South Devon Railway Engineering has a busy programme of locomotive overhauls scheduled from now (October 2011) onwards with a view to progressing 6412 towards completion for the 2013 season and to have both 5786 and 5542 back in traffic for the 2012 season.

To this end 6412 was re-wheeled this week. The major boiler rebuild is progressing well with the mainly new steel outer firebox plates now being riveted in to place. The next move will be to refit the inner firebox after some attention.

The major effort over the winter will be on 5542 (for owners 5542 Ltd) and 5786. 5542 came out of traffic in September and was delivered straight away to Buckfastleigh. Tanks, cladding and fittings have already been removed along with the small tubes. A new smokebox has already been made at Buckfastleigh complete with new door and smokebox door ring. The boiler will be taken out of the frames within the next week and put into the new boiler shop for work to begin..

5786 is owned by the Worcester Loco Society and leased to the South Devon Railway. It has just completed 10 years in traffic on the SDR. Having received an extensive overhaul last time round including major work on the boiler, when a new inner firebox was installed, it is hoped that no major problems will be found and the overhaul can be completed by early next season.

Alongside these loco overhauls the rest of the contract work programme will continue. The major rebuild of the boiler for Bulleid Pacific “Taw Valley” continues.