Plans only get you so far!

Winter has definitely hit the GWSR with a vengeance over the last week with incredibly low temperatures and the first dosing of the white stuff, which is making the Santa Trains even more festive than usual. However, that comes with its own trials of trying to keep the trains running, trying to stop things from freezing and, because of where the GWSR is situated and that a lot of volunteers are not 'local', just getting to/from the railway safely can be quite a challenge. Sadly, it did mean that services yesterday (11 Dec) were cancelled - a decision not taken lightly. 

Sometime in the latter 2000s, 47376 'Freightliner 1995' sits on the Parlour Road under a blanket of snow. (Courtesy of Richard Drewitt)

Although not common, the GWSR is no stranger to extreme winter weather. Frost is usually the biggest issue we have to deal with during the Winter months, but snow does occasionally wreak its havoc. 

With the diesel fleet now not in use until the end of December for one last fling for 2022, most locos are safely undercover and only having to deal with the cold temperatures - although, these can cause their own problems for those under cover. Damp and condensation for instance. 

That said, the cold hasn't stopped the intrepid members of the department from continuing with the maintenance schedules for the fleet. Class 37, D6948 continues its reinstatement after the body lift and repairs. After completion of the lift things have moved on to getting everything reconnected electrically and mechanically, as well as some work needing to be completed on the timing chain. At the end of November the brake rigging was reconnected on the wheelsets. This includes balancing the pressures in the pistons so that the forces applied to each wheel are as even as possible when brakes are applied. The last thing you want to happen is to apply the brakes and either nothing happen or you get so much force that the wheels lock. Having assisted when the brakes on 37215 and 5081 were reconnected after their subsequent body lifts, it is a vitally important job and one that requires a lot of patience to get right. 

Paul Good, Growler Group Chairman and Technical Officer, instructs Keith R, Kev J and Andy D a crash course in refitting and resetting the brake rigging on D6948. (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis) 

In the department we are very lucky to have a number of people who have substantial knowledge of the locomotives we work with. Paul Good is just one of those and, after a career with British Rail based at Plymouth Laira and Cardiff Canton, what Paul doesn't know about Class 37s isn't necessarily worth knowing and, it is always a pleasure to watch and learn from him - even if you are a mechanical idiot, like myself!

D6948 back in its temporary lodgings in the David Page shed. Replace the 'Merchant Navy' with GWR 2-8-0, 4270, and you could almost believe that this was somewhere like Tondu shed in South Wales in 1964! (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis)

D6948 still has a number of jobs outstanding before it will be ready for testing. This includes some work on the timing chain as this has become stretched and out of tolerance, the electrical systems need to be reconnected and tested and then there is the small matter of the B Exam. It is still hoped that the loco will be back in service for the start of the 2023 season. 

Sister loco, 37215 is scheduled to work some of the services after Xmas (the roster for those dates is below) and so the major works to complete will wait until January. As mentioned in the last edition, the loco will have its OLEO round buffers removed as these have started to show evidence of expiration on some of the internal parts and these will be sent away (along with a number of other sets of buffers) for complete overhaul. So that we can still shunt the loco safely, and continue to use the loco if needed, a spare set of oval buffers has been sourced and given a spruce up ready to be fitted. 

Two of the newly painted buffers that will be temporarily fitted to 37215 whilst the OLEO buffers are sent away for overhaul. (Author)

The loco is not a stranger to oval buffers as it was fitted with them in the latter part of the 1980s when still based at Tinsley, although the domino headcode had, by now, been plated over. 

37215 at it's, then, home depot of Tinsley TMD in 1987 complete with oval buffers. (Courtesy of the Growler Group Website/Dean Tabor?)

The Winter break will also allow the Group to look at removing the leaking compressors and replacing them with the newly overhauled versions that have been returned. 

After having an extended run of operation at the end of October, the DMU Team have now set about prepping the groups vehicles for 2023. With no Santa DMU services this year it gives the group a longer time to get some of the 'sticking plaster' jobs completed and off the 'to-do' list. One of these jobs was to finish the installation of a new brake feed valve on DMS W51405. 

