A brief update on Class 26,
D5343. The 'McRat' has been winterised early in order to have some bodywork attention prior to its planned visit to the Somerset & Dorset at Midsomer Norton in March 2020. The loco was shunted into the David Page shed in lieu of the 'Bubble' Car space for the work to be carried out in the dry. Most of the early work has centred around the cabs and, in particular, no.2 end which has seen a significant amount of corroded metal removed and new plate welded in place. David Stanton provides the pics of the work undertaken over the past couple of weeks. Cheers David!
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
No. 2 end has suffered with significant corrosion around the area where the headlights had been removed - by BR during the locomotives final classified overhaul in 1985. There had also been a lot of corrosion around the joins of the plate and just above the solebar/buffer beam. The windows have also been removed from the cab.
After having the headcode discs removed the old paint was sanded back and the front end was treated prior to having the area where the headlights would have sat cut out. You can already see a small section cut out just above the buffer beam.
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
Here we see the cut away section on No. 2 end. In BR days, on removal of the two centre headlights that
D5343 had fitted (like others of the class used on the Far North line) the loco was also fitted with air-brakes and the pipework re-routed across the nose, as can be seen above. With the panel removed you can clearly see where the two headlights had been sited (below).
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
With the panel removed it gave the team the opportunity to look in at the cubicle that would have carried the connecting doors. As with a lot of the Modernisation Plan locomotives, the Class 26's (as well as many other Classes) were planned to have corridor connections fitted so that, when working in multiple, the Secondman would be able to go into the trailing locomotive and check on the boiler without having to wait until stationary. I'm not 100% sure if
D5343 was ever fitted with them but the space for them certainly exists!
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
New steel plate was then welded to the loco before being primed and the rough areas sanded down.
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
No. 1 end has also had some preparatory work undertaken although it seems to be in slightly better condition than No. 2 end. So far the windows have been left in situ but it is expected that some cutting and welding will be required here as well.
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| (Photo by D. Stanton) |
