So much for the plan!

Well, the title of my last blog was 'I love it when a plan comes together'. Well, the euphoria of having two long term projects on the home straight was brought down to Earth with a metaphorical thump on Sunday (7 April). Luckily nothing to do with the two projects that are now within touching distance of the finish line but more to do with the best laid plans.

The Sunday was due to be a meeting of our Department management team however a number of people had already offered apologies but, Andy, our HoD, was keen to crack on. On arrival I found a very stressed Andy who was in the throes of calling the meeting off. Neil C had been sequestered to be replacement DMU Driver for the day leaving just the four of us. The decision was well and truly taken from Andy about 5 minutes later as James Edwards (our Ops Officer for the day) came thundering through the mess room door; equally stressed. 2807 had been declared a failure with a hot bearing and was limping back to Toddington, therefore James was after a diesel crew to fire up a replacement. The only Driver in attendance (other than Neil, already on the DMU) was Steve M however only the Class 73 had had its return to service protocols finished that Steve was cleared to Drive. Just as we debated E6036 being fired up for a rare passenger foray Mark E, who is a Class 47 Driver, pulled up and was quickly volunteered to fire up 47376 'Freightliner 1995', the only other loco that had had all its exams completed. I joined Mark as Secondman and we ventured out to meet the ailing steam engine and continue the service on to Broadway.

In the murk of mid-morning 47376 heads off shed to take over from an ailing 2807.

At Broadway ready to depart with the 'Cotswold Express'.

The chaos didn't end there! A couple of signal failures,and trespassers on the line meant that, by the end of that day, everyone had certainly been through the wringer! On getting back to Todd, Mark had to shoot off for an engagement so I disposed of the '47'. In the yard Steve, Andy, Tony along with two 'newbies', John and Dave were completing a mammoth shunt with D5343 and E6036. At some stage a collection of VAA and Ferry Vans had been brought down from Broadway. Although not necessarily owned by the groups, these contained a lot of spares for a number of the locos in our fleet and, with storage space now being more readily available at Toddington, they were brought down to be emptied before being returned to Broadway. One of the vans was to stay at Toddington but needed to be shunted out of the rake. It also meant moving around a new arrival!

Andy at the helm of D5343 propelling the CDRL's new acquisition.

Andy positions the new TSL, W59505, onto Road 6.

The mortal remains of 20035 sit awaiting their fate.

Even at 6pm the murk was still hanging around. D5343 and E6036 tick over as the shunt progresses.

During the previous week the Cotswold Diesel Railcar group announced the arrival of a new vehicle. TSL W59505 arrived from MOD Long Marston although mystery surrounded why it had arrived. Would it form a three car unit with the two power cars (Class 107 DMS, Sc52029, and Class 117 DMBS, W51372)? Or would it go into the present three car rake and make it a four car? Well, it would appear that it is the latter that will happen although when this will happen is not known. The vehicle is in fairly good condition externally although it will need a fair amount of work internally. With DMS W51405 still due back at Carriage and Wagon to complete its refit it could be some time before the three car becomes a four car.

Another announcement from last week was the news that English Electric Type 3, D6948, is due to head to our friends at the West Somerset Railway at the end of April until July to take part in their Diesel Gala but also to give the railway a few more options with its diesel fleet. For those of you that haven't been keeping up with developments in all things heritage, the WSR have had a rough time of late and have seen their axle loading severely reduced due to problems with their infrastructure. It has meant that a fair number of their motive power fleet are now not clear to run. As one of D6948's owners is also a member of the WSR an agreement has been reached for it to go on holiday. However, it will travel without its boiler which has been removed to survey the extent of the damage done at New Year and to sort out a repair strategy. The boiler had been removed a few weeks previously and had been carefully stripped to gain access to the coil. This was the cause of the problem........

How can something so small cause so many problems?!! 

The boiler coil removed from D6948.

Luckily, it should be repairable and should see D6948's boiler back in steam for the autumn/winter with all things being well. With its impending use in service and then its visit to Bishops Lydeard confirmed, my job on the 30th March was to clean the outside. With the weather set fine I had the loco dragged outside into the sunshine. Armed with rags, hose and steps I set to work. I must admit I hate cleaning my car....having to clean 109 tonnes of prime Class 37 was no picnic either, but it is an essential part of ensuring the locos look their best but, as you are up close and personal, the process can also be used to identify any possible issues with bodywork and the underframe- definitely not a problem with D6948!

