Birmingham-based Techniswage (
www.techniswage.co.uk) has completed a contract for the North Norfolk Railway’s locomotive restoration centre.
It was asked to manufacture 28 super-heater flue tubes and reduce the ends to make them fit into the boiler-plate, as part of a restoration project.
The engine in question is 90775 — a WD Austerity 2-10-0 heavy-freight steam loco of a type that was introduced in 1943.
The company’s managing director, Paul Fellows (pictured), said: “Using a hydraulic end former, we reduced the ends of the 4,860mm-long tubes from 130mm in diameter to 104mm.”
Peter Phillips from North Norfolk Railway said: “Techniswage were great, right from the beginning when discussing the technical details through to the delivery of the finished products. It was a very quick process, and I was really pleased with the result.”
Steam locomotive 90775 was originally sent abroad to work but was repatriated for preservation in 1984 and has been working on the North Norfolk Railway since 2003.
Its restoration commenced in January last year and is currently focused on the boiler. The project is expected to take up to five years and cost around £250,000.