And, just like that, the new season is here!

Where did those 8 weeks go?! It only seems like last week that the final services of the 2022 season were arriving back at Toddington and the last visitors were exiting through the gate. But, here we are at the end of February with services to start on Saturday 4th March with our BLUE timetable. This timetable sees the DMU make a return to the operating calendar after sitting out most of 2022.

To get ready, the DMU team have been hard at it to get the Class 117 set, L425, ready for services which has included undertaking the B Examiniations - these examinations are done to each vehicle to ensure they are fit and safe for service - as well as general maintenance. 

Class 117 DMS, W51405, sits over the pit during final checks before the re-start of services. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group)

After completing the ongoing engine repairs on W51405 at the end of January, the idle speeds were checked on the engine and filters replaced meaning that the no.1 engine now has a clean bill of health. 

The full and oil filters after being changed on W51405. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group)

The cab of the DMS was given a refresh along with the a clean of the whole set ready to accept passengers on the 4th March. At the other end of the set, DMBS W51363 has had an internal repaint taking the colour scheme back to the original cream colour that first generation DMU's sported. 

All ship shape and Bristol fashion. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group)

But, all the attention has not solely been on L425. One of the spare Class 117 vehicles, DMBS W51360 has been receiveing some much needed TLC having been stored out of service for about 3 years. It was last used back in 2019 covering for both W51405 and W51363 in the 3-car set when they were needed to be taken out of the set for maintenance. 

Class 117 DMBS, W51360 sits in the yard at Toddington MPD on 03/05/21 whilst awaiting towing to C&W to repair historic collision damage that had been identified. 

Since then the DMBS has spent a spell down at Winchcombe having historic crash damage repaired before being placed back in the yard at Toddington whilst work continued on the main set and on the 'Bubble Car'. Some preventative maintenance was undertaken last year that included prevention of the dreaded tin worm as well as a partial repaint using some left over BR Green from the repaint of the 'Bubble Car'. 

An 'on test' W51360 at the head of L425 during 2022. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group)

W51360 was also put over the pits along with W51405 to allow filter replacement on it's no.1 engine coupled with the idle and speed check to ensure that it is, bar it's more cosmetic repairs, serviceable and that it's B Exam can be completed. 

Although most of the activity centred on the Class 117 vehicles, the Class 122 'Bubble Car' W55003 has not been left out. In fact, progress has been very rapid on the ongoing restoration. Early in February saw W55003 run under it's own power for the first time since it's external restoration with it being driven from both cabs successfully - albeit only up and down siding 1 and not without faults being found, but it's still a major milestone.

Class 122, W55003 basks in the weak sun whilst sat in the Parlour Road at Toddington on 12/02/23. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group) 

This past weekend saw the throttle, gearing, direction and terminal boxes all given a clean and service which has rectified the faults found on it's jaunt around the yard. The EP valves were also swapped with some that had been overhauled by Tom E however, when tested, a number are still passing air so these will need to be revisited. Work has continued on the floor laying, courtesy of Kevin and Bryan, with work now rapidly progressing to the floor panels and side skirts. 

Inside W55003 sees the progress made on floor laying. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Group) 

The mainline fleet still have a further month before returning to scheduled service on the 1st April (no joke!) and this has allowed for more work to be undertaken to ensure the locos are in tip-top condition.

Class 37, D6948 will make its long awatied return to the roster after completing its B Exam on 23rd Feb. All the safety critical tasks were completed to the satisfaction of Growler Group Tech Officer, Paul Good and the loco signed off as fit for traffic. A welcome relief, I am sure, to the four owners of the loco and it will be great to see it back thundering through the Cotswolds. 

D6948 sits on the pit outside the David Page shed after successful completion of its first B Exam in over 3 years. This will see the loco finally return to the roster for 2023. (Courtesy of Kevin Jarvis)

The 'Green Machine' also had a successful test on the 27th Feb when it was used on a ballast working conveying new stones for the track relay at Didbrook from the loading point at Stanway. 

Loading at Stanway. D6948 undertakes its first run on the GWsR since the beginning of 2020. (Courtesy of Paul Cronin)

With its return to traffic confirmed, D6948 will be utilised throughout April including the first PURPLE and PINK TT turns on the 1st and 2nd April respectively. Full details of provisional loco allocation are listed at the end of this blog. 

Under the watchful eye of Paul Fuller (HoD for P'Way, and a former Diesel Driver), D6948 - crewed by Paul Cronin and Tony Boston - makes a pass along the newly laid track at Didbrook. (Courtesy of Andy Sworn)

Also fit for service in April is 'Peak', 45149. 