BR Green always looks good in the sun!! 

Elsewhere on the 30th, Class 26, D5343, was out in the yard fresh from its corrosion repairs. Several members of the owning group were present making a start on the Fitness to Run and 'B' Exam. The batteries were also charged.

D5343 has its batteries charged in company with the 'Manor'.

Tim L was also present, initially with David M on the ongoing restoration of 1693. David had spent the last few weeks prepping the bogie frames for their first coats of new paint. He had already sprayed on the first lot of primer and was now occupied with the first layer of undercoating.

David M gets to grips with the paint sprayer on 30/3. 

1693 has had a lot of its sanding and filling completed around the cabs and has had the metal work primed and there is also more progression with the preparation and corrosion repairs on the roof sections. Tim had helped me to extract D6948 from the shed and, at the same time, we had dragged 47376 out into the sunshine so that Tim could complete the 'B' Exam. A rather fortuitous move as it turned out!!

'B' Exam in the sun for 47376. The 'real' Class 04, D2280, sits on the adjacent road.

37215 was resident at the back of Road 10, a spot that 5081 had called home for the best part of 18 months. Preparatory work had been carried out to allow the loco to be moved to the David Page shed quickly when the jacks next become free. The Growler Group had sent an SOS to the SRPS at Bo'ness to borrow their lifting brackets as the GG ones had disappeared but the securing mechanisms and brake chains have been disconnected in readiness. SRPS kindly agreed and they arrived today (11/04) - many thanks to all at SRPS.

37215 unsecured from, and resting on, its bogies before its scheduled lift.

We also had Class 24, 5081, back in the shed after its reintegration with its overhauled second bogie.

5081 back on its own, overhauled bogies. Plenty of work still to do before testing can be undertaken. 

The drop went well but now everything has to be put back together. In the picture, above, you can see the new slack adjusters on the ground which, along with the rest of the braking system, needs to be refitted and calibrated before more rigorous tests can be carried out. Still on track for the gala, though!

We now fast forward to this week. Wednesday (10/04) saw a third visit in two weeks for me - a rarity so far in 2019! I was rostered on D6948 with Peter Smith, who was being assessed by Kev Jarvis. We would be out on the PURPLE timetable - the last trip of the day. Also present were members of the Brush Type 4 Group - Tim, 'H' and Mark S - who were going to make use of the continued fine weather and get 1693 under the small A Frame crane down in the yard. 'H' had already fired up D2280 and, with the process of getting the Class 47 out of the shed requiring some shunting about, Tim decided that a full shunt of the shed to get all the locos in the correct places for the coming weeks would be prudent.

In its coat of many colours, 1693 is pulled out of the shed by the Class 04.

With things being shunted about, it wasn't possible to get on and prep the loco early or to clean the cabs that had accumulated a number of scuffs, boot prints and various other marks. By the time the shunt was completed it was nearly time to get ready for service, so a quick walk around the loco followed by an early lunch.

Something is missing......but, can't think what it is!

In the engine room of D6948, the void left by the removed boiler. The electrical conduits haven't seen the light of day (or dimness of the engine room) since sometime in 2015! It did strike me just how much room the boiler does take up, although, with 37215 having no boiler, it shouldn't have been too much of a surprise.

Elsewhere, Tim, 'H' and Mark had disappeared into the David Page shed. Earlier in the day, Chris (from the 'DES' team) had popped into the messroom to ask if anyone was free to operate the jacks. Over the weekend 'DES' had been shunted into the steam shed and on to the jacks to have its centre wheel refitted. Sadly, the job wasn't completed, so Chris had come up to see if anyone could lend a hand. As I wandered in to have a nose, the four of them were easing 'DES' down towards its refurbished centre axle. Having helped drop 5081's bogie frame down onto its axles I wasn't surprised that it was an inch by inch job in order to line everything up as it should.

'DES' propped up on its lifting beam.

Tim and Chris (hidden by Tim) survey the lining up of the axle box with the frame.

Checking it is going in straight and true. 

At this point I had to leave to go and get ready for duty but, on returning home, I had a Facebook notification from the 'Yorkshire Engine Co 2760 (DES) Restoration Group' (to give them full credit!) announcing that the loco was successfully lowered onto the axle during the afternoon. This is great news for the small group who can now look forward to refitting the rods and brake gear before giving it a test. Keeping fingers crossed.