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| The 20s head UP the branch - 19th May 2002 Photo R.Bruford |
The 20s near Woodville - 19th May 2002 Photo
R.Bruford | |
|
D8110 [20110] |
Worked well on Sunday 6th April for the DDS's AGM.
The exhaust was a bit on the smoky, more than usual. Friday 12th April saw
a day of shunting along with a trip to Staverton to berth a coach and pick
up the DMU. By the end of April the loco had had a good going over
with a grease gun. The low vacuum reading on the loco has now been
put right. The afternoon of 1st May had both 20s run up to
test the vacuum. With the exhauster on 110 working hard to make the
20" only and when piped up to 118 only getting 18". With some
adjustment to the relief valve on the system and the strainer cleaned a
small improvement was made. This was still not acceptable so with
110 shutdown and 118 running a look around was made and a small hiss was
heard under No.2 bogie. This was coming from a 2" pipe with loose
nuts, which after tightening allowed the loco to make between 21" and
22"
It ran the two days (Sunday & Monday)
over the Thomas weekend without trouble. Again on the diesel day (May
19th) the loco worked all ok, but the only thing was a traction motor
cover decided to fall off one of the motors along the line. This was found
by the next train, and was taken to the work shop to be straightened out
at a later date.
A replacement cover was refitted
to the loco. A day of shunts and a trip to Totnes to get things ready for
the Jubilee weekend was done on Thursday 30th May. The loco had a morning
of coach shunting on Sunday 2nd June, the 1950's Jubilee Gala weekend
(1962!). A full afternoon of shunting was carried out on Sunday 9th June.
To get ready for a boiler lift on a sick steam loco. |
|
[D8118] 20118 |
Loco worked well over the 6th April, and was put in
multiple with D8110 at Totnes for the D.D.S's AGM. Only two small faults
showed up, first was that the multiple working jumper cable at the nose
end is not passing power and second, a valve/relays in the control cubicle
has started to stick which stops you from restarting the loco. You have to
wait for the air pressure to drop before it will start.
This is the same fault as D8110 had last year. Mid April and the
valves/relays had been serviced along with a good going around with the
grease gun doing the brake rigging and the electrical machines. The vacuum
system was making 23", this is now in par with 110 (21"- 22"). The
strainer also had a clean out. The strainer is in the vacuum system to
acted like a filter. It is placed next to the exhauster to pick up any
bits that come through the pipes of the wagons or coaches, so the air
going through the exhauster is clean. The loco worked the Saturday of the
Thomas weekend without any trouble. Only some small oil leaks around the
power unit.
Painting continues in and around the
engine compartment, with the pipe work now getting colour coded. Loco
worked well over the diesel day (May
19th). At the start of June the hand pump was fitted in the nose end
compartment. This pump is used to top up the coolant water header tank. By
the end of June, most of the pipes in the engine compartment were painted.
Just leaving some touching up to do. The loco has now been covered over to
help keep the sun off (when it comes out!) to help stop the paint from
fading. |
|
D7612 [25262,
25901] |
| Not a lot happening to the loco in April and May. But on
Sunday 9th June the last bolts that held the roof panel down were freed
and a set of lifting eyes made up and welded together by Mike Shaw. Mike
is from the Sunday gang in the workshop, who was also finishing off the
new exhaust for the loco. Later in the day the loco was shunted out from
under cover of the stock shed to the North end crossing in readiness for
the cooler group lift. This was carried out on the afternoon of Sunday
23rd, in four stages. First the roof,
then the fan
section , then the radiators
and finally the tanks were lifted from each side. This left the loco some
5/6 inches higher at that end. A hole (large) was found in one tank and
both have thin metal. A hole was cut into the leaking tank, only to find a
large build up of sediment. The loco's roof around the section that is off
has been cleaned up and primed, along with the header tank. By Sunday 30th
a coat of undercoat was on, as rain was forecast for the following week.
