SRPS Diesel Group - News Archive

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News Archive
2nd March 2008 47 643 was brought into the shed on Saturday for removal of the exhaust silencer which has a lot of corrosion damage to it. It was found that the roof section was also corroded badly underneath where the silnecer sits in. It was decided to remove the main roof section for repairs to be carried out exhaust undertry which is double skinned to prevent heat transfer from the silencer. Most of the inner skin is corroded away from water leaking into it from the badly holed silencer. The roof to body joint will also be cleaned up on the main roof section, the boiler room roof will also be replaced at the same time. 27001 was also in the shed for electrical repairs to enable the loco to return to service. D5394 Good progress is being made with work starting on the refitting of the cab roof and air tanks in the No 2 end. The small engine room roof scetion that has 3 air tanks that hang from it has also been refitted.
10th February 2008 08 443 - General overhaul progressing D8020 - The Traction Motor Blower unit has been replaced with an overhauled spare. The original motor wil be sent for overhaul D5394 - Work continues to rebuild the severely corroded body. Class 126 DMU Enigine No4 - The rebuild of this engine is nearing completion Railtours Coach RMB 1859 - A boigie lift was undertaken to exchange wheel sets prior to the commencement of the 2008 tour program.
13th January 2008 The general overhaul of English Electric 0-6-0 shunter 08 443 has been started with the removal of batteries, engine and generator compartment doors. The battery compartments have been cleaned and descaled with an air needle gun to remove corrosion. 27 001 is undergoing various repairs including servicing to the overload relays and a general inspection and clean-up of the traction motors. D5394 continues to make good progress with treatment and clean-up of bodyside corrosion. Work is also underway to reconstruct the seriously corroded boiler compartment roof. 37 175 is receiving ongoing repairs and a start has been made to clean and repaint the cabs
28th October 2007 The B4 bogie overhaul for SRPS Railtours is nearly complete and all that remains is to re-unite them with the coach. The Class 126 DMU received it's third engine today and work is now underway to connect the exhaust system, drive shafts and auxiliary pipe work and wiring. More progress has been made on the bodywork of D5394 and the engine room of the loco is being prepared for cleaning and painting, body side windows & grilles have been removed and a start made on coating the new meatlwork in No2 cab with primer.
21st October 2007 Work this weekend has focused on completing the B4 bogie overhauls for SRPS Railtours. D3510 and 37 175 have had anti-freeze added to their cooling systems for the winter. Elsewhere in the shed work continues on sorting and categorizing spares and improving the general working space.
14th October 2007 Following the Gala weekend, work has mainly focused on a major shed tidy prior to starting any new projects Welding work in progressing well on D5394 with the No2 cab nearly complete. A completed engine was brought from storage and preparations started to re-unite it with the Class 126 DMU. The fourth engine has been stripped down and only requires re-building. The MMPD is also home to two railtours coach bogies which are undergoing heavy overhaul.
24th Septembert 2007 55 022, 40 145, D8020, D5310 and 37 175 arrived at Bo'ness on Friday 21st ahead of next weekend's Diesel Gala. Waterman Railways class 25 will return home this week and has been moved to the head shunt for transfer to a road vehicle for the journey south. The final painting of 37 025 has now commenced in preparation of it's debut and naming ceremony at next weekend's Gala
16th Septembert 2007 37 025 nears completion prior to re-painting. The last of the lighting circuits were connected and the fire alarm system re-commisioned. On Sunday, the loco received a partial boige lift to install the last of the traction motor blower belows. During the week, D5394 has seen progress on the cab metal work at the number 2 end with all main panels now replaced. Work has also started on preparing the DMU engine mounts.
10th Septembert 2007 27 001 failed on the 16:15 train to Birkhill on Saturday 8th September and was rescued by D2767 which propelled the ensemble to Birkhill before returning to Bo'ness. Following the replacement of the MCC contactor which controls power to wire 12 (all services when the master controller is opened) early on Sunday morning, the loco has returned to traffic and received a good wash prior to hauling Sunday's 16:15 37 025 has had a partial bogie lift to enable the fitting of new traction motor blower bellows. This has allowed the steam cleaning of the underframe before painting. The lighting circuits on the loco are now almost complete with only a couple of engine room bulkhead fittings and the No1 end instrument lights to complete. Both cabs are also nearing completion leaving only the exterior painting to finish the job before service. Welding work on D5394 has been restarted and as can be seen from the gallery is making good progress. The second class 126 DMU power car has also been moved to the MMPD for work in advance of refitting the engines.
