News Archive entries for December 2015

Here are the diary entries for this month. You can use the forward and backward links to see the next or previous months. Most photos taken before 2018 are small size. From 2018 onwards, most photos you see below will have a link to a full size image by clicking on the photo.

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Appeal
07/12/2015
	As you can see on this website and in the railway press this year has seen the project progress in leaps and bounds. Our first major assemblies have been shown to the world at the Great Central Railway (where they will remain on display next year at Quorn apart with the exception of a few visits to other events). This last order of components takes us tantalisingly close to achieving the frame assembly in 2016. The frame assembly will cost in the region of £100,000 which will include the final machining of parts, assembly and alignment of the frames and the last few components required to complete the assembly. The final machining has been left until the assembly stage to allow for the larger castings to 'weather' and destress which will minimise future deformation that can occur using 'green' (ie fresh from the foundry) castings. Any donation, big or small, one off or regular donations will help us all achieve the goal of seeing a lost class recreated and running on the mainline where she belongs. Together we CAN achieve the extraordinary. Donations can be made here on the website http://theclanproject.org/donations for any amount. All of the donations go towards the locomotive build. Struggling to find a gift for a friend or family member who is a fan of engineering and/or steam locomotives? Annual membership to The CLAN Project starts at only £15 and includes a bi-annual Project Newsletter 'Clan News' and the latest news sent direct to your email address as it happens. Members who make regular donations are also entered into the 'Warlord of the South' exclusive print reward. 'Warlord of the South' was painted for us, and donate to us, by artist Julie West. Regular donators whose donation reach £1000 automatically receive one of these prints. One more thing... As we head into the last days of 2015 we would like to thank each and every one of our supporters and followers. The `CLAN` Project is run entirely by volunteers and supported by hundreds of you from all walks of life. 2015 has been a year of having components manufactured, having the smokebox assembly put together for display and getting all of our parts in order ready for the assembly. A lot of projects start with a set of frames and then add the additional components such as the motion brackets at a later date. With the components in store and on order, together with the smokebox assembly the locomotive will take shape extremely quickly. A temporary mount will be made for the cab for display purposes but will actually be one of the final components to be attached as the cab mounts onto the boiler rather than the frames. Many thanks from all of us, Many Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all
End of year message from our President
18/12/2015
	Dear All, I would just like to thank everyone for all of their efforts and hard work this year, with regards to all things HENGIST. We have had a good year with the project moving onwards. The cab was beautifully refurbished and was successfully exhibited at the Welland Steam Fair in Malvern during the summer - where, despite the rainy weather, it attracted much favourable comment. Indeed we have been invited to attend next year and to bring along another major component to show off to the world of steam enthusiasts. Other good news was the completion of the smokebox assembly at Rileys, which looks really magnificent, and along with the cab, is now on public display at Quorn Station on the GCR. These two items are waving the flag to the outside world that the Clan Project has arrived and is moving onwards. We are not resting on our laurels however and are working hard to complete the frame assembly which is progressing well. As our 'kit of parts' is now growing substantially, I feel that the time has now arrived for us to locate a suitable site for us to establish a base for the assembly of the many components and pre-assembled parts of HENGIST. This must be achieved next year if we are to show to the world that we are still a credible organisation. We need to find a place which is fairly central, under cover, has access to machinery and ideally has access to 'test track' running-in facilities and ultimately with Network Rail. Once the frames have been assembled as a rolling chassis, we don't want any of that malarkey of road-transporter movement - which puts needless stresses on the frames, causing cracking problems, which has been actively demonstrated with other locomotives. So keep the fund raising activities going hard and strong and don't leave it to someone else to do it - we can all help. In the meantime, I wish everyone a very Festive Season and a very Happy New Year. My Very best wishes to you all. James S. Baldwin President The Clan Project
End of year message from our Patron, The Hon Sir William McAlpine, Bt
20/12/2015
	2015 has been a good year for the Clan Project with the refurbishment of the cab and the completion of the smokebox assembly now on display at Quorn Station at the Great Central Railway. A lot is going on behind the scenes acquiring various components, but these two particular items show the world that we are moving forward. I very much enjoyed having the Clan Project at the Fawley Hill 'steam up' a couple of years ago and very much look forward to having the Clan Project stand at the Fawley Hill event next year, which will celebrate my 80th Birthday. I hope that arrangements may be put in hand to bring along either the Cab or the smokebox assembly to this event, to show the world that the Clan Project is steaming forward. May I thank everyone involved in this project for their efforts this year and wish them a very prosperous 2016. Yours The Hon Sir William McAlpine, Bt