The Churchward County Trust (CCT) has announced that the first set of coupled wheels have been cast for new build Great Western Railway (GWR) 3800 ‘Churchward’ “County” Class No.3840 “County of Montgomery”.
Trefoil Steel, based in Sheffield, received the order to produce the four coupled wheels for 3840 two months ago back in March 2021.
Following the delivery of the pattern, loaned to Trust from the Great Western Society at Didcot, Trefoil Steel started preparation work and poured the steel in April 2021.
Both wheels cast will form the trailing wheelset on “County of Montgomery”, with work underway to clean off excess steel.
The pattern loaned is currently having the centre boss size altered to suit the size required for the leading coupled wheels. Once finished, the second pair of wheels will be cast.
Coupled Wheel for 3840 County of Montgomery (Peter Morris / Trefoil Steel)
This work has been able to take place thanks to the members of Forty 4-4-0s Club, set up to raise the £40,000 needed to fund the construction of the coupled wheelsets for 3840.