August 2007 With D8020, D5310 & 26 024 on tour, work continues on 37 025 ahead of the Autumn Gala. With the welding work on the body now almost complete, final preparations are being made prior to repainting the loco in large logo blue livery. The lighting circuits have also been energised. Following the discovery of split bellows on the exhaust manifold, the offending parts have been removed and new ones fitted. A fault has developed on the lubricating oil pump which will require attention before the loco can undertake load test runs. 27 001 has had its air receiver exam completed and whilst the reservoirs were out of the loco, the opportunity was taken to freshen up the paint work on the cab roofs. To assist SRPS railtours, the diesel group have also undertaken bogie refurbishment for one of the Mk2 coaches. This work is particularly labour intensive involving the complete stripdown of all running gear components, descaling painting, inpection of bearings and components and re-assembly.
Early June 2007 26010 has had the defective generator removed after the loco failed whilst on a test run. The separate field winding was found to be down to earth necessitating the generators removal.The generator is currently at Wyko at Polmadie under repair. The turbo has been removed and cleaned and repairs have been made to the exhaust stack and engine breather outlet which was found to be almost blocked solid with carbon. The opportunity has been taken to clean the generator area whilst it is out, painting has started in the engine compartment. A half lift was also carried out to tighten loose center casting bolts, replace some split traction motor bellows and also repair a leaking air pipe at the No1 end. It is hoped to refit the generator in time for the loco to move to Keighley for their gala. Further details and pictures can be found at http://26010.fotopic.net/c1179066.html 37025 is nearing completion with most minor jobs being finished off. A split in a pair of exhaust bellows was found and the section of exhaust has been stripped out for repairs to take place. A start has been made on rubbing down the paint and preparing it for undercoat and then final top coating. A pair of rail tour coach bogies have been stripped for overhaul. All metal frame parts were sent to be grit blasted and primed by a local company. These have since been returned and have been top coated black and are ready for assembly to start. D8020 is in the diesel shed having an exam prior to going to Keighley, 26024 will be next in for its fitness to run exam.
22nd April 2007 D5310 has been successfully started. A video clip is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEsIZDP0VqM. There has been a lot of progress in the cabs being repainted and refitted. All cab air receivers have now been fitted and the air system run up. Further testing of this is taking place after a repair to No 1 compressor was carried out. One drivers auto brake valve needed replaced due to sticking components within it. The number of air leaks is diminishing daily! An oil change will be carried out soon. More broken studding has been found within the electrical cubicle. This should be remedied this week. It is hoped to have it available for the diesel gala. 37 025 continues to make good progress with the new rain strips being fitted. There has been a large push of late to get the engine finished for the diesel gala at Keighley in June. The new traction motor bellows have been fitted to their mounting plates and are now ready to refit to the engine and the last of the missing parts have been sourced to finish the loco mechanically and electrically. To help keep the news pages up to date please email text and photos to news@srpsdiesel.com
1st March 2007 Good progress continues to be made with all current projects, On 37 025, all lighting circuit have now been rewired and only require connecting, sections of corroded metal around the cab steps have been replaced and a replacement set of batteries fitted. The roof section of D5394 that carries the air receivers has been descaled and painted. Bodyside windows on D5310 have now been refitted and in the exhibition building, work on the DMU interior is ongoing with interior laminate panels being fitted.
