Firstly, apologies once again for the lack of updates - illness, car troubles, work and a house move have meant that I have been well and truly MIA for the last 8 weeks! Not the end of the year I had hoped for! Still...time stands still for no man, but it does mean a lack of photos.
Well, here it is.....December, and the season is in its final throes. The 'Santa Special' services are underway and, as usual, have sold out way in advance of the services running. Unlike 2022, where the diesels were in use top-and-tailing with our Steam colleagues, the diesel fleet are only on stand-by this year, just in case of failure. 37215, D6948 and 47105 being the selected candidates. These locos will also be in use during our 'Mince Pie Specials' between the 27 Dec and 1 Jan.
The end of October saw our 'Autumn Showcase' mixed traction Gala and the diesels saw significant use throughout the weekend. With the DMU being used all weekend, the mainline fleet was split between the Sulzer and English Electric camps. The Sulzer-powered locos (Class 24, 5081 and Class 47s, 47105 and 47376 'Freightliner 1995') saw use on Saturday, the highlight of which saw 47105 power the freight train as the 1113 Cheltenham Race Course to Toddington service. The Sunday saw the English Electric engined locos in operation with Class 20, 20137 and Class 37s, 37215 and D6948 in use. The only issue experienced over the weekend saw 37215 lose vacuum at the very end of the day. This fault would be investigated in early November, on my only attendance during this period, especially as it meant it was replaced on its last scheduled running day by sister, D6948.
Winterisation of locomotives had already started with 'Peak' 45149 being withdrawn from the roster at the end of October so that it could have one of its blower motors removed for overhaul off of site. It has also had its coolant topped up ready for the colder temperatures and had its batteries charged to keep them from going flat.
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| On a chilly 29 November, 45149's batteries get a topping up. 'Foremark Hall' gets readied for its turns on the 'Santa Specials'. (Courtesy of the CMDG Facebook Page) |
The CMDG's other loco, Class 26 D5343 continues to receive extensive works with more expired metal being removed and fresh metal applied. Most of the cab fronts have now been completed and painted with primer, the holes for the headlights created and the lamp brackets being fabricated. Work has also continued on overhauliung the bodysides, cab interiors and the engine room.
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| D5343 sits in the David Page shed whilst the extensive overhaul continues. (Courtesy of the CMDG Facebook Page). |
The Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group now has its own Facebook page, so if Classes 26 and 45 are your thing, then you can keep up to date with the happenings in the group by going to https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086535366200.
The DMU has seen the most action throughout the last month or so, as the 'off-peak' part of the season draws to a close. That doesn't mean that the DMU group have been inactive....far from it. Both Class 117 cars, DMBS W51360 and DMS W51405 have had time over the underframe pits to allow underframe checks to be concluded in time for their respective B Exams, with W51405 only needing a few belts and W51360 given a clean bill of health. Centre car, W59510 is awaiting spares to arrive for some minor maintenance tasks to be completed.
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| Class 117 DMS, W51405 sits over the pit with a 'NTBM' Board on it as its inspection is conducted. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group Facebook page) |
This particular picture caused a few comments on Facebook regarding the destination blind. Toddington appears to be quite a popular place name with one particular individual querying why it was showing a place in Yorkshire! Rest assured that this is Toddington (Gloucestershire), although there is indeed a Toddington in Yorkshire as well as one in Bedfordshire!
The Class 122 'bubble car', W55003, has also continued to receive attention on its overhaul journey. The floor continues to see the brunt of the work as the group complete the interior essentials before looking at fitting the internal furniture and decoration.
The Class 20's have both been winterised with 20137 having its coolant strengthened ready for the lower winter temperatures and for frost protection, given that it will spend the cold season outside. Its space in the shed is, of course, being taken up by sister, 20228, which is in the final throes of its overhaul.
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| 20137 sits in the yard at Toddington, along with 45149, during a much warmer June day in 2023. |
47376 'Freightliner 1995' has been removed from the roster for the winter so that repairs can be affected to its engine. The locomotive has been running with some long-standing engine issues, and would need some parts replacing. After the 'Autumn Showcase', the loco was drained of diesel, oil and water before work could commence on the repairs. The engine room would also see more 'environmental' work with some parts being removed and repainted.