The new feed valve in situ on W51405. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Twitter)

Having been somewhat neglected whilst work was focussed on the 'bubble car', spare Class 117 DMBS, W51360 has been sat in the yard for some time with little work conducted on it. However,  with L425 having it's time in the autumnal sun, the group were able to give the power car some much needed TLC. Starting with a semi repaint into BR Green, some of the mechanical repairs have also been conducted to bring it back into running order. 

One of the issues revolved around poor vacuum retention, so with the opportunity to get W51360 over a pit, it was identified that some of the parts had perished or were expired. 

One of the life expired fittings was this vacuum pipe. This, along with other damaged or expired items were replaced. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Twitter)

With the expired parts removed and replaced the brake system was retested and able to retain vacuum sufficiently. With the brakes also tested on L425, and a reshuffle of siding 2 required, an opportunity was taken to have all four serviceable vehicle coupled together to test the brake continuity and electrical system integrity. Safe to say that it was a success and, despite a set of jumper cables requiring replacement, the vehicles all did what was needed and the DMU ran as a 4-car around the yard. 

All four operational DMU vehicles sit in the headshunt as they are shunted around the yard. W51360 is nearest the camera. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Twitter)

The 'bubble car' is not being neglected as work continues on the internal fittings and on some external fettling.

Class 122, W55003 and Class 117, W51360 over the pits at Toddington. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Twitter)

Class 26, D5343 remains in the diesel shed as the systematic cannibalising of the body continues. Despite the best laid plans, the more steel is removed the bigger the corrosion issues seem to extend. This past few weeks has seen attention focussed on No. 2 end cab. After initially removing the driver side cab panel, it was identified that the main pillar had sustained damage and the repair had been a bit of a quick fix - literally, skinned over! 

From back on the 12 Nov, the removal of the cab side plate revealed this nice looking dent. (Author)

With this dent in the pillar exposed, a look at the cab front itself showed that it had had at least two previous skins - some of which were still extant behind the newest skin. 

Fast forward to this past week and, armed with his new Plasma Cutter, Dave S, has revealed a lot more evidence of collision damage and rushed repairs from the loco's BR days. This included a bend in the solebar on the Secondman's side of the cab. 

With further plate removed above the solebar, you can clearly see the curve of the solebar underneath the lamp bracket which shows further evidence of collision damage. The steel should be straight and level! (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

One bonus of stripping the steel back so much is that you can now get access to all the pipe work that would usually be hidden. Despite the state of the body work, the pipe work is actually is reasonable condition.

From inside the cab you can see the array of pipework that the has become exposed after removal of the steel work. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

Further plate was removed from the Driver's side, as well as the corroded and buckled pillar by Dave S and his trusty cutter.

Have plasma cutter....will cut! The job has now gone from replacing some life expired plate to complete surgery. The pillar has been about 60% removed (you can still see the buckle) and you can see how thin the skin is around the cab. You can also see how straight the sole bar should be compared to the Secondman side. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

As you can see, this has become quite a major job now and will see the cab almost completely rebuilt with new steel. Whether No. 1 cab will be treated to the same level of work is yet to be decided, but if it is, then we could see the plans for D5343 to be back service in 2023 pushed back - especially if no. 1 end is on a par with no. 2 end. 

After decimating the cab, Dave S gets to work on the door frames. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

At the end of the day, however, doing a thorough job now will only benefit the loco and the owning group moving forward even if it does see the loco out of service for a while longer. 

Whilst Dave was busy on the cabs, Simon T put the finishing touches to the last bit of new steel on the body side of the loco. 

Simon smooths down the final piece of new plate that had been added to the bodyside. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

Loco Roster

The post-Xmas running day roster has been finalised with both 37215 and 47105 rostered for the diesel turns for the last hurrah of 2022. We will see the PURPLE timetable in use on all days which means that there is just the one diesel turn on each day. The timings are:

1510 Toddington - Broadway (Tail Loco) 

1530 Broadway - Cheltenham Racecourse

1640 Cheltenham Racecourse - Toddington.

The allocations are:

Date	TT	Loco Allocated
27 December 2022		47105
28 December 2022		47105
29 December 2022		47105
30 December 2022		37215
31 December 2022		37215
1 January 2023		37215
2 January 2023		37215

The timetable for 2023 is being finalised and should be released in January. 