45149 sits on the pits outside the David Page shed on 15/02/23 whilst it has its batteries recharged. (Courtesy of CMDG Facebook Group) 

 

The final loco that will be in use in April will be fellow Type 4, 47105 which has remained serviceable throughout the winter shutdown with focus being on sister Brush Type 4, 47376 'Freightliner 1995' which has been receiving some general repairs to its exhaust system as well as an engine room repaint.

47105 rests at Winchcombe during a stock move on 10/11/22. The Brush Type 4 will be the third mainline loco in use during April. (Courtesy of Matt Pickford)

20137 and 37215 will also join the serviceable roster once their B Exams have been completed successfully. 37215 has been in serviceable condition throughout the winter although it has had its buffers temporarily replaced with an oval set whilst it's round set are away for overhaul. With D6948 now back in the roster, it is hoped to be able to remove '215' for a short time so that its compressors can be removed and replaced with an overhauled pair. 

37215 and 20137 bask in the wintery sun on 21/12/22.

However, the two Class 20s, 20137 and 20228 have been a little neglected over the winter as Steve M,  their owner, like myself, has had to take a leave of absence and so hasn't been to Toddington for a while. Steve tends to look after the locos on his own with a little support from others when required so, in his absence, little has probably been completed. However, 20137 was taken out of service as serviceable so hopefully the B Exam will be straightforward and the 'chopper' could be back on the roster quite quickly. 20228, of course, is still undergoing its restoration and will be some way off having its B Exam completed.    

 

20228 on 05/10/22. It looks very close to being operational but there is still a fair bit to do. 

Our Type 2 locos are both still out of action. One, of course, is long term and the other is Class 24, 5081 which is awaiting the return of it engine governor, which was removed towards the end of last 2022 and sent away for repairs. The 'Rat' had been suffering load up issues for some time which was causing sluggish performance, especially when cold. It is hoped that this will be returned in the next few weeks and can be refitted and tested so the popular loco can return to the roster. 

Class 24, 5081, gets underway from Toddington during the 2022 Diesel Gala. 

The other Type 2 is, of course, Class 26 D5343 which is still in the throes of its bodywork restoration. Attention continues to be focussed on the cab front at no.2 end where a partial rebuild of the driver's side and solebar has had to be effected due to historic crash damage and the affects of water on the metal skin. Having received help from our friends at the SRPS at Bo'ness, who have provided plans and guides that they have acquired and used on their own Class 26s, work has progressed on replacing damaged, or non existant, plates at the base of the cab and above the solebar. 

The driver's side pillar has been replaced and the missing plate at the base has had a new piece refabricated and welded in place. The gap below it, a consequence of the historic crash damage, has also been filled allowing the plate to sit properly. 

With that all in place, it has allowed for the missing plate below the old corridor connection to be replaced with new steel. New steel has also been welded to complete the sides of the corridor connection which had corroded. 

The missing bottom piece of the old corridor connection has been replaced with a new piece of steel. (Courtesy of David Stanton)

The missing plate of the floor of the corridor connection has also been replaced with a new piece of steel. You can also see that the left hand side (as you look at it) of the corridor has also had new steel welded in place. (Courtesy of David Stanton)

With the new steel in place around the corridor connection, the new crib plates are also welded in place. (Courtesy of David Stanton)

Looks much better than it did before! (Courtesy of David Stanton)

It will probably still be some time before D5343 is back in traffic but the work that is going into its restoration will certainly mean that the end result will be impressive. Along with the steel work, preparatory work is also being done on some of the ancilliary parts that sit on the buffer beam and the cab front. This includes the multiple working recepticles and the indicator discs which are being refurbished ready for repainting and eventual refitting.

Loco Allocations:

So with services getting underway on Saturday 4th March, the provisional rosters for March and April are as follows.... 

Date	Timetable	Loco Allocated
Sat 04 Mar		L425
Sun 05 Mar		L425
Sat 11 Mar		L425
Sun 12 Mar		L425
Sat 18 Mar		L425
Sun 19 Mar		L425
Sat 25 Mar		L425
Sun 26 Mar		L425
Sat 01 Apr		D6948
Sun 02 Apr		D6948
Tues 04 Apr		D6948
Wed 05 Apr		47105
Fri 07 Apr		47105
Sat 08 Apr		45149
Sun 09 Apr		45149
Mon 10 Apr		45149
Wed 12 Apr		D6948
Thur 13 Apr		D6948
Sat 15 Apr		45149
Sun 16 Apr		47105
Tues 18 Apr		47105
Wed 19 Apr		D6948
Thur 20 Apr		45149
Sat 22 Apr		D6948
Sun 23 Apr		47105
Tues 25 Apr		D6948
Wed 26 Apr		D6948
Thur 27 Apr		L425
Sat 29 Apr		47105
Sun 30 Apr		D6948

A quick update.

