Whilst work continues on infrastructure plus carriage and waggon work at the Corris Railway away from the Dulas Valley work also continues on construction of the next steam locomotive destined to operate narrow gauge trains on the revived CR.
Work on Corris number 10 is underway at the Alan Keef workshops and is progressing as fund-raising allows. Pending delivery from South Africa of the steel tyres for the driving wheels work has been carried out on the driving wheel centres, drilling them ready for the crank pins to be fitted. Work is also underway by volunteers, working in conjunction with Keef’s, on the trailing pony truck for the 0-4-2 saddle tank engine. In addition patterns and core boxes to allow casting of the cylinders have been delivered to a foundry, for costing and production. The completed frames are at Alan Keef’s whilst the boiler for the new loco can be seen at Maespoeth Junction on days when the Corris is operating passenger services.
Number 10 will be a 21st century recreation of Corris Railway numbers 1 to 3, which were originally constructed in Loughborough in 1878. One of the original trio, number 3, worked until the closure of the Corris in 1948 and since the 1950’s has served the neighbouring Talyllyn Railway where it has retained its Corris number and has been named “Sir Haydn”. The former saddle tank from number 3 is in use as a king-sized collecting box at Maespoeth Jnc, raising funds for its descendent.
Funds for the construction of Number 10 are being raised by sales of goods and by donations which can be made online via www.corris.co.uk or by post to Peter Guest, 38 Underwood Close, Callow Hill, Redditch, Worcs, B97 5YS.