Finally, as I sit here typing, I have been reminded that today (12th December) is the 34th anniversary of one of the worst rail disasters in modern railway history.....Clapham. At 0810 on 12 December 1988, a crowded commuter train ran into the back of another commuter train that was stationary at a Red signal. This caused the vehicles to derail and block the narrow formation on the approach to Clapham Junction station. Two more commuter trains were to hit the derailed vehicles before signallers could put blocks on all lines and stop services. 35 people lost their lives and 484 were injured on that dreadful day and a reminder that cost cutting should never come before safety and system integrity.  

Is it nearly Winter already??

Once again, apologies for the long, lapsed period of time since the last blog. My shifts have sadly meant that I haven't been able to get to Toddington as often as I would like but, hopefully, as they bed in this should change. It does mean, though, that there is quite a lot for this edition, so grab a cuppa, sit in your most comfy chair and let's bring you up to speed!

A couple of weekends ago - 29 and 30 October - saw our final special event of the year before things slow down for the the Santa trains and the New Year blast. Of course, this was our 'Mixed Traffic Gala'; in it's second year after the highly successful debut in 2021. This year, the format was similar however it had been decided that, rather than shoe-horn in all available locos, only certain locos would run on each day. Only the 'Deltic' 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' worked both days from a diesel perspective. This was the final time that the visiting Type 5 could be sampled on the Honeybourne Line before it was due to return to Barrow Hill. 

Unusually utilising P2 at Cheltenham Racecourse, 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' soaks in the atmosphere one final time before it's last run to Toddington, on it's final operating day at the GWSR - 30 Oct 2022. (Courtesy of Frank Berry)

The Saturday saw both Class 47's, 47105 and 47376 'Freightliner 1995' joining 55019 and DMU set L425. The Brush Type 4's worked as a pair all day, giving a rare opportunity for double-heading before 47376 is removed from service for some maintenance and TLC. 

Class 47's, 47376 'Freightliner 1995' and 47105 roll down Siding 1 in readiness to work their first service on 29 Oct 2022. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

The Sunday saw 37215 along with Class 24, 5081 (a late replacement for 20137), take over from the two Class 47's and joined 55019 and the DMU. This would be the Class 24's last run for the year before being withdrawn from service for long awaited attention to it's engine governor. 

Not quite Karate Kid's 'Wax on, Wax off'!! Secondman, Dave S, practices his levitating optical enhancement exercises on 47376's windscreen during the Mixed Traffic Gala - Sat 29 Oct 2022. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

The event was, as last year, very well patronised bringing in more revenue for the coffers in what has been quite a challenging year. Services didn't run quite as well as they had last year with a number of operational challenges across both days, however this does (for the enthusiast, at least) add an additional dimension to the running as well as demonstrating the cooperation and flexibility amongst the operational departments. It also allowed the Sunday to have one final surprise - 55019 running on BOTH it's Napier Deltic engines for it's final run on the GWSR.   

Back on shed after it's final appearance on the GWSR. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

After completing it's final outing on the GWSR, 55019 was given a brief disposal by the DPS crew ready for it's departure from Toddington. This weekend saw the loco fuelled and positioned ready for picking up by Allely's on Monday 14 Nov. More about that later. 

Class 37, D6948's protracted lift and repair is almost complete, and a collective sigh of relief has been expended as the finish line is in sight. A couple of weeks ago, the final piece of the parts jigsaw finally arrived at Toddington.....the rubbing pads! This meant that we could remove the old plates, remove the old pads and gaskets, clean up the housings and fit the new fleuron pads along with the gaskets.  

Each bogie has four of these cast housings. The rubbing pad sits in the central part of the plate with a gasket placed in the groove around the circumference. As you can see, these get very messy but also the gaskets are secured with some form of contact adhesive, making them difficult to remove without some serious elbow grease!

With effort they came up pretty well! 

