As we move into July it means that the crowning jewel in our Diesel calendar is rapidly approaching. Of course, that means the 2022 GWSR Diesel Gala that will be held over the 29th, 30th and 31st July. This is the first 'proper' diesel gala since the visit of 50035 'Ark Royal' in 2019, thanks to Covid, and this year it will be a biggy as we welcome English Electric/Napier Type 5 'Deltic', 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' as our guest locomotive courtesy of the Deltic Preservation Society.
This will be the first time that a 'Deltic' has ever run on the Honeybourne to Cheltenham line, whether in BR days or in preservation so this is a huge first for the railway and we hope you will join us for a huge weekend of diesel running.
On top of the star attraction the Gala will also be the first for Class 47, 47105 since returning from it's extensive overhaul that was started in 2012.
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| 47105 in one of it's last gala appearances prior to withdrawal for an extensive overhaul. (Courtesy of Richard Drewitt). |
It will also see Class 20, 20228, making it's Gala debut on the GWSR although, sadly, it won't be running as the focus has been on completing the repairs to sister 20137. Instead, 20228 will be on static display either in the Diesel Shed, as part of the displays inside, or out in the car park at Toddington so that you will be able to see the thoroughness of the overhaul being conducted. However, as you will see further down, the BR Blue 'Chopper' is not far from being back in service....fingers crossed for later in the year!
And, that isn't all!! As you may recall, our Class 122 'Bubble Car', W55003 has been down at Carriage and Wagon in Winchcombe being repainted after the extensive body work had been completed. However, the work is nearing it's completion and, so, the 'Bubble' will mean that a second '55' will be involved as W55003 will also be on static display.
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| W55003 nears external completion as our colleagues at C&W near the end of the painting and varnishing on the 'Bubble' (Courtesy of Dave Clark) |
The internal areas within the 'Bubble' still need finishing but it is hoped that it will be back in action in 2023.
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| Before the advent of the TOPS panel, the data for DMU's was painted on the front. Here it is courtesy of the talents of Alex C. (Courtesy of Alex Caulfield) |
As well as the Class 122, our Carriage and Wagon colleagues have also been reupholstering some cab seats. I can only assume that they are for the Class 26.
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| Very smart. They won's stay that way for long! (Courtesy of Alex Caulfield). |
You can also keep up with things on our Social Feeds as well.
The Class 117 set has also had a bit of ongoing TLC. Although not planned to be in service again until the end of the summer peak, the set is scheduled or a couple of one off outings and so needs to be kept in serviceable condition. One of the main issues for the CDRL team has been stemming the march of corrosion as the set is kept outdoors.
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| A very wet and warm Toddington yard can play havoc with the metal work on our rolling stock. |
The work to stem the march of the corrosion has included the removal off, and treating the metal work before painting with anti-corrosion paint. This does give a bit of a patchwork look to the paint but its a small price to pay to hopefully minimise the risk of the 117 having to undergo heavy body work repair mid-season.
One loco we hope will be fighting fit for the Gala is Class 37, 37215. The Growler Group owned loco has been out of service since before Christmas after suffering a generator flashover. Work on repairing the damage and replacement of those parts has been completed and the Sunday just gone (3rd July) was the date chosen to test it out and check that everything was in order. It was a day of mixed news as the loco fired up without issue and was able to take power in 'Notch 1'.
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| Back in May, 37215 sits over the pit as it's traction motors and underside of the generator are checked for damage. (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis) |
Sadly, it appeared that the batteries were overcharging before the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) failed. A bit of a set back but the group have a spare AVR that can be fitted after electrical integrity tests are carried out. Fingers are well and truly crossed that the AVR swap will be successful and the loco's B Exam and test can be completed so that it can take it's place on the Gala roster.
At the end of June, 37215 had an anniversary. On the 23rd June 1994, a heavily robbed '215' arrived at Toddington from Inverness TMD on the back of an Allely's trailer to start it's new life in preservation.
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Still wearing it's final Trainload Petroleum livery, 37215 heads past Strensham Services on the M5(S) on the final stretch to Toddington. (Courtesy of Dean Tabor)
 | | The following day sees 37215 touchdown at it's new home. The yard at Toddington looks very different to what it does 28 years on! (Courtesy of Dean Tabor) |
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This wasn't the only anniversary in June as the 21st June 2003 saw the Brush Type 4 Fund's 47376 arrive at MoD Ashchurch (8-ish miles from Toddington) form Southampton Maritime where the loco had been dumped after failing and it's subsequent withdrawal from capital stock. Although in reasonable external condition, 47376's engine was unusable as the block was damaged when a piston dropped into the sump whilst working the 4O07 2027 Leeds - Southampton Freightliner service on 8th June 2001, so the group had also bought 47295 as a donor loco.
