Polar Bear, from the Groudle Glen Railway on the Isle of Man, is a firm favourite with all the Museum's visitors, especially the younger generation, and is probably the locomotive most associated with Amberley.

As noted above, work on Polar Bear's refit continues and she is beginning to look like Polar Bear again instead of a bag of bits. The money generously donated by a number of people has yielded the result we wanted. At the moment, apart from a severe amount of stress when we tried to fit the smoke box cladding and chimney, everything has fitted back where it should. A new coat of bright yellow paint is being applied. The red and black bits will get done as well.

The livery lining on the cab front ...
Photo - Simon King

... and the side panels has been completed by our signwriter, Terry Smith. He'll be back to do the name on the tanksides in the new year.
Photo - John Stanton

John Stanton (back to camera) and Rod Devaney prepare Polar Bear for the hydraulic test.

This was carried out on Tuesday 16 April and involved filling the boiler with water and pumping up the pressure to 1½ times normal (maximum) working pressure (we run at 120 p.s.i.). Keep pumping Rod, we need more than that!

The gauge says it all.

In the meantime, Terry Smith had been back to sign-write the tank sides.

And, oh yes, we had a caption competition amongst the railway volunteers ...

... this was the winner.

Thanks to John Stanton, Jack Slaughter for the photos and Roger for the caption.

A relaunch event is to be incorporated into our summer Railway Gala Weekend, 13/14 July 2013 Those who donated towards the costs of the repairs will be invited to attend. We owe you.