British Railways Standard Class 5 No. 73129 with Caprotti valve gear

British Railways Standard Class 5 No. 73129. It is the only

surviving Standard Class 5 built by British Railways which

 was fitted with Caprotti valve gear. 73129 was outshopped

 from Derby Works in August 1956. It was one of 30 built

 fitted with Caprotti valve gear.

 

 

Here at Bridgenorth on the Severn Valley Railway

 

It certainly slipped a little getting the train underway

 

The sharpness of the beat is very noticeable as the

valve events are quicker with poppet valves

 

Restoration was started on a limited scale on 73129 shortly

 after the locomotive arrived at the then Midland Railway

Centre, now Midland Railway - Butterley, in 1975 although

 work began to tail off in around 1985. In late 1993, restoration

 began in earnest. This took over a decade. The first fire in 73129's

 firebox since 1967 was lit at 3.25 pm on 22 February 2004.