With the plates cleaned and free of detritus the new fleuron pads could be fitted along with the new gaskets. 

And...voila! One of the plates containing the new rubbing pad and gasket in-situ on D6948's bogie. (Courtesy of Kev Jarvis)

These should last a significant amount of time before needing replacing again, given that the old ones we removed are likely to have been in place for 20-odd years! However, with them in place, the EE Type 3 could finally be placed back on it's bogies. This was completed on Wednesday 9 November by the 'Wednesday Gang', who had completed the vast majority of the work on the loco since it had been lifted. 

One very happy owner and some of the 'Wednesday Gang' stand in front of D6948 after she had been lowered back on to her bogies. From left: Paul C, Peter S (one of the four owners of D6948), Gareth J, Andy T, John G, Keith R, Paul G (Growler Group Chairman and Tech Officer) and Andy D (Diesel Head of Department). (Courtesy of Paul Cronin)

With the loco now back on it's bogies, the final acts before she is back in service include reattaching all the ancillary and electrical cabling from the traction equipment into the body of the loco before the loco will be thoroughly tested and given a B Exam to ensure that she is ready to go for 2023. It's great to see the light, finally, at the end of the tunnel and to have both the Class 37's back in service. 

37215 hasn't been neglected while it's sister has been receiving it's long awaited repairs. Since returning to service after it's generator flashover repairs, 'the blue one' has run faultlessly over a number of timetabled running days, the Mixed Traffic Gala and on a couple of Driver Experience days. Since being back in service it has been identified that the loco has a developing issue with it's buffers that, if left, could result in more serious issues further down the road. To nip these in the bud, the loco will have it's buffers removed over the winter shutdown so that they can head off to an external organisation for repair and overhaul. To allow us to move the loco safely, should we need to, over winter a spare set have been recovered and will be fitted temporarily. They aren't like for like but they will allow for the loco to be safely shunted, if needed. 

One pair of the spare bogies that will be fitted to 37215 over the winter whilst it's own are away for repair. 

As well as it's appearance at the Mixed Traffic Gala Class 47, 47105, was also utilised on an ECS stock move on Thursday 9 November, 2022. This was to bring the Chocolate and Cream set back to Toddington from Winchcombe, where it had been receiving some running repairs and a re-formation. This was in preparation for the Santa Specials as well as our end of year Race Trains that we run in conjunction with 'At The Races'. These steam-hauled charters run twice during the year; once for the Cheltenham Festival in March, and for the November meeting ferrying punters from Toddington to Cheltenham Racecourse in style and free of the usual traffic issues that occur in and around Prestbury Park. 

Carriage and Wagon's Class 03, D2182 had spent most of the Wednesday reforming the rake ready for 47105 to pick it up on the Thursday. 

A pristine 47105 waits at Winchcombe after arriving light engine to take Rake 1 back to Toddington on Thursday 9 November, 2022. (Courtesy of Matt Pickford)
 

After it's final run out for 2022, sister loco 47376 'Freightliner 1995' has been removed from the serviceable fleet so that work can continue over the winter period on the overhaul of the engine room that was started earlier in the year. The cabs were done back in 2021 as the overhaul of 47105 was reaching it's climax. 

47376, along with 47105, sits in the headshunt at Cheltenham Racecourse during the Mixed Traffic Gala. 29 Oct 2022. (Courtesy of Tony Richards)

With it's tenure at the GWSR now at an end, 'Deltic', 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' has been prepped and moved to the unloading road at Toddington ready for it's journey back to Barrow Hill. This Saturday saw the loco refuelled back to the fuel level it arrived with back in July and positioned on the unloading road ready for Monday 14th Nov. 

With the autumnal weather continuing to be unseasonable at Toddington, 'Class 04', 11230 is prepped to shunt 55019 over to the fuel point and down to the car park. 

About 900 litres of diesel were pumped into the 'Deltic's' fuel tanks to bring it up to the level it arrived with. This is a standard clause of any hire, and is no different to when you hire a car from somewhere like Enterprise.

Fuel is pumped in into the tanks of 55019. Our new fuel point is an absolute God-send!!