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| The body of 47295 at MoD Ashchurch after the transfer of it's engine to sister 47376. (Courtesy of the Brush Type 4 Fund) |
The engine swap took place on the 21st June 2003 with
47295 also donating a substantial amount of spares to the group to keep
47105 and
47376 running before being sold to HNRC in 2008 and being subsequently scrapped.
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| 47376 arrives at MoD Ashchurch on 21st June 2003. (Courtesy of Richard Drewitt) |
Still with 47376, the weekend before last (25th June) saw me rostered on 45149 for the first time since completing my traction conversion on the 'Peak', but before readying the loco for service, I was asked by Tim L to help him with a spot of shunting. This was to include being trained on the 'new' refuelling point. 47376 'Freightliner 1995' was to be the guinea pig - more so because it needed fuelling as it was to work the services on the Sunday and Tuesday following.
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47376 'Freightliner 1995' is sat to the right of the fuelling point (due to two coal wagons being sat on the Diesel Pit) having a long drink.
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Unlike filling your car, refuelling a diesel loco is more like the high-capacity fuelling you see with aircraft and F1 cars.
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| The high-capacity feed for the diesel fleet. The DMU is more like a conventional vehicle pump. |
It was very impressive to see 1200 litres pumped into the loco tanks in a little under 10 minutes and, in this current climate, not having to sell a kidney to pay for it! That joy is in the hands of the budget masters on the railway! I was happily stood there thinking 'Thank Christ my car doesn't have a 3900 litre fuel tank. It's expensive enough with just a 50 litre tank!'
Elsewhere on shed, more work was being completed on Class 26, D5343. One side of the loco now wears it's blue undercoat although more metal work is need on the cab fronts. Inside the loco, the engine is slowly being re-assembled. This particular weekend was the turn of the crankcase doors. Unlike on an English Electric loco (or on the larger Sulzer locos), the crankcase doors on the Class 26 are cast steel and one-piece. They weigh a 'tonne' and require at least three people to manhandle them back into the loco. Cue myself, Alex, Andy D and Dave S with Tim L supervising.
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| B Bank side with the door removed. |
Lots of cursing later and the door for A-Bank was in place. This one was the 'easiest' as it is not as heavy or awkward....apparently! But, they will both still have to come off again so that the gaskets can be fitted prior to full re-assemby.
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| A-Bank crankcase door back in place. |
I didn't get a picture of B Bank door going back on as it was lunch time and 45149 still needed prepping. More pipework has also been prepped and painted for D5343 ready for refitting.
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| Pipework....lots of pipework. |
After lunch, Alex and I went to prep the 'Peak'. News had filtered through that not only had a fuel leak become much worse but also the lights at No. 1 end were not working due to an untraced electrical fault. This meant that a torch would be required to read the dials in the tunnel and a bracket lamp needed for the loco front. In the engine room a temporary drain had been rigged up using an old 5 litre container to collect the leaking diesel and needed draining. By the time we returned the container was half full again. The loco will be taken out of service after the gala to get these faults rectified but will be used sparingly leading up to the gala.
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| The following weekend saw me rostered on 45149 again, although it was put on the naughty step at the last minute and substituted for 20137. |
Back in the shed, Steve M was busy with 20228. With 20137 now being pretty reliable now after its return to service, Steve has been able to pay more attention to his other loco. Steve's attention was on fitting the filters to the vents.
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| The bodyside doors are opened to reveal the filter cases. These will have filter pads, shown below, fitted to filter the air that will pass into the engine room. |
The cab seat bases have also been cleaned and painted in black ready for refitting in the cab, whilst the actual seats are being cleaned and painted before the upholstery is added. It shouldn't be too long before the loco can be added to the roster.
On the roster front, there are a couple of changes to what was posted last time. Weds 14th July sees one of the Class 47s rostered instead of 37215. The 12th and 13th are still hoped to be 37215 depending on the outcome of the AVR swap. Saturday 17th July sees 5081 replace 45149.
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| Secondman Richard W returns the Toddington-Winchcombe token to Signalman Dan W as 47105 arrives into Toddington on 19th June 2022. (Courtesy of Ed Fletch) |
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