double headed at bo'ness

This was one from my video collection that I videoed back in 1998 and that you will never see again this was when No.1 Lord Roberts and No. 673 (65243) “Maude” double headed at the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Driver instructor Bill Warren and his trainee James Robertson kindly invited me to join them on the footplate of 'Maude' for a memorial super trip on a magnificent old locomotive.
If you have supported the Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway over the years thank you so much and please keep supporting our wonderful railway thanks for watching take care and keep safe .
Some history below :- No. 673 (65243) "MAUDE"
In 1915 the engine was rebuilt at Cowlair works by Reid, Holmes successor, with a slightly larger boiler along with most of the engines of the J36 class.

In November 1917 it was loaned to the ROD for use in France during the First World War. It returned from France in June 1919 to return to service on the NBR where it gained the name Maude after Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, who had commanded the successful British forces in Mesopotamia until his death from cholera in 1917.

BR motive power depot allocations.

Date Arrived Depot
1st January 1948 Haymarket
September 1963 Dalry Road
January 1964 Bathgate
65243 was withdrawn from service in July 1966 by which time the locomotive was the target of an appeal by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) who bought it from BR for £1,250. The BR asking price had been £1,900.

Victorian goods trains travelled slowly and had no continuous brake, and so when built 673 was provided with only a handbrake and a steam brake which worked on the wheels of the locomotive. When additional braking power was needed, the driver might whistle for the guard, in the brake van at the far end of the train, to apply his handbrake. Lack of a continuous brake limited the engine to working goods trains. Some locomotives of the class were fitted with continuous brake equipment, and after SRPS bought the locomotive they acquired a full set of vacuum brake equipment from a classmate (65345) and fitted this to Maude to enable it to operate passenger trains.

In addition, a replacement front buffer beam (also from 65345) was fitted as the original had been damaged when the engine had been used on snow ploughing duties.

In 1980 the locomotive returned to the main line when it steamed to Liverpool and back, taking part in the celebrations of the 150th anniversary of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. The locomotive operated mainline railtours in the 1980s, including a series of very successful Santa Specials on the Edinburgh suburban line. Maude arrived at Bo’ness for a heavy overhaul in 1988, and resumed its role of workhorse, operating regularly on the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway.

The locomotive is currently on static display in the Museum of Scottish Railways in Bo’ness awaiting funds for a major overhaul having last steamed in 2002. The boiler is in good condition but will require re-tubing, but the cylinder and valve block requires replacement. It will also need new tyres, axle bearings, springs, as well as a new steam/vacuum brake valve.

NCB No.1 “Lord Roberts” works number NR 5710. ;- Some history below

Built by Neilson Reid of Glasgow in 1899 and sold to the Coltness Iron Co in 1902.
The locomotive came from the NCB Twechar Colliery. At present a registered “Thomas” locomotive which has been regularly hired to several other railways in Scotland and England. The locomotive has recently completed a major overhaul which has included new tyres and a complete rebuild of the boiler including a new firebox, significant new sections of the side sheets, back head, throat plate and repairs to the front tubeplate. A new smoke box has also been made together with a new chimney that was cast locally. The locomotive is now in traffic and is performing very well.