With the fuel tanks swimming with about 500 gallons, the 'Deltic' was positioned on the unloading road. However, after hooking off 11230, which then ran off to fetch and reposition Class 45, 45149, it was requested to move the 'Deltic' slightly as it was in the way of the work area of a group from the Steam Department. With Simon T busy with 11230, I fired up Class 04, D2280 to undertake the move. 

Complete with it's DPS headboard, 55019 sits on the unloading road between the David Page shed and the Goods Shed ready for it's pick up on Monday. 

Although the Class 55 is not a personal favourite of mine, 55019's tenure at the GWSR has certainly been a resounding success during a difficult operating period for the railway. The addition of the Deltic Day, that saw '19' joined in August by it's sister 55009 'Alycidon' for a weekend celebration of the pair's entry into preservation was a huge opportunity for the railway to impress - achievement unlocked! The feedback received from the Deltic Preservation Society (DPS) and the punters who turned up to sample the loco on the Honeybourne Line for the first ever time has ensured that next year will be difficult to trump, but will also open up more opportunity in the future. There has already been passing talk of one of the DPS's other locos spending time at the GWSR when it is back in service, although nothing formal has been proposed...just speculation. However, if it was to materialise, I am sure the DPS would be made very welcome again. 

With the 'Deltic' being repositioned on the unloading road, 'Peak' 45149 was moved over onto Road 8.

'Peak', 45149 was moved over onto Road 8 so that it could have a bit of TLC and the batteries could be charged as it is due to haul a volunteer Fish and Chip special on Monday 14 Nov. Unlike other locos in the fleet, Class 45's (as well as their sister classes 44 and 46) have two banks of batteries - one on each side - and these have to be charged one bank at a time. As the loco had not seen much use since the summer it was decided to check the de-ionised water within the batteries, refilling any that were low, before charging them. Andy T and Tony R made a start before being joined by myself after shunting the 'Deltic'. 

Andy T and Tony R open up one of the two battery boxes on the Cotswold side of 45149. The batteries sit on a board that is mounted on runners. This means they can be slid out to be changed, checked or inspected. 

One complete bank of batteries are pulled out for inspection. Much bigger then your car battery and a lot more expensive if they go BANG!!

With the batteries checked and topped up with de-ionised water the loco was hooked up to the charger. Richard S got to grips with the traction motor blower bushes, checking them for any adverse wear. 

Up in the cab, Tony and Richard get to grips with removing the inspection covers giving access to the traction motor blowers. This is a bit of a pig of a job as the hatches are on the secondman side of the cab and are situated behind the rather large handbrake wheel. 

The loco's water was also topped up and the oil levels checked on the ancillary equipment - these being topped up as required - before the loco was fired up and FTR completed. This threw up a slight issue with the brakes at one end which prevented any brake force being created. However, this seemed to correct itself and enabled Richard to move the loco under it's own power to the fuelling point. 

After fuelling, Richard, Tony and myself took the 'Peak' over to Siding 1 to see if the brake issues returned or if we could operate without issue. In fading light we made several passes up and down the siding with no issues identified. Once satisfied, we shunted the loco back to it's usual stabling point at the bottom of the yard in the company of Class 20, 20137. 

The 'Peak' gets in on the diesel action as the light fades. It never fails to surprise me just how quick a loco of this size can be fuelled using the high capacity feed! Certainly a lot faster than a car at the local petrol station!! 

Back in the shed, Dave S was continuing to wield an angle grinder as he makes further inroads on the body work of Class 26, D5343. With plenty of corroded steel plate yet to be removed, Dave made a start on some of the upper body side steel that had corroded below the grilles along the cant line. 

Simon T and Dave S inspect a piece of corroded body work above one of the engine room windows. 

The main area that Dave had earmarked next for the attention of the angle grinder was the drivers side corner pillar and cab side plate at No. 2 end. This was showing signs of bloating as it had been identified that, whilst back in BR service, the loco had sustained impact damage and, rather than cut it out and reweld new plate, a new piece of plate was just welded over the top. Water ingress had occurred between the two plates rotting one and bloating out the other! The only remedy was to cut them both out. 