Apologies for the lack of an early New Year update from the Diesel Department. Sadly, I suffered a very close family bereavement (my brother) on the 10th Jan and so my visits to Toddington have been on hold while I am helping to organise the necessaries, support my brother's young family and help with the 'sadmin' (a great word coined by my sister in law!). However, life goes on and in my absence the locomotives have continued to receive their winter maintenance and preparations for the new running season. In this regard I am thankful for the social media posts put up by my colleagues across the owning groups so that I can keep up with some of what is going on and pass that on through this channel.

So, where do we begin.....

Let's start with our Yorkshire Engine Co shunter, DES. As you may recall DES has been out of traffic for a while now after suffering a generator failure. With investigations completed, it was identified that the generator needed replacing however the then owner, Paul, was not in a position to complete the works. After reaching out to the preservation world a new owner was identified in Andrew Briddon, who had previous experience with Yorkshire Co shunters, and a deal was reached whereby Andrew would take on ownership, complete the repairs, before DES would return to Toddington under Paul's custodianship. 

DES sits in the yard during September 2021 whilst fault finding was still being conducted into it's electrical issues. 

On January 12th, Paul was at Toddington to document DES leaving. As part of the new ownership agreement, a second generator that Paul (and Paul's late father, Bill, a fellow co-owner of DES) had acquired was given the once over and was found to also be defective. However, the consensus is that one good generator can be engineered from two faulty ones. 

DES sits on the unloading road as the low loader arrives and is readied for loading. (Courtesy of Paul Jones)

DES had been at Toddington for 23 years and had been a welcome addition to the shunter fleet due to it's available power for moving multiple locos at once - our 204hp Class 04's struggle to move more than one loco at a time compared to DES's 320hp and higher tractive effort. This loco was used to hauling several loaded steel wagons around ASW at the Cardiff Rod Mill, so definitely needed it! 

All loaded and secured, the low loader is ready to take DES to Darley Dale for it's repairs. (Courtesy of Paul Jones)

Although there is no timescale for the completion of the generator replacement and rewire, we all hope that DES will be back in a serviceable condition soon.

Where it all started! DES on arrival at Toddington in 1999 with Bill (RIP) and Paul on the front running board. (Courtesy of Paul Jones) 

With the close season underway, another of our shunters has been active alongside our colleagues within the Permanent Way department. 'Class 04', 11230, has been utilised on the P'Way train at Didbrook whilst rail and sleepers have been replaced on one of the oldest, if not THE oldest, remaining pieces of track on the railway. When the railway was in it's infancy the first part of track stretched from Toddington Station to Didbrook village, just short of where Hayles Abbey Halt is. The track and sleepers are, for the most part, still the original panels that were laid in 1984 and were in serious need of replacing as they were second hand even then!

It is easier to use the shunters for these little jobs as they can be prepped and started much more quickly than one of the mainline diesels and, with work going on in the yard on most days, the shunters are generally in a ready state anyway. Our sister blog, 'Heritage Herald' recently had a set of pictures from the legend that is John Lees - one of the 'originals' from back in 1981 who showcased the early resurrection of the railway and, up until very recently, was still actively involved with the Diesel and P'Way departments. This one shows a study of the 1984 version of the P'Way train hauled by one of the very first diesels on the railway, 'Mavis'. The sleepers, probably even the rails, are the same ones (for the most part) being removed over this winter relay! We can safely say we had our moneys worth out of them!

Didbrook, Summer 1984. 'Mavis' is the shunter that is propelling the P'Way train. (Courtesy of John Lees/Heritage Herald Blog)

'Mavis' is still based at Toddington, although you have to be very quick to notice it as you pass on a train. Originally, the little 0-4-0 shunter was being restored by the, now-defunct, Youth Group but has been sat in the yard doing very little with the occasional bout of restoration work being conducted on it. 

'Mavis' is THAT elusive that the only picture I have taken of it in 8 years is this one where it is sat coupled to Class 117 DMBS, W51372 - its the small green and yellow thing on the left!! 

I am not sure what the plan is with the little shunter or who actually owns it. I'm sure that things will become clearer in the fullness of time. 

Not to be left out, our Class 03, D2182, has also been incredibly busy with our colleagues in Carriage and Wagon doing the corresponding winter maintenance on the coach sets down at Winchcombe.

Captured by one of our C&W Blog colleagues, D2182 shunts a Warflat wagon at a very frosty Winchcombe on 20th Jan 2023 (Courtesy of the GWSR C&W Blog)

On to the mainline fleet and the return of Class 37, D6948 gets ever closer. The 'Green Machine' is back in the Diesel Shed after it's 'holiday' in the David Page Shed.

