In 1984, Architect and Society Member Brian Thompson was persuaded to take an interest in 3650, and further dismantling commenced. First the tanks were removed followed by the cladding in July, 1984. The boiler was removed by August 1986, followed by the wheels on the 6th August 1987.
Six new tyres were purchased, to replace the worn ones but it was found that even though worn, the originals could still be turned to the correct profile with enough metal left for yet one more future turning. The six new tyres are now stored for use either by 3650 or another 4' 7¹/₂" loco in the Didcot fleet.

By this time, Brian had designed and project managed the building of the new 4 road workshop behind the lifting shop, and as part of the deal, had the first loco, 3650, now stripped to its frames moved in on No1 road by the autumn of 1987. About this time a restoration team started to form, and restoration commenced.

Work at this time centered around the drag box area under the bunker which had suffered considerable wastage due to the effects of dilute sulphuric acid, a bi-product of rain soaking through coal over time.

View through the frames from where the boiler would sit. You can see right through to the rear buffer beam with the drag box removed. Dec 1987.		View from the drivers side with new drag box components being assembled prior to welding and later rivetting. Jan 1988.

Buy the spring of 1988 work was under way on the cab sides and center flooring, drivers side steps, bunker and sand boxes all of which required either replacing or major amounts of new plate.

The finished bunker after a coat of red oxide paint. The bunker was rivetted over the three day period of the August bank holiday. Photo;- 4th September 1988.		New steps and part of the running plate and hanging frame that needed replacing. 19th November 1988. It was doing this job that we found we could not get the air delivery rate for the rivet guns using long hoses.

It was during this period we experienced our first hold up. Riveting the bunker with 50 yards of hose and a small riveting gun didn't prove too much of a problem, but the air delivery rate for the bigger gun to rivet 3/4 & 7/8" rivets just wasn't enough to form the rivet head before it had cooled. We spent the next couple of months into the new year of 1989 installing an air system in the new works. This held up finishing riveting the back end and putting on the bunker and cab roof which by this time had also been completed.

With new air system installed, riveting started in earnest on 3rd June 1989. By the 21st, the drag box, cab floor angles, drivers side steps and new buffer beam were complete, and the cab roof and bunker bolted down.

The rest of the year was taken up with plenty of machining of new bushes and pins for the suspension and brake gear. Sanding and cylinder cock rodding was refurbished or replaced. The smoke box door ring was repaired and a start made on the new smoke box itself. Preliminary measurements were taken and calculations made so that a start could be made on refurbishment of the axle boxes. The year ended with a 50th Birthday cum Christmas party for the engine (complete with cake) where a good time was had by all at Didcot.

On to 1990 - 1995