The cabside plate is cut out and the original skin removed - although most just fell away! You can actually see a remaining piece of the original plate clinging on just above the solebar.

The cab front was also earmarked for removal (as you can see in the picture above) as this had also bloated out. The multiple working receptacle was also in the wrong place and so this was cut off and will be refitted. The lamp bracket was also removed but will be refitted at some point. 

Dave continued to cut away with impunity! What he revealed showed again just how Scottish weather affected the Class 26s and Class 27s, but also the 'workarounds' that existed for keeping these hardworking locos in traffic. 

Having removed the corner section.....

Removing the corner section of the cab front revealed a trio of surprises.....1) An impressive dent and buckle that had not been repaired, obviously caused by an accident at some point in service; 2) The loco had had 2 previous cab front skins which had been cut away and replaced - a fair bit remained attached to the outer, newest, skin due to rust and corrosion; 3) Yes, that is the inside of the cab you can see! The crew had no protection at all from a front on impact! 

However, away from the body work, the overhaul of the engine is now pretty much complete. You may recall that the engine was started back in September and the ancillary equipment proved. The roof has also received a coat of primer and the bogie at No. 1 end has been painted with it's black top coat. 

D5343 viewed from No. 1 end. Notice the sparking black bogie and the test application of BR Blue paint on the cabside flank.

Elsewhere in the shed, Dave M and Ian R were busy needle gunning inside 47376's engine room removing paint and encrusted oil in readiness for the engine room environment to have a bit of a spruce up, as was done with the cabs over the Covid lock downs.

 
With the peak running season at an end, it allows for the maintenance tasks that take a back seat during the season to be moved up to the top of the pile. As well as readiness examinations, equivalent to the old BR 'B Exam', we will be busy with other jobs that have been put off for one reason or another, or that need significant time allowance to complete. This includes the governor replacement work that Class 24, 5081 will endure. The final public diesel running for the 2022 season will take place over the end of 2022 and into the first couple of days in 2023. More details on these will be announced in due course, including the loco allocations. Keep an eye on here or on the GWSRDiesels Twitter page. 

Winding down.

Firstly, we start off with some sad news. Many members of the department were shocked to learn of the passing of one of our more revered Signalmen in September, Dave Newman. Dave was very well known across the GWSR and was well liked within the Diesel and Steam departments. His laid-back way of signalling and his 'creative' approach to some situations would always raise a smile. 

I remember my first meeting of Dave, not long after passing out as a Secondman, crewing 37215 approaching Gotherington on a Cheltenham bound Gala train. On leaving Gotherington Station, we were rapidly approaching the platform for the token exchange...only there was no sign of the Signalman!! They would usually be on the platform as the 'down' train was leaving Gotherington. Was I going to have to get the Driver to stop, get down from the cab and walk back to box? Had the Signalman forgotten? Was he asleep? We must have been about 75 yards from the platform when Dave appeared from behind the 'box, sauntered casually across the boards to the platform, swinging the Cheltenham token in its frame and assumed the 'double token exchange' position as though it was perfectly normal. As we completed the exchange at the last minute, an apology from Dave - he was just finishing his cuppa! Dave had been a Signalman for BR in the Gloucester area and tea, of course, comes before anything else on the railway! 

Dave, at work at Gloucester Eastgate Box (I think) probably in the early 1960's. (Respectfully taken from Dave's Facebook page). 

One other, legendary, story involves another token exchange with a steam crew during a particularly heavy downpour of rain. Rather than be in a position where he may get wet, Dave completed the single token exchange with the use of a long handled broom from the safety of the signal box armchair!

One of the railway's big characters, Dave will be sadly missed by many. RIP.   

On to the trains, and we are starting to wind down through the off-peak of the 2022 season. This means that mainline diesel running starts to lessen as the DMU now takes over the 'diesel' turn on the two train timetable during the week. However, we still have one big, PINK timetable day on Sunday, 9th October where we see the all day diesel turn being taken by our visiting Class 55 'Deltic', 55019 'Royal Highland Fusilier' on it's penultimate outing on the GWSR before it returns to the home of the DPS. 