Much cleaning and scrapping was also done to the floor, later next month
this will be steam cleaned. The under side of the roof section that is off
was also steam cleaned (steam cleaner will not reach the loco, so a small
one is to be hired) and what was black is now a creamy colour. A second
roof panel over the engine was also taken off for cleaning. |
|
Class 09 |
Sunday 21st April the loco was started up,
but had to have an hour or so on the charger first.
Loco now needs a drop of fuel, as the header tank only has 10
gallon left in it. This will be the first time the 09 has had fuel since
arriving on the railway. |
|
Class 127 |
| Been stored at Staverton for a week or two to make space
at Buckfastleigh. Worked it's first train for the year on Thursday 9th
May, doing four round trips for the owning group's spring
visit. |
|
Class 122 -
55000 |
| Most of the cab (brake van end) panelling is now back in
place. |
|
Yorkshire |
| In service. But restricted to station work only, due to
reports of earth fault relay tripping. By the start of June the loco was
stopped and not to be used. It is thought that the traction motor has
flashed over. |
|
Fowler |
| No change from last time. |
|
Hunslet |
| No change from last time, but the donkey engine is to be
look at over the coming months. |
|
South Devon Diesels' Drewry 04 |
| Worked over the groups AGM and again on the Sunday 7th
April giving members driving experience, but later on in the afternoon the
loco became sluggish. Later found that the fuel filter had got a bit
clogged up. On the following weekend the injectors were removed for
overhaul. By the start of May the injectors had been returned and fitted
to the loco on Sunday 12th, but for some reason the engine did not start.
An electrical fault between the start button and the starting motor was
thought to be the problem. The engine did start, by holding a relay in on
the starting motor. Later in that week a wire was found to have come away
from a connecting clip. Loco worked three days over the 1950's weekend,
shunting and a trip freight. The axle boxes are to be checked over as
water has got into one or two. An oil change for these is
expected. |
|
Stock |
MINK - W 104700 - new roof cover has arrived and
over the coming month will be fitted onto the wagon. This will be a all
day job.
CCT - W94556 - No change, but showing
signs of weathering.
CCT - M94852 - Inside has
had a clean and tidy up, and is now locked up
SHOCK - No change
MINK `B' W125814 - With
the better weather here! One plywood panel has had to be replaced as the
outer layer had started to buckle and come away from the rest of the ply.
By mid April it was fully repainted, but this panel carries the XP &
wheelbase along with a small black panel for servicing data. This has now
been redone, which just leaves the last bits of wood over the doors to fit
along with the locking bars on the doors. It is hoped to have the van
finished and all locked up by the winter (or when the colder rain
comes!). |
|
Other |
| The battery charger appears to work all ok. It was
plugged into 20118 without anything going bang and charged at 20 amps for
a time although the batteries were already well up. It has had a coat of
paint on the inside and now waits for the outside to be done.
Two new covers have arrived for the two new spare power
units and will be in place on them by the winter.
Keep the aluminium drink cans coming in. |
|
Dates for Diary (Diesels
running) |
| The first Sunday of the Month is to be a full working
day, plus someone will be around on other Sundays. If you turn up between
09.00 & 09.30 at Buckfastleigh. All help is most welcome. Work is
varied. At the moment a lot of cleaning is required and later on,
painting. Following this some wagon/van repairs are to be done. Sunday
dates are as follows:- 4th August, 1st September, 6th
October. |
|
Working Weekends |
It has been agreed to hold a
working day on the first Sunday of each month on a regular basis.
This is to allow members/shareholders who live some distance away from the
railway to make arrangements to attend. Also those who are nearer
will know when to come along.
Please try to be at Buckfastleigh between 09:00 and 09:30 to lend
a hand. |
|
Running Days |
| The blue timetable for the weekdays in July. &
August may be a mix of DMU and loco hauled stock on the 17.15
departure: |
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|
D7612 behind 1420 awaiting crane |
Roof panel is removed to provide access |
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Fan Unit is removed to release radiators |
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One of the radiator assemblies is lifted out |
View from back of cab to engine after
lift |
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