19th February 2007 On Thursday 15th, ultrasonic testing was successfully carried out on D5310, D8020 and 37 025 and the axle boxes cleaned and repacked with fresh grease. Air receivers on D5394 and D5310 were also inspected, tested and certified. A alternative set of batteries for 37 025 have been obtained, assembled and placed on charge. Also on the loco, the replacement of the internal lighting circuit wiring has been completed and now only requires to be connected to complete that section of the re-wire. The cab heaters in No1 end have also been connected which will allow the refitting of the cab to continue. Other progress includes the ongoing clean-up of brake cylinder components for D5394, completion of railtours coach wheelsets following a bearings exam, the overhaul of a fuel pump for the new diesel fuel storage tank and the laborious task of organising the technical literature library in the new shed office
14th February 2007 D5394 The brake cylinders have been stripped for an internal exam and fitting of new seals. One cylinder is excessively corroded and will require replaced. The power unit has been fitted with an overhauled set of injectors and a broken camshaft oil feed pipe replaced. Following topping up of the engine oil and battery charging, the engine was successfully started for the first time in over 2 years and ran well with no problems. The engine oil put in to flush the system out has now been drained prior to replacement with new oil. The roof section above the control cubicle has been removed for inspection of the air receivers and work has also started cleaning and painting the cantrail grilles. D5310 Since arrival, new batteries have been fitted and some testing of the electrical systems carried out. The power unit has been fitted with a new set of injectors, the tappet clearances adjusted and an internal exam of the crankcase has been carried out. The triple pump was unsiezed and several leaking tubes inside the heat exchanger have been repaired. Following this work, the oil and water systems have been pressurised and no problems have come to light. Examination of the control cubicle has highlighted a few problems which will have to be repaired before a start-up can be attempted. The majority of the work has been carried out by WRHA volunteers, more information and pictures at www.26010.fotopic.net. 37025 Progress has been made with the bodywork restoration, more filling, sanding and painting has been carried out along with removal of the damaged roof gutters for replacement and needle de scaling of the grilles. The other grilles for the nose ends have been painted ready for refitting. The wheel sets have been prepared for Ultrasonic Axle testing. Spare Class 26 Bogies These have been completely dismantled and the wheel sets prepared for a bearing exam by SKF. D2767 Following failure of the original item, a new drive coupling has been manufactured for the water pump and the loco is back in regular use. Civil Engineers One half of the shed was used by the Civil Engineers for a week to construct a new turnout for installation at Birkhill North. The Diesel Group provided assistance transporting the various components into and out of the shed. Working indoors and making use of the cranes and forklifts allowed the job to be completed in a very short space of time.
7th January 2007 The bogies removed last year from 26 024 have been brought into the shed for major overhaul. All components will be removed, cleaned and refurbished before refitting. The four traction motors will probably be sent to a specialist contractor for inspection and overhaul prior to refitting. D5310 belonging to the Waverley Line Heritage Group is also receiving attention on the pit road by WLHG members.

11th December The 2nd DMU engine has been fitted and connected up, but still needs some parts fitted before it will be ready to start. The 1st engine fitted has been run up successfully after a few problems were sorted out. The 'new' 30,000 litre diesel storage tank arrived on Saturday after the ground was levelled to mount it, next job is to fit a pump and hoses etc so we can refuel locos and plant. 37025 - Progress continues with welding, filling and sanding to the bodywork. D5394 - The roof sections have been prepared for removal and the cantrail grilles are being removed for cleaning and painting. 47643 is moving to the wheel lathe at Craigentinny this week for tyre turning. In preparation for this a new set of brake blocks have been fitted along with greasing and some minor repairs to the bogies.
12th November After removal of the exisiting engine, The first refurbished engine was fitted to class 126 Swindon Inter City DMU this weekend. It is intended to fit the second engine next week.
30th September As part of the Autumn Diesel Gala, the MMPD was officially opened by SRPS Memeber Alastair Kircaldy who drove NBL D2767 through the ceremonial tape. This event marked the completion of several years work by the Diesel Group.
18th September The old bothy was finally demolished. Preparations are now well under way for the Gala Weekend at the end of the month.
10th September All the brush boxes have been refitted to 37 025 which then made some successful trial runs through the station loop on Friday. D2767 and D8020 have had their air receivers inspected and certified, No2 DMU engine continues to make good progress with the pistons and cylinder heads now refitted. The remaining joinery in the bothy has been completed and undercoat painting was started on 37 025 today. 47 643 will not be in use during the Diesel Gala scheduled for 30th September / 1st October
27th August The crankshaft for No2 DMU engine has new returned from being machined and a start was made on refitting it to the engine block. No3 engine has now been completely stripped down. On 37 025, the descaling and priming of "A" bank cantrail grilles has been completed leaving only some filling & sanding before this side of the loco can receive its grey undercoat.