55019 sits on Toddington MPD on 27 July 2022 prior to it's exertions during the 2022 Gala.  

After Sunday, the final time to sample 55019 on the GWSR will be at our Mixed Traction Gala over the weekend of 29-30 October, joined by several members of the home fleet along with our Steam colleagues. A chance to sample everything that the GWSR has to offer! 

All info regarding the event can be found on the GWSR website - listed on the poster. 

With the winding down of timetabled services for the diesel fleet, it means that maintenance can now be focused upon and this has seen our longer term maintenance and restoration projects move along at a quicker pace. One project has been with Class 37, D6948 which has now been lifted and it's bogies given a some long needed TLC. Subsequent working days have seen the removal, cleaning and replacement of the full set of brushes and brush boxes, traction equipment has been cleaned, the dampers have all been replaced and the bogies have had a brush over and clean. 

D6948  sits on the jack with it's bogies tucked underneath as it awaits the final bits of maintenance to be completed.

The rogue air pipe has been manufactured and refitted at no. 2 end, thanks to our colleagues in the Steam Department, and there is only one final thing to be completed before the loco can be returned to it's bogies and, for 2023, tested for a return to service. The final thing is brand new rubbing pads, as the ones on D6948 are life expired. 

In the photo above, taken back in 2019 when 37215 was lifted, you can see the rubbing pads (top and bottom) in the centre right of the picture. These allow for frictionless movement of the bogies when the body is sat on the wheelsets. These were in pretty decent condition so were not replaced. The ones on D6948 are definitely life expired. Sadly, the manufacturer/stockist won't have them ready for delivery until the end of October putting the brakes on, temporarily. Very frustrating when the 2 and a half year wait to get the loco back in service is so tantalisingly close.  

37215 continues on the comeback from it's own repairs and has now completed a significant number of turns in recent months, including a Driver Experience that was rescheduled from earlier in 2022.

37215  on it's first Driver Experience day of 2022 on 09 September 2022.

It is due to complete another Driver Ex on the 07 October and I will be co-instructor, again with Peter S - as we were last time! Therefore, this Wednesday gone (05 October) saw my first attendance at Toddington since the last Driver Ex. Sadly, starting a new job has meant that the railway has had to take a bit of a back seat for a short period. 

I was joined by 3 x Andy's, John G, Tim L and, for a short time Kev J and, with things on hold with D6948, jobs were centred around D5343, 47376 'Freightliner 1995' and on shunting the locos to get 37215 in position to be charged and checked over for it's Driver Ex but also to free up 55019 and get it fuelled ready for the Sunday. 

37215 was sat behind Class 24, 5081, so a shunt was needed to get swap them round and get 37215 out onto the shed apron. Tim was the only passed Class 04 Driver, so he agreed to do the shunt. He asked if I had passed on them yet, which I hadn't, so the invitation was made to at least get me instructed on how they operate. 

Inside the '04'! 

Tim and I headed over to 'Class 04', 11230 and started it up. The Class 04's were Diesel Hydraulic shunters and so work on similar principles to a DMU - they have gears and 'clunk' a lot! Tim talked me through the preparation and the driving controls. It was then on to getting it moving. Under Tim's expert gaze, I got the 0-6-0 moving whilst Andy T was volunteered to act as ground shunter.

37215 gets an impromptu jet wash!

We moved 37215 over onto road 11 so that we could drop the Class 24 back onto Road 10 in front of D5343. As we got 5081 back into the shed the heavens opened with a biblical deluge so we decided to shut the '04' down and go for a cuppa until it had finished. Unbeknownst to us, Andy D and John G were down in the yard and returned to the mess room looking like a couple of drowned rats!! 5 minutes after it started....it had stopped! In the words of Monty Python....'Bloody weather!'

11230 sits inside the Diesel Shed waiting for the rain to stop. Class 24, 5081 sits behind. 

