The 6th Joint Open Day Report 11th April 2026
April 11th saw both locomotive groups located at Diamond Engineering (formerly CTL Seal Ltd.) ready to welcome visitors. Each of the previous Open Days had broken the previous year's attendance record and this event proved to be now exception with 758 passing through door, a mix of paying visitors (659) with the rest members of either organisation.
In the days leading up to the event, you would obviously suspect a lot of preparation went into it. For this year, we were intent on getting the Smokebox door back up on the frames, as in 2025, we had the Wrapper on the frames on a temporary wooden wrapper and many of the Smokebox Door parts on display around the buffer beam, whilst at the Greatest Gathering at Derby in August, the entire door assembly was displayed. In the time following, CTL Seal’s Fabrication Shop ordered two extra rings, a rear reinforcing ring and a front reinforcing ring. The latter was welded to the main ring and that assembly welded into the Wrapper. Next, the hinge blocks were bolded on and the hinges themselves riveted to the door. Next, the door retaining bar blocks were welded inside the Wrapper and finally the Smokebox Door was able to be mounted onto the hinges, the retaining bar fitted and the door locked for the first time using the newly added Dart and Dart Handles.
In the meantime, Daniela (DWL) finished machining the chimney casting, again, an exhibit the previous year and shipped it back down to Sheffield, along with the fully finish machined Cannonboxes and the Crank Sweep Webs, only recently finish machined after being forged by Somers Forge.
On arrival at Sheffield, the chimney was temporarily mounted on the Wrapper and the whole hoisted back onto the frames. Exhibit one ready!
Nicely on time, Somers Forge delivered the two Plain Axles, items that had been eagerly awaited. These, along with the Sweep Webs were displayed on palettes on front and slightly under the buffer beam.
Then the Cab. Not even started last year, much progress had been made in the intervening months, with the LNER drawings scanned in, converted to CAD, which were then used to create modern engineering drawings. Elvar Engineering in Buckinghamshire have worked miracles in getting the basics of the cab ready, on a jig representing the rear of 61673’s chassis. Although not finished, the cab had reached a stage where it could be transported safely for display, so shipping was arranged. Once at Sheffield and already in grey primer, our painter Phil Anderson, who had previously painted the buffer beam in 2024 and the entire chassis last year, painted the number 61673 on both sides, lined and added the Route Availability number.
Adding a painted Driving Wheel (the others staying in the stores) and a 5” working model of a B17 Arsenal, loaned by the Chelmsford Model Engineers, completed the display. Added to our normal shop selling out branded goods and a display from the University of Sheffield’s RCAS team of their winning 2024 locomotive (in the iMechE Railway Challenge) and the scene was set for a truly important Open Day. Little remains left to get the various items ready to ship to South Devon Engineering. With the Tyres and the Timken Tapered Roller Bearings already there, it remains just to get the final components of the crank axle to be machined (the Inner Crank Pin and Stub Axles along with the Coupled Axleboxes), the balance weight containers (these have been designed) and the six crank pins (currently in design).
The collection of OO B17 locomotives left to the Trust as part of a legacy.
January 2022: A New Way of Working
On 26th January 2022, The B17 Steam Locomotive Trust met with Ricardo Rail and five other new-build projects (A1 Trust, Patriot, Clan, G5, and General Steam Navigation) to establish a common format for Main Line Certification Risk Assessments.
This collaboration will establish a shared pathway for new-build mainline projects, helping secure the long-term future of mainline steam in the UK by sharing collective knowledge, technical solutions, and third-party costs.
December 2021: Tender Donation (61662 Appeal)
Following the winding down of the 61662 Manchester United project, their ex-B1 tender (No. 4166) has been generously donated to the Trust. While requiring a thorough strip-down and a new tank, the frame structure is in excellent condition and will serve as the preferred choice for Spirit of Sandringham’s mainline running.
October 2020: MP Miriam Cates Visits Sheffield
Two days after our arrival at CTL Seal, Miriam Cates MP (Penistone and Stocksbridge) visited the project. Chairman Brian Hall outlined the construction phases and our successful STEM education programme conducted with schools in Essex.
The Big Move: Llangollen to Sheffield
In October 2020, we successfully navigated Covid-19 restrictions to relocate the static chassis and tender assets to CTL Seal Ltd in Sheffield. The facilities at Sheffield, including heavy overhead craneage, provide a professional environment for the next phase of the build.
Tender Logistics & Track Panels
To accommodate our growing fleet of three tenders, a volunteer team (including friends from the Clan Project) constructed 75ft of track panels using flat-bottomed rail and concrete sleepers.
Sir Rod Stewart CBE becomes Patron
We are delighted to announce that legendary entertainer Sir Rod Stewart CBE has accepted an invitation to become our Patron. A lifelong railway enthusiast and modeler, Sir Rod’s support is a fantastic boost for the project.
His connection to the class is particularly apt given the 'Footballer' names; Sir Rod is a passionate Glasgow Celtic fan, whose ground is just four miles from the works where the first B17s were built in 1928.
Visit Rod Stewart Fan Club News