The 563 team visited the Flour Mill on Friday to meet with the team working on the engine and discuss the next steps with the boiler inspector.
The Flour Mill team have carefully extracted the inner firebox which will now be preserved and eventually moved to the railway to be exhibited. In the meantime it will serve as a pattern.
All this progress has pointed to the fact that the 563 team and Flour Mill now feel that the engine is restorable and we will work with the owner, the SRT to formulate plans going forward into 2019.
Any overhaul will be subject to the SRT consent and be subject to successful fundraising so it’s return to steam isn’t a forgone conclusion at this stage, however we are optimistic…