Posed next to sister 37215 on 18 Jan 2023, D6948 is now back in the Diesel Shed after an extended period next door in the David Page shed. (Courtesy of Kevin Jarvis)

The loco has had it's electrical pre-heater checked along with the coolant/anti-freeze mixture - just in time for the latest cold snap! The decompressor plugs have been refitted and repairs completed on a number of electric conduits and engine covers. The yearly B Exam has also been started on both D6948 and sister, 37215, and it is hoped that a first start in nearly 3 years is not far away. 

If you look closely in Kev's picture above, you will see that 37215 now sports a temporary set of oval buffers. The OLEO round buffers have been removed and sent away for refurbishment as they had been showing signs of damage and wear outside of the accepted tolerances. The fitting of the oval buffers means that the loco can be shunted safely, if required. 

37215 at it's, then, home depot of Tinsley in 1987 wearing a set of oval buffers. (Courtesy of The Growler Group website)

The loco did arrive at Toddington with oval buffers in 1994 but I don't know if those fitted now are the set it arrived with then or not. 

37215, along with 20137, in the yard at Toddington after arrival in 1994. (Courtesy of Dean Tabor)

With the work on D6948 coming to a conclusion, the next big job will be to remove the two compressors situated in the no.1 end nose of 37215. These have been leaking for some time and, although still operable, the decision has been taken to remove them and replace them with a freshly overhauled pair for the new season. 

37215's OLEO buffers, palleted ready for cleaning and then onward delivery for refurbishment. (Courtesy of Kevin Jarvis)

Work is continuing on Class 26, D5343's resurrection. More steel has been added to places that either needed replacing or had just simply rotted away at no. 2 end. The CMDG had received a set of new crib plates that have been manufactured by our friends at the SRPS Diesel Group from their original plans of the Class 26. These have now been fitted and the gaps where the buffer beam sloped down because of the accident damage, filled to ensure the crib plates sit on the level. 

One of the new crib plates welded in place on D5343. (Courtesy of Dave Stanton)

As well as the crib plates, the corner pillar on the driver's side has been complete replaced due to the accident damage incurred. 

Before...........

After! A brand new pillar has been fashioned and welded in place. (Courtesy of David Stanton)

Whilst all the steel work is being completed, other CMDG members have been busy with other vital roles to get the locomotive back into working order. The remaining body side grills have been shot-blasted and painted with primer, as has the multiple working cable receptacle. The door handles and grab rails have also been removed and cleaned ready for re-plating with chrome.   

45149 sits on road 10 at Toddington. (Courtesy of David Stanton)

'Peak', 45149 has also not been neglected whilst the 'McRat' is the focal point at the moment. The batteries were charged up and the electrical systems tested to see if any further damage had happened over the periods of very changeable temperatures. The loco is still waiting more detailed work to the electrical systems at no. 1 end that has prevented the lighting from working for a substantial part of the year. 

The Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group have a new Facebook page where you will be able to keep abreast of the ongoing restoration of D5343 and the up keep of 45149. You can access it here, if you have a Facebook account ======>> https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086535366200

Over on the DMU's, the Class 117 set, L425 has had it's M Exams completed ready for the new season. Other than the race trains, the DMU kicks the season off in March and so has the shortest lead in time in the department - the mainline locos get an extra month. 

The Class 117 set, L425 sat over the pits for the M Exams to take place on each vehicle. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Group)

The M Exams on the Class 117 are similar to the B Exams on a mainline locomotive but take into account the hydraulic nature of the engines and the fact that each vehicle is a piece of motorised rolling stock rather than a locomotive. Lots of safety critical tasks to ensure that the units are safe to run and carry passengers. 

The M Exam includes judicious applications of lubricant. A vital job that everyone enjoys doing, as you can tell by James's face! He's having fun, really! (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Group)

Along with the M Exams, Kevin and Bryan were continuing with laying the flooring in the Class 122 bubble car. It hopefully won't be too long before the inside can be fitted out.

The new floor going into the Bubble Car. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Group)

Some of the radiator mounts have been refreshed as these were life expired. This is another part of the M Exam. 

One of the radiator grills after receiving some TLC as part of the exam process on the DMU. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Group)

DMS, W51405 continues to have some small issues with one of its engines (number 1 engine) and this was, again, stripped down to try and rectify the fault. The fault continues around the head and so this was stripped, checked, parts replaced and reassembled. When it goes back onto '405' it can be run up and checked again. 

The head is removed from the engine and injectors removed to check condition. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Page)

The stripped engine. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Group)

Whilst number 1 engine was receiving its attention, number 2 engine was having its compressor removed for replacement. 

No. 2 engine compressor removed and ready for replacement. (Courtesy of the GWSR DMU Facebook Group)

To finish, another view of the new floor in the Class 122.....