| D8110 [20110] |
The loco is now ready for the start of the new season.
The loco worked well on it's first outing (Sunday 23rd April), but on the
Monday after shunting the stock into the platform, it would not start
following a short shut down. A crimp connection was found to have broken
on the fuel priming pump button inside the engine compartment. This was
repaired and the loco was ready for use once again, but not see service
until the afternoon as the timetable and stock were all over the place,
due to the loco failing. A week later for the Thomas weekend all went well
with the loco, but it was found that some finger contacts on the field
diverts were showing signs of burning and these have now been
replaced.
"Everything Goes" weekend went
well.
The loco was pressed into use on Thursday 29th June after
68011 broke and lost a spring at Staverton. On towing 680I1 & train
back, Errol decided to derail on a right hand bend at about 51/4 MP.
knocking off a main air cock and breaking part of the multiple working
jumper housing. The main air pipe was plugged temporarily so the loco
could still work and it returned a re-railed Errol with coach stock back
to Buckfastleigh. |
[D8118] 20118
Back to
Top |
| The cab has now been stripped of most bits (seats,
cooker and all the wall panels) for cleaning, painting or replacement. By
April the two cylinder heads that came off were back on (one being the
Railparts one) and water had been put back into the cooling system. Some
small leaks where found and put right. Two relays from inside the
electrical cubical have been freed up, as they had seized. The fuel pump
now runs, as one of the relays is in the start circuit. It's been found
that around the camshafts and banjo joints that the lubrication oil has
turned into a thick grey oily mess, blocking the jointsand that a fuel
pump needed to be changed; this was done on Friday 26th May along with
checking the tappets. With this done and the batteries charged up the
engine was turned over, but no joy. One of the two start contactors in the
cab was sticking open. This was due to the linkage that connects the
contactor to two smaller contacts being very stiff. With the linkage
disconnected, and the decompressors out, the engine turned over blowing
clouds of rust from the exhaust. The decompressors were duly
replaced and an attempt to start the engine was made, but one decompressor
was blowing through, the bolt was tightened up for a second try but was
still found to be blowing through so the bolt was changed to no
avail. The whole unit was changed and resulted in no blow and no
start!
Due to low batteries and the time was getting on it
was decided to wait for for a new day. A second try was made on Sunday
29th, but it still would not start (it would turn but not fire); this was
traced to a sticking fuel rack. With this free the start button was
pressed once more at 12.32pm and 20118 burst into life at the first
attempt. Not bad after being laid up for almost five years. After checking
around it has been found that a cylinder head was blowing slightly, a
gauge was not showing a reading for one of the turbochargers (though both
turbochargers were working) and, on a positive note, the batteries were
taking a charge. On to test the auxiliaries; first the compressor, this
ran very quite quietly, then the exhauster; the motor was quite noisy, but
smoke came out from the exhaust pipe under the loco which is a good sign.
The blowers all ran OK. Also we now know the engine over speed works
correctly since it tripped and shut the engine down. A blow on head
`A3' (the reconditioned head from Railparts) was found. This head was
removed and with no signs as to why it leaked it was put back on and no
blowing was found on test. Head `A4' was blowing so this was removed
on Tuesday 27th June, but not without a severe fight. An arsenal of pinch
bars, crow bars and bits of wood was employed together with lots of
pulling on the rope.
All this effort was due to
the many years of blowing; the carbon had built up so much around at least
two head studs so much so that when the rope was let go the head simply
stayed put half way up the studs! It had been blowing past the copper ring
in three places. This head will now be cleaned and have its valves removed
and reground in, also around the block will be cleaned. With this being
done, the rest of the injectors will be replaced with overhauled
ones.
The two small cab windows have been
repaired. The bottoms of these window frames had to be cut out due to rust
and have been replaced with new metal; both windows are now back in
place. Some more rust spots have been cut out around the cab and new bits
will be welded in over the coming weeks. The plan is now to have the cab
weather tight for the winter and the rest of the loco fully repainted
before the end of the season so that next year will be free to make a
start on the class 25. |
D7612 [25262, 25901]
Back to
Top |
The base has been cut out to have some new bits welded
in. With this done just in time; the loco was used on Friday 2lst April to
empty the main train set from the platform at Buckfastleigh, and run it to
Totnes so as to allow an evening steam trip from Exeter to run up the
branch. The coolant leak is still with us and now we had an exhauster
(which makes the vacuum for the train brakes) arcing badly when it was
running. This seams to have put itself right since it's now running arc
free. The loco missed its afternoon run on Monday 24th April due to
the 20 failing and the stock being all over the place.
On Saturday 29th (The Thomas weekend) and we had a plastic air
pipe blow off its copper pipe adding ten minutes to an already late
running timetable at Bishops Bridge. The power on the return from Totnes
was low. At slow speeds the power is all OK, but when the speed builds up
the field diverts do not change ( the analogy for a loco stuck in
full field is that it's like a car with only first gear). As this is all
electronic it's a bit of a headache. Three slide out modules have been
changed to no avail. |
| Class 127 |
| A working weekend by the Dart Wyvern group in April had
a corridor connection fitted to the Totnes end power car. After doing some
runs on the branch over the last two months or so the radiator leak has
got a lot worse, and it now appears that some pipes are also leaking. It
has now been formed up as a two car set until repairs can be effected; but
not until after a drag along the line on Sunday 28th May with D7612
towing. |
Class 122 - 55000
Back to
Top |
| Most of the panels in the small saloon have being
refitted. It has been found that the saloon water heaters (fitted in the
80's) have all been disconnected for some reason. Only the guards heater
is plumbed in and works. |
| Yorkshire |
| Running into trouble again. The fuel line broke/split
and the engine shut down (whilst down the line), then the compressor was
found to have shed all but one bolt! And yet again more batteries are
needed. The loco is only to work around Buckfastleigh at the
moment. |
| Fowler |
| Loco is now under cover for some body
repairs. |
| Ruston |
| Now outside 'B' shop enjoying the sun (?) |
| Stock |
MINK - No change.
CCT - No
change.
SHOCKVAN - Repaint complete, just waiting
for numbers etc.
MINK (No.2) - Has been moved for
the first time in years, and is now in place for rebuilding to
start.
BG - Up for sale. Say no more ! Offers
? |
| Other Items |
| Keep the aluminium drink cans coming
in. |
