Winter begins.

A short update on things at Toddington over the last few weeks as the running season draws to a close and the seasonal specials and end of year race trains are prepared for November and December.

Most of the fleet have now been stood down for the year and winter maintenance has begun. Some of the maintenance this year is fairly major, in comparison with previous years, especially with traction motor and bogie work ongoing on three locos as well as body side work to contend with.

Our visiting Class 26, 5310, from Llangollen, is awaiting the return of its refurbished traction motors before it is lifted for the motors to be refitted tot he bogie frames. It is hoped that this will enable the locomotive to be tested and returned to Llangollen in January. It is sad that the loco is likely to do no running on passenger services at the GWR given the length of time it has been on the railway. However, it took part in the main Gala in July as a static exhibit and you never know what the future might bring. Last weekend (02/11) its batteries were charged and the loco started to ensure that everything was still functioning above the solebar.

5310 is shunted over the pit on Road 9 before being repositioned on Road 10.

5310 is all hooked up to our new battery charger before the engine was started. 

Our resident Class 26, D5343, has been withdrawn from service for the winter to allow for a considerable amount of body work attention. BRCW built locomotives were very well known for corrosion, particularly around the roof seals where the fibreglass roof meets the metal body side skin. D5343 is stored out in the yard and, since returning to service in 2013, has had to contend with all the weather that the Cotswolds can throw at it. Well, time has come to get some it sorted. The locowill spend the winter in the David Page shed where the work can be completed. On the 02/11 the loco was shunted into the Diesel Shed where David S started on sanding back the areas around the front that are needing attention.

David S takes a well earned break and time to share a joke whilst sanding down the nose end on D5343.

D5343's front end showing the signs of corrosion. 

The CMDG engineers are up against a tight timescale to complete the work for two reasons. Firstly, the 'bubble' car, W55003 has had to be shunted out into the yard to accommodate the McRat in the David Page shed and, you may have noticed on social media that D5343 has, rather prematurely, been announced as the star attraction at the Somerset and Dorset Railway's Diesel Gala in March 2020 down in Midsomer Norton. The team are now up against it to get it ready.

Mentioning W55003, the 'bubble' car has had most of it's first top coat added and some of the internal light fittings have been removed and repainted.

W55003 basks in the autumnal sun after being pulled out of the DP shed to allow the Class 26 to utilise shed space. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group)

Whilst readying the 'bubble' to be shunted outside, the small group that cater for the DMU's also have had to contend with replacing the destination blind in W51363 which had become worn and a bit moth eaten. Dr. George and the team have also found the time to get the engine running again on returning Class 117 DMS, W51405, which has been sat in the yard at Toddington since coming back from its spruce up at C&W, although it is unlikely to return to the Class 117 set until after Christmas.

W51363's new destination blind. Hopefully, it still has everyone's favourite destination on it....'To the Pub'!

Class 20, D8137, has been shunted back into the shed whilst work on its bogies and traction motors continues. Owner, Steve M, is hopeful of the refurbished motor being returned before Christmas with fitting for sometime in the new year. In the meantime, the bogies are being cleaned and a potential issue with the loco's remaining traction motor is being investigated. Steve's other loco, E6036, remains fit for service for the time being and will, potentially, see use with P'Way during November with a track lift planned at Stanway and then further track works during January/February.

Elsewhere, the roof of Class 47, 1693, has seen a fair amount of progress and the louvers have had the first coats of primer - as has the main roof sections.

1693's louvers are lifted so that primer can be added.

Primer is also added to the roof sections of 1693. 

More body side sanding has also taken place as most of the engine and internal works have now reached an end point.

More sanding has occurred.

The BT4F team will also turn their attentions to 47376 'Freightliner 1995' over the winter as, despite being a reliable performer, has sprung a leak in one of its header tanks and this will need to be removed to be found and then repaired.

Class 37, D6948, remains serviceable despite the Main Res leak that will require the loco to be lifted to find and rectify the problem. Despite hoping that the boiler would be re-sited back onto the loco before the Christmas break this is now looking less likely due to a delay in certification. This has meant that the timetable over the end of the year has been modified to remove the GREEN running days as there will be no way of heating the rolling stock. In previous years we have had extra steam engines available to help with this (under the guise of the Christmas Cracker banner) but that isn't the case for this year as the Steam Department also have their own big jobs to undertake. These days go to a RED timetable but the PURPLE days remain unaffected. 37215 remains out of action until the new year with work progressing on its bogies and Traction Motors. The engine has been run up in order to keep the batteries charged but the focus is very much on getting the bogies cleaned of the majority of accumulated dirt and grime. It is hoped that D6948's leak will be manageable until 37215 is fit for service.

Despite the focus being very much on the work that we all have at hand over the winter, one eye is very much looking forward into 2020 and the new season. The 2020 season doesn't see many changes but it starts a little earlier for us as there is a PURPLE day in late March, as well as BLUE and RED days with the DMU. Planning is also afoot for the Gala in July with a number of potential visiting locomotives in the hat.....but, you'll have to wait and see for details of that!