In 2016 Chris Hutchinson, from Alloa, Clackmannanshire, purchased the remains of a Super Sentinel steam waggon engine from the estate of the late John Keeley. The project has been to to rebuild the waggon using the engine and integral transmission as its basis. As far as could be determined from what few records and photographs remained, the engine belonged to waggon number 6982. Although there are approximately 50 Super Sentinels in preservation, it is still a relatively small number compared with the total number manufactured. Engine number 6982 could have been broken for spares but it has now been re-built into an overall design representative of the period. The project was undertaken by the owner, his son, his six grandchildren, both boys and girls aged 12-19 years, and an engineer based some 430 miles from the project location. Emphasis has been on trying to pass on skills and experience to the younger team members and to get them actively involved from design through to manufacture or refurbishment of components. Every effort has been made to re-create the blued steel cladding as used on the original boilers. The lion's share of the work has been done using original Sentinel drawings. Fabrication of the front apron cheek plates were formed by hand to match the one original sample that had survived. Two of those involved have used the project for the skills element of their Duke of Edinburgh Gold awards. Their work embraced acquiring both old and new skills including machining, hot riveting, welding, wood working, timber steaming and coach painting to name a few. The waggon is now complete and roadworthy. It is registered for the road as an historic vehicle. The active involvement of young people and the absolutely outstanding finished product is most impressive and the attention to detail whilst making it safer and easier to operate are to be commended. It is a very worthy winner of a National Transport Trust restoration award.