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| 47376 sits in the shed, drained of fluids and with some freshly primed components adorning the adjacent trolley, on 8 November 2023. |
Sister 'Brush', 47105 is being maintained in serviceable condition as it will be used as 'Santa Special' Thunderbird loco as well as on the 'Mince Pie Specials' at the end of December along with the Class 37s.
As mentioned earlier, 37215 suffered a fault with its vacuum system at the end of the 'Autumn Showcase' and was unable to create any vacuum for braking. This also caused it to be substituted for its sister loco for the final 'PURPLE' turn at the beginning of November. On the 8th November, Paul G, Kev J and Keith R set to looking at what could be causing this issue. Originally, thought had been that the exhausters weren't running (a fate that D6948 suffered back in the Summer), but this quickly extended beyond the exhausters as these were found to be running okay. A fault was traced to the AV2 valve in the nose, behind the exhausters. Seals were replaced which seemed to rectify the issue with the vacuum creation, but it then threw up another fault in the electrical cubicle.
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| With Paul G in the nose of the loco, Keith R helps from the outside with the replacing of the seals on the AV2 valve. |
This fault was rectified with a clean up of the contactors on the 'Exhauster Cut-Out' button on the bulkhead in no. 2 end. This is used when the loco's exhauster are not required to create any vacuum - for instance when topping and tailing or when it is the train loco when double heading with another locomotive.
The 8th was the last day that I was able to attend Toddington. I paired up with Andy T who was welding a new safety bracket to the no.1 end bogie. Each bogie has, as part of the brake system, a number of stretcher bars that connect to the brake shoe brackets. If these fail or brake, to stop them getting lodged in the ballast and potentially de-railing the loco, each bar has a pair of safety brackets underneath to prevent them hitting the ballast or ground. The leading wheel set at no. 1 end, on the Driver's side, had lost its bracket at some point in the past - by the looks of it, probably way back in BR days.
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| The adjacent brake spacer bar safety bracket to the one that Andy and I were replacing. |
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| On the other side.....nothing. Just a rough mounting block. |
Andy T had fashioned some brackets during his time down at Carriage and Wagon (Andy splits his time during the week between C&W and the Diesel Department) and having the loco over the pit was a prime opportunity to test fit and, when happy with a set, weld them in place. I was on hand to help with the fitting and then to be on hand with the fire extinguishers when Andy started welding! Once the 'Mince Pie Specials' are finished, 37215 will have more work conducted on the no.1 (top) compressor to identify and rectify the issues we have had with it pushing oil into the air system and why it is over-running.
D6948 is also being maintained in readiness for Thunderbird duties and for possible use on the 'Mince Pie Specials'. The locomotive worked during the 'Autumn Showcase' event as well as covering for 37215 at the beginning of November. The loco still requires some small jobs completed on its fuel filters to rectify some little faults. This includes replacing some elements on the fine fuel filter which are life expired. The loco has had its exhauster brushes replaced and most of the jobs for the winter are pretty minor.
Finally, the Class 24 has been Winterised after its first full year back in action after repairs to its engine governor. There are a couple of small faults that need addressing on the 'Rat' but, as with the majority of the fleet, it should be ready for the new operating year in March.
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| 5081 at Stanway on a ballast job during the Summer 2023. (Courtesy of Paul Fuller) |
Finally, I don't usually include things involving the wider GWSR on here, as they are usually covered by other blogs/social media channels. However, this is a pretty big deal as it impacts on the railway in quite a big way, and therefore has a knock on effect to what we do. As you may have seen, earlier in the year the railway started to canvas for donations to support quite substantial works on our 15-arch Stanway Viaduct. These repairs started after the last timetabled services in November but, on further investigation, the state of deterioration to the viaduct was identified as much worse and so additional funds are now required. This will no doubt impact on the start of the new season. If you can spare anything then please visit https://www.gwrt.org.uk/donate/stanway-viaduct-appeal