23rd August Good progress has been made on the office/mess building and it is now nearly complete. 37 025 continues to receive work on the body sides in preparation for re-painting and NBL D2767 after retuning to working order suffered a water pump failure. The offending pump has now been removed for examination
25th July The new shed mess in nearly complete and should be ready for the official shed opening event on Saturday 30th September. 25 235 has now returned to service following final adjustments to the electrical system after it's generator overhaul. 26 024 had a very successful weekend at the East Lancashire Railway's summer Diesel Gala.Work continues on the 3rd DMU engine with both cylinder heads now overhauled.
2nd July The overhaul of No3 DMU engine was started today with removal of the auxiliary components and the cylinder heads. On D5394, work has concentrated on the driver's side with the tumblehome and MU socket holder now welded in place. 37 025's traction motor commutator risers have been coated with anit-tracking paint and in No1 cab, the roof panels have been rubbed down ready for painting.The new office & mess facility moves a stage closer to completion with the roof now fitted and a start made on the internal ceilings.
25th June Repairs are now complete on NBL D2767 and the loco has been returned to service. Work on the new office & mess facility continues to make good progress with the 1st floor partitions now erected. Class 27, D5394 has returned to the shed to allow the bodywork repairs to be completed. All of the brush boxes on 37 025 have now been removed and work is well underway on sandblasting away years of carbon build-up. The traction motors have also been cleaned out leaving only the under-cutting of commutators and application of anti-tracking paint before re-assembly
28th May New batteries have been fitted to NBL D2767 which has solved the staring problems encountered after the cylinder head repairs. Work continues on 37 025, most of the traction motor brush boxes have been removed for overhaul, No1 end Second Man's side lower window timbers have now been replaced and the interior panels tried for fit, a new drain tray will need to be fabricated before the window glass and spring mechanism can be refitted. The other three cab window apertures will all have to be treated in a similar way since water ingress and blocked drains caused the original timbers and trays to rot.
23rd May D8020 has departed for Darlington and 26 024 has moved into the shed for minor repairs and examination prior to its move south to the East Lancashire Railway for their Gala in July. The loco will then stay there and return north to Bo'ness at the end of September.All trains on the "Days out with Thomas" over the weekend were diesel hauled by 47 643 and 27 001, and naturally they all ran to time. The Fat Controller was ecstatic and has threatened the temperamental kettles with permanent demotion to the troublesome trucks if they don't show improvement next time.
14th May The first DMU engine is now almost complete and requires only the injectors, fuel pipes and drive belts to be fitted. D8020 is in the shed for inspection ahead of its journey south to Darlington Railway Museum May 27 - 29 to mark the 40th anniversary of the closure of North Road Locomotive Works. 37 025 is now on the pit road and work has commenced on the traction motors with removal of the brush boxes for cleaning. Elsewhere on the loco the cab to cab lighting circuits have been drawn into the conduits, No2 end traction motor blower re-fitted, the engine speeder air cylinder stripped, cleaned and control air pressures set & checked and a quantity of mahogany prepared to replace the rotten internal cab-side timber framing.Work on the office / mess building continues with the first floor wall frames complete and ready for erecting and the first fix electrical nearly complete at ground floor level
2nd May In addition to the successful Gala Weekend, 37 025 received repairs for minor air leaks in the control air system. After starting the exhausters, both air and vacuum brake systems were tested and after a few adjustments went on to work perfectly together with the DSD system. The loco is now considerably closer to returning to service and work over the next few months will concentrate on completing the re-wire, cleaning up and testing the traction motors and finishing off body repairs prior to repaint into BR large logo blue livery. Work on the first DMU engine is progressing well as the auxiliary components are overhauled and reunited with the main engine block. 