PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE OVERHAUL OF JOAN, DURING WINTER 1997/8, AT WINDMILL ANIMAL FARM, LANCASHIRE.

{Workshop view, in final stages of dismantling}

During the early stages of the project, enthusiasm prevailed and anything that could be taken apart was. Even the two front buffers were detached and cleaned up.

{Wheels after having been turned}

Most of the important achievements were made by the professionals on the job, Austin Moss, Steve Bell, and Colin Gibbons, who turned all the loco's wheelsets.

{Chassis on Austin's trailer, with goats}

Having remetalled the main axleboxes, they had to be aligned properly in the horns before being machined.  This entailed taking the bare chassis (by then properly painted) thus to Austin's home workshop.  It was heavy!  I wonder what the more normal residents of Windmill Farm made of this?  At this point (late January 1998) it required some faith that we would be back in steam in May.

{Rolling chassis nicely painted}

Some confidence returned when the rolling chassis started taking shape, with cylinders back in place.

{First steaming}

It was a relief when Steve Bell was able to open the regulator again on 3rd May 1998....

{First run with windmill in background}

....and off we went for an experimental run past the windmill.

Link: The Windmill Farm Railway

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