After a cuppa, it was back to the shunt. We moved a sodden 37215 back onto the apron of Road 10. John G, not wishing to venture outside of the shed too much as he was drying out, set up the battery charger and plugged 37215 in. Tim, Andy T, Andy D and I carried on over to the fuelling point so that we could release 'Deltic' 55019. We were briefly joined by Kev so that he could observe my competence with 11230 with a hope to clear me as a Shunter Driver. Hopefully I passed!

We moved the 'Deltic' up to Road 11 so that we could also top up the batteries on the Class 55 ready for Sunday 09th.

English Electric cousins, 37215 and 55019 sit outside the Diesel Shed as they are both given some attention before their respective services later in the week. 

 

With 37215 finished with the charger, it was time to check over the oils and fluids and to have a quick visual check to see if there was anything obvious that might need rectification before Friday. The only thing was the Exhauster oil levels were a bit low on both units, so this was topped up. The loco was then started just to run it up and get some heat into the engine. 55019 was hooked up to the charger for some juice. 

With all this going on, in the shed, 'new' Andy was busy with the Class 26, D5343. As you may have seen, a big target was hit a few weeks ago when the engine was successfully started for the first time in 2 years. Since then more work has been undertaken on the chassis and wheel sets with priming and painting of the wheelsets. 

Alex R applying primer to the no.1 end bogie of D5343 on 01st October 2022. (Courtesy of Tim Leverton)

No.2 bogie has been previously sprayed with black top coat by 'new' Andy on a previous visit and he was now looking to fit the cab steps at that end; these had previously been painted by Andy T and John G.

All nice and shiny. D5343's no.2 end bogie, all decked out in a new coat of black. 

Ably assisted by Andy T, Andy got started with fitting the newly repainted steps. Frustratingly, none had been given any identifying marks so it was complete guess work as to which set of step went on which side of the bogie. However, within no time, both sets were in situ and fully fitted. 

Andy and Andy get to grips with fitting the newly refurbished cab steps. 

In situ on the opposite side. 

Elsewhere, it was good to see the level of progress on the 'McRat' since I had last been present. 

Through the keyhole...Class 26 style! Some nicely painted water and oil pipes.

In between assisting with the shunt, Tim was busy in the engine room of 47376 'Freightliner 1995' which continues to have work done within the engine room. Most of which is necessitating the use of the needle gun. It is hoped to have 47105 in the David Page shed in the coming weeks so that the water tank can be welded. This is needed should the boiler be refitted and reinstated, which, I believe, is the long term plan. 

On the DMU side, work has been ongoing in the last few weeks to get the 3-Car Class 117 set ready for it's upcoming workload. Previously, mention had been given to the issues with one of the engines on W51405. This was thought to be corrected, however, it reared it's ugly head again on Wednesday with the set ending the day on 3 of it's 4 engines. Spare Class 117 DMS, W51360, has acquired a set of impromptu 'speed whiskers' while it awaits attention to bring it back into operational use. 

Where have these materialised from? Personally, I quite liked it in blue as it could be paired with the other BR Blue DMS, W51372 that is also awaiting further attention. (GWSR DMU Facebook Page)

Ideally, though, I would like to see the Class 117 3-car in this........

L425's sister set, L418 at Windsor in 1980 in the fetching 'blue stripe' livery. (Copyrights listed on print)

....however, this is just personal choice. As I am not a member of the owning group I have no influence over those types of matters; but it would be nice! 😉

The DMS and the 'bubble car', W55003 have both had their air pressure tests conducted and their tanks examined. Both passed so that's another tick in the box.  

Loco Roster:

Date	TT	Rostered Loco
08 Oct 2022		37215
09 Oct 2022		55019
11 Oct 2022		L425
12 Oct 2022		L425
13 Oct 2022		L425
15 Oct 2022		20137
16 Oct 2022		L425
18 Oct 2022		L425
19 Oct 2022		L425
20 Oct 2022		L425
22 Oct 2022		47105
23 Oct 2022		5081
25 Oct 2022		20137
26 Oct 2022		20137
27 Oct 2022		37215
29 Oct 2022	Mixed Traction Gala	47105, 47376, 55019, L425
30 Oct 2022	Mixed Traction Gala	20137, 37215, 55019, L425