According to RAIL 515:
The UK Alco Group was launched on May 24th at Railworld, Peterborough and aims to restore ALCo s1 switcher, 804. The group has acquired many spare parts, and is set to restore 804 following 21 years of store after it’s donation in 1986. The Bo-Bo was one of five S1’s delivered new to the Steel Company of Wales in 1950 for use at Port Talbot steelworks.
It’s nice to see some of the few American locos we got over here preserved. I always wonder what happened to the…I think it was an SW6 that Foster Yeoman had at their quarry in Somerset. (FY were the company that went on to buy GM Class 59s in the late 80s - their success led to the WC-owned [at the time] EWS mass purchase of an updated GM loco, the Class 66, to the extent, we see very little else at the head of a freight train anymore.)
I’m afraid I was only 5 when the ALCo’s were withdrawn so I don’t have any photos myself and a googlesearch didn’t bring anything up. Again, referances to the FY switcher, but no pictures. I have one in a book somewhere…
Here’s a 59 at the Doncaster 150 event in 2003 (Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the LNER’s main loco works)
and the ever ubiquotous Class 66:
For photos of 804 - works 77778 - http://alco-s1.fotopic.net
For a photo of 77777 - www.preservedshunters.co.uk and follow the navigation through “builders.”
Glad to see we have some other folks in the Alco restorers club! As one of the other posts mentioned we are in the process of restoring S3 at the WCRA Park in Squamish BC Canada. It is up& running and is half way through a repaint in CPR tuscan & grey livery .
We have just had a mechanical inspection done & have a few items to address.
Have you been able to start your unit yet? or are you still checking it out? Keep us posted on progress hope you can make a go of it .
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Well it’s not actually me you need to thank, as I’m an armchair supporter, but I’m sure the owner of the fotopic site, who is the man behind the project, would welcome some transatlantic support!
I most certainly would welcome overseas support, both technical and financial if possible.
The project is just starting to take off. We now have a signed agreement with the locos owner and are now custodians of it.
I have acquired several manuals and wiring diagrams are on their way to me also.
We are lucky in that the loco is 99% complete and comes with a whole host of spares, including a set of trucks and a spare engine block!
The fotopic gallery was just a way of garning interest in the project. We hope to have a more comprehensive website up and running soon, likely to be at www.ukalcogroup.co.uk . Be patient though - our first meeting will be at (or in a pub nearby) Railworld, Peterborough, UK.
For more up to date info on the project and details on how to join go to our yahoogroup and join in the discussion. Also look at the archive messages to see whats been discussed so far. - http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ALCo-s1-804/
Michael Ratledge
aka ‘Rugby Town’
UKAG