27th April West Coast Railway's 33 207 arrived today for the weekend gala. It travelled from Manuel to Bo'ness with the civil engineering train 23rd April The roof recovering for 25 235 is nearing completion and an earth fault on the loco has been rectified ahead of its return to service for next weekend's diesel gala. On 37 025, the old lighting wiring from the No2 end to the No1 cab has been stripped out, all contactors & relays in the cubicle have been lubricated and tested for operation, the fire detection circuit has been connected and warning bells now operate in both cabs, No2 end lighting control switches have been re-connected with the nose compartment and drivers desk lighting now operational, broken brass studding on the earth fault resistors has been replaced and the No2 drivers gauge panel connected. Using the shed compressor, a full test of the air system was carried out before moving the loco outside for a start-up to check operation of the on-board compressors which performed faultlessly. 16th April During this week, the office/mess building timber floor has been completed and fabrication of the first floor wall panels started together with the first fix electrical work. 27 001 was over the pit for brake adjustments for a couple of hours on Sunday. The first DMU engine is nearing completion with rocker gear now refitted together with the fuel injector pump. 25 235's main roof structural framework has been rebuilt, coated in primer and is now ready for sheeting with new GRP whilst the removable hatch has now been covered with the new material. On 37 025, No1 end bogie brake cylinders have been overhauled and again, as was the case last week, more corrosion was found on one of the cylinders resulting in another replacement. Elsewhere on the loco, No2 cab driver's gauge panel has been re-fitted and more body panels filled and rubbed down. 9th April With the blockwork now complete on the office/mess building, the wood technicians have made a start on the joists for the first floor. the roof for 25 235 has now been stripped of the old GRP sheeting, rivets drilled out and the framework cleaned ready for re-assembly. The sump and cylinder heads have been re-fitted to the 1st DMU engine and most of the components that were removed from the NBL shunter D2767 have now been re-fitted. In preparation for an air system test on 37 025, all brake cylinders on No2 end bogie were stripped down and cleaned, on one cylinder, the internal corrosion was particularly bad and necessitated replacement. In the No2 cab, the second man's panel switches have been connected and the main lighting switch and circuit breakers re-fitted. 2nd April All split pins and security wires have now been fitted to the big end bearings and other components on the DMU engine which will now allow the sump pan to be re-fitted. Work continues on the NBL shunter D2767 and a start has been made on tightening the cylinder head bolts to the required torque. On 37 025, the air & vacuum operated control switches in No2 nose end have been re-fitted and connected, the cab to nose end bulkhead painted, the AWS equipment, change end switch and fire bell re-fitted to the cab to boiler room bulkhead and the second man's control panel re-fitted and the electrical connections completed. Out side the shed, the area to the north has been tidied, scrap removed and the spare traction motors and other items palletised. 1st April After great effort this week, the washroom in the new shed office/mess building was completed. Featuring a power shower, hydrotherapy spa bath and heated floor, this spectacular facility is the last word in luxury and sets a new standard for washrooms at preserved railways. A picture of the facility is here Also this week, class 303 EMU ran for the first time under its own power. A combination of solar panels and a high power inverter designed by Andrew Harper made this remarkable feat possible. Mr Harper is confident that with some modifications the inverter would be capable of powering a Class 86 or 87 loco to speeds of 55 mph with a trailing load of 375 tons, thus making the preservation of AC electric locomotives a viable proposition without the need for investment in overhead line apparatus. The inaugural run was an outstanding success, marred only by the brief appearance of some stratocumulus resulting in an unscheduled stop at Craw Yetts where good use was made of the new on-board refreshment trolley until the outlook improved. Patents for the system are pending and it is hoped to be able to offer it for sale later in the year, for further information contact 25kvac@srpsdiesel.com 26 March The Exhausters and No1 Traction Motor Blower were reunited with 37 025 on Tuesday evening and today saw the all the pipwork refitted to the No2 nose compartment taking the loco another stage closer to an air system test. Elsewhere in the shed, block work on the new office/bothy is nearing completion and work has started on removing the old roof covering on 25 235 On the first DMU engine, Pistons, Rods, Oil Pump and pipes have been cleaned up and re-fitted and 4" of sludge cleared from the sump. 19 March Following the mid-week departure of the rail tour stock complete with the refurbished Mk1 FO, the Diesel Depot has returned to normal activities, 25 235 has been moved on to the pit road for attention to body work which will include replacing the GRP sheets covering the engine room roof sections. This work is essential to prevent ingress of rainwater and any further damage to the electrical systems. It is intended to complete this to enable the loco to feature at the Spring Diesel Gala on 29th & 30th April Work continues on 37 025 with the No2 nose end compartment now ready to receive the overhauled exhausters which will be lifted in this week so that a start may be made on reconnection of the associated pipework next weekend. A comprehensive "jobs still to do" board is now hanging on the "A" side of the loco to assist in progressing the overhaul to completion with tasks to suit all skill levels. 