move of the Locomotive to the Spa Valley Railway.

Who knows what the future holds for Heritage Railways post Covid-19? We can only hope that we can soon return to (a new) 'normality', whatever that will be.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Minty4371 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:23 am

Thank you for the update Ray. I hope that the preserved lines can survive the unplanned shutdown.
Hope you are keeping well, and that you can get back to working on the steam locomotives as soon as it is possible. May you take care, stay safe and stay healthy.
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 11:57 am

Thank you for your kind words, Robert and I wish you the same. Yes, I am well and still trying to 'do the right thing'. I hope that you are also keeping well.
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Minty4371 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 12:08 pm

Thank you Ray. Glad you are keeping well. I am OK. I am limiting my time out as I have to wear a mask when I travel on a bus. Haven't been on a train since 14 March 2020. I have been photographing stuff at my local station (photos on my Flickr page).
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Dougs » Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:27 pm

Thanks for the update, I for one will be back at GCR as soon as it opens back up properly. Nice to see SKP is going to be stored properly. All the best Doug
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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:49 pm

Thank you Doug. Good to hear from you again.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby Sooty655 » Fri Jul 10, 2020 7:33 pm

Seeing Doug mention the GCR, thought this might be of interest.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Sat Jul 11, 2020 10:44 am

Thank you Sooty. Amazing work! :ymapplause:

I have been following the progress of the 'Great Central Railway Reunification' work with great interest. There is a very good article about it in the current Issue (507) of 'STEAM Railway Magazine' (Pages 40 - 45 incl.).

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Sun Sep 06, 2020 4:32 pm

34053 'Sir Keith Park' arrived, earlier this week, at her new 'home': Tunbridge Wells West MPD [75F] at the Spa Valley Railway.

There is going to be a special 'Sir Keith Park Steam Locomotive Launch Weekend' on 12th & 13 September to commemorate 'Battle of Britain Day' (15th September). See the following Link for full details:

https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/prod ... 8ec9bce3ba

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Fri Sep 18, 2020 12:23 pm

Following the Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain this week (September 15th) this is just a reminder about the man after whom this Locomotive is named:

Named after Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Rodney Park GCB; KBE; MC and Bar; DFC; RAF (15th June 1892 – 6th February 1975. He was born in Thames, near Auckland, New Zealand, the son of a Scottish Geologist, Professor James Livingstone Park and his wife Frances.

Keith Park joined the New Zealand Artillery when war broke out in 1914, transferring to the Royal Artillery in 1915 and served in France for twelve months. In 1916 (after being wounded on the Somme and classed as ‘unfit to ride a horse’) he applied for a pilot’s position in the new ‘Royal Flying Corps’ (RFC). This was accepted and after flight training, he joined 48 Squadron in July 1917. He finished the war, still with the RFC and was at the ‘birth’ of the ‘Royal Air Force’ in 1918.

In the First World War, Keith Park was an ace fighter pilot and took part in the ‘Gallipoli Campaign’ and the ‘Battle of the Somme’.

During the Second World War, he was Senior Commander in the Royal Air Force and was in tactical command of two of the most significant air battles – the ‘Battle of Britain’ (1940; where he was in command of No 11 Group RAF) and the ‘Battle of Malta’ (1942 – 1943). In 1945, under Mountbatten, he was Allied Commander-in-Chief of South East Asia.

Keith Park served in the Royal Air Force between 1911 and 1946.

Lord Tedder (Chief of the Royal Air Force) stated in 1947 about Keith Park:
‘If any one man won the Battle of Britain, he did. I do not believe it is realised how much this one man, with his leadership, his calm judgement and his skill, did to save, not only this country, but the world’.


The 'Battle of Britain Class' Locomotive was named by Sir Keith Park himself, during a Ceremony held at Brighton Railway Station, on 19th September 1947.

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Re: Restoration of Locomotive 34053 'Sir Keith Park'

Postby 34053 » Sun Oct 11, 2020 2:35 pm

The arrival of 'Sir Keith Park' at the Spa Valley Railway has been a great success. All trips in September were a total sell out!

There is an upcoming Special Event this month: The 'Sir Keith Park' Steam Weekend on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th October. See the Link below for details:

https://www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk/prod ... 7015bccfc1

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