Ring Haw Boiler Lift
PROGRESS MADE ON THE REFURBISHMENT OF THE MIDLAND AND GREAT NORTHERN JOINT RAILWAY SOCIETY’S LOCOMOTIVE RING HAW
THE Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society is pleased to announced that the boiler lift for their Hunslet 0-6-0ST locomotive No. 1982, Ring Haw has been carried out successfully prior to the boiler’s overhaul.
The lift was carried out at the North Norfolk Railway’s Weybourne site where the boiler will now enter the Boiler shop in due course for the work to be carried out. The lift was carried out by the Society's recently refurbished mobile crane, known as Horace.
Neil Sharpe, the Charmain of the M&GN Society said: “This is an important day, for the Society as it marks two important events in one. Firstly, the next stage of the restoration of Ring Haw and secondly the return to service after refurbishment of our crane Horace”.
It is planned that the chassis for Ring Haw will be sent away to a contractor for refurbishment. Currently the Society is awaiting quotations, before agreeing a start date with the chosen contractor. The Society is aiming for Ring Haw to return to service on the North Norfolk Railway during 2024.
Horace is a Grove Allen H404 crane dating from around 1971, which was acquired by the society in 2013. The crane has a lifting capacity of up to 40 tons and has just returned into service after a two year refurbishment. During the refurbishment all the electrics and hydraulic systems were overhauled and a new set of tyres and batteries fitted, together with the crane being repainted into a ‘Blood and Custard’ livery.
ENDS
For further details please contact the M&GN Joint Railway Society's Press Officer Peter Singlehurst. email peter.singlehurst@mandgn.org
NOTES TO EDITORS
· The Midland and Great Northern (M&GN) Joint Railway Society was founded in October 1959 after the closure of the majority of the M&GN system on the 28th February 1959.
· The Society is the supporting charity of the North Norfolk Railway and also the major shareholder the NNR PLC, the operating company. The objectives of the society, in addition to supporting the NNR, is to preserve, display and operate a wide range of historical artefacts which include four steam locomotives and many unique carriages and wagons.
· Ring Haw was built by the Hunslet Engine Company in1940 to work at the Nassington Ironstone Quarries near Peterborough. during its working life it was used to haul up to four iron ore tipplers out of the quarries to the dispatch sidings to make up longer trains ready to be picked up to be taken away on the mainline.
· Ring Haw was used at the quarry until 1970 when it closed and therefore was with another similar locomotive the last steam locomotives to work in ironstone quarries in England.
· Ring Haw moved to the North Norfolk Railway in 1970 and was purchased from the NNR by the Society during Apri 2020.