26 February Most of the work undertaken by the diesel group this week has been to assist Railtours with the overhaul of bogies before the start of this year's season. Aboard 37 025, the No2 nose compartment painting is now complete, No2 end lighting circuits have been rewired and start made on re-wiring the lighting within the engine room before refitting the lighting circuit breakers and control switches. Work continues preparing the exterior for undercoat with only a few areas of corroded metalwork left to renew. 19 February The first of the Mk1 bogies has been re-united with its wheel sets and following a fresh coat of paint has been rebuilt and is now almost ready to fit to the coach. Work continues on the cylinder heads for the Class 126 DMU engine and also on the repairs to the NBL cylinder heads. After a productive two days, the bothy block work is also nearing completion. Today saw the brake timing frame refitted to 37 025 and both exhausters and associated pipework cleaned up and coated with primer. Back at No1 end the second man's control desk wiring has been connected and the parking brake handwheel and chain drive refitted and tested. In the nose end, the conduit inspection covers have been replaced and all conduits painted with orange identification paint. 12 February Work continues on the FO coach and this weekend saw one bogie stripped down, all components cleaned and a start made on painting the frame. The wheelsets are also receiving attention with axle boxes removed and old grease cleaned away for a bearings inspection. In the No1 nose compartment of 37 025, both compressors have been bolted to their mountings, all pipe work reconnected, the support bracket for the traction motor blower installed and the various brake system pressure switches refitted. Both horns have been re-installed together with the No1 end secondman's control desk. Bodywork is also making good progress with the loco steadily changing colour to green anti-corrosion primer. 05 February A lift was carried out on Mk1 FO Coach to release the bogies for overhaul as part of the ongoing overhaul. The two compressors and main air receiver have now been reunited with 37 025 and work started on re-connecting them. Before testing the air system, it will be necessary to refit the drivers gauge panels, the engine room brake frame and all associated pressure switches. It is hoped to complete this work before the end of the month which then allow the straight air brake system to be tested. Whilst 025 was out of the shed, the opportunity was taken to run the engine which, after some initial smoke, settled down to a steady idle. 29 January Work is well under way on the overhaul of the first class126 DMU engine. All main components have been removed and the cylinder heads stripped down, cleaned and valve seats re-ground. One road of the MMPD is currently occupied by a Mk1 coach receiving major overhaul before returning to service as part of the SRPS Railtours Fleet. To accommodate this work, 25 235 has been temporarily moved to the carriage shed, however it's engine room roof remains and will receive new GRP sheeting to eradicate the ingress of water to the loco. 37 025 and NBL Shunter D2767 have been moved on to the pit road. All corroded body panels on 37 025 have now been replaced leaving only rain strips and gutters to complete the exterior body work. Painting of the interior No1 end nose compartment should be completed this week which will allow the re-installation of the overhauled compressors and blower motor. This weekend also saw the blockwork for the new shed bothy started. This structure will also provide an drawing and records office together with a "clean room" for the repair and overhaul of sensitive equipment such as brake system components and electrical components. 15 January The rebuild of 25 235 following generator repairs is now nearly complete and by lunch-time, the load regulator, exhaust stack, venturi pipe had been refitted, the cooling system filled and batteries topped up and placed on charge. Work continued on refitting the generator brush boxes and replacing damaged conduit to the load regulator and by 7pm the loco was started up and after some light smoke cleared it settled down to usual steady beat 13 January A Diesel Group departmental meeting is scheduled for 13:00 on Sunday 15th, apologies for absence or items for inclusion to andrew@srpsdiesel.com 09 January After the Christmas Break, work has commenced in earnest to complete the re-installation of 25 235's Generator Set. With six of the group working on the loco, progress is good and hopefully it will be running again by next weekend.