Working Day 25th October 2014

Evening All

With work on D335 now underway I wish to organize a working day on Saturday 25th October concentrating on progressing tasks forwards.

The loco will be at Castlecroft shed as we will need use of the 10 ton crane to remove boiler room roof section and lift out the steam generator onto a trolley.

Once steam generator has been removed we will need to steam clean the engine room and boiler area for painting.

The boiler will need to filled with an antifreeze solution to prevent frost damage and corrosion.

Also on the same day 345 will be inspected for its annual Network Rail safety examination at Buckley Wells shed.

If you can help and wish to get involved with our engineering team to get D335 fighting fit again please email me on engineering@cfps.co.uk.

Even if you can only drive a scraper and paint brush your help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Lee

CFPS Engineering Update

Hello All.............................

Firstly a huge apology for all who follow our engineering blog for not updating in so long, Other commitments have limited my free time in recent months to keep you up to date.

However with work already started on 40135 repairs and repaint it seemed a good time to start reporting on the progress made which only started today thanks to efforts of Seton Spencer.

Firstly I will give you all a brief run down on work that will be completed on 40135 (D335) over next 12 months with a return to traffic expected to be Autumn diesel gala 2015.

• Removal of Stones steam generator - for total rewire, corrosion repairs and upgrade of boiler operating controls. 
• Heavy cleaning and painting of engine room and boiler compartment.
• Complete fitment of overhauled brake cylinders - 3 units left to fit.
• Heavy cleaning of under-frame.
• Heavy clean of main and auxiliary generator, overhaul brush gear on aux gen. 
• Heavy cleaning and replace worn out brush gear and re-anti track paint traction motors 1 to 5. 
• Sort out various minor coolant, fuel and oil leak  and C exam. 
• Remove and re-seal cab windows and body side windows.
• Corrosion repairs as required to body.
• Renew cab floors both cabs and new floor vinyl added & new trim. 
• Repaint body - BR Green - full yellow ends.
• Refit and certify stones steam generator for 2015 winter season. 

As you can see there's quite a bit to achieve so if you can help us please get in touch by emailing me at engineering@cfps.co.uk. 

Today Seton has got us to a flying start by unbolting boiler room roof, disconnecting boiler ready for lifting out and removing auxiliary generator brush gear for overhaul. Thanks Seton!!

I will post out a list of working dates concentrating on D335 over next day or so. 

A quick update on 345.

Loco performed very well at last weeks gala - it was noted that field diverts and general load control system is working much better after recent re-bushing of operating linkage between the power piston, governor and load regulator cam switches. There is some minor adjustments to be made to get field diverts coming in at correct speed and increase horsepower slightly. 

There will be also a couple of working dates on 345 to prepare her for next mainline outing in November. 

Cheers

Lee

345 work 16.11.13

Hello everyone ....

Today I have been working solo on the snagging list on 345 here is the work completed.

1) completed fitting turbo charger storm drains this will enable rain water to drain from the bottom of turbo and not collect in exhaust system this will prevent any corrosion from taking place on the turbo impellers and nozzle rings. Excessive water in exhaust system can lead to hydraulic lock when trying to start.

2) A number of cab doors have been fettled as they were binding in frames making them difficult to open and close.

3) No1 end screen washers have been repaired and are now working the fault was traced to intermittent switch contact on drivers desk, switch has been replaced. No2 end washers have been checked and fault traced to faulty washer pump. I think a trip to local scrap yard will be needed for a replacement pump.

Our next working date for our team is the 7/12/13 there's a lot to do on both locos if you wish to get involved on the engineering team please contact me on engineering@cfps.co.uk. As they many hands make light work. 

Cheers Lee

More work on 345

 

This evening I have spent a few hours on 345.

The loco coolant system has been drained and the correct length sight glass  fitted and system refilled with anti freeze. 

I also fitted new turbo charger storm drains to A2 and B2 turbo charger.

I will continue this job on Saturday.

There's still a lot of jobs to complete on 345 to get her 100 % fit.

That's all for now

Night all.

Lee

345 goes home

Today 345 (40145 )  and of course D335 returns home to the East Lancs Railway I from Tyseley TMD. 

Both locos have arrived safely back at the ELR with no issues either.

Tyseley TMD staff have been brilliant and a pleasure to work with. Once again thanks chaps.

 

Thank you to Mervyn Allcock at Barrowhill for making us welcome as always.

Also thanks Shaun Wright and the 40013 gang for all their help and support.

And Finally Harry Needles for his assistance and use of his facilities at Barrowhill.

I am somewhat relieved and pleased it all went well and also to give our members a taster of the healthy 345.

I'm pooped so I will say good night all.

 

Cheers

Lee

D335 goes to Tyseley & 345 returns to mainline action!!!

Hello everyone .............

I am sure you've heard by now that on Monday 4th November 345 returned to service back on the mainline working 13:40 0Z41 from Barrowhill to Tyseley.

The loco performed well just a couple of niggles to iron out these being an minor oil leak on B5 cylinder head and No.2 cab main generator ammeter is sticking.

The loco also hauled D9009 and D335 from Barrowhill to Tyseley for tyre turning. As I write this 345's tyres are being turned and the other loco's have been completed.

A big thank you to London Midland at Tyseley for accommodating us and make us welcome when we arrived.  A huge thanks to the lads at HNRC who have helped us through our difficult time with both locomotives and putting up with us for so long!!

On Friday 8th November 345 will once again haul D9009 and D335 back to Barrowhill this time dropping of D9009 before continuing home to the East Lancs Railway.

345's first passenger working for 3 years.

345 will be hauling the ELR Saturday diesel diagram departing Bury at 09:30 to Rawtenstall. As it is now heat season Class 47 D1501 will also be attached to the train for heating purposes. It is also the CFPS Annual General Meeting which is being held at the Grants Arms in Ramsbottom starting at 12:30 prompt.

I am sure many of you will be asking when will be the next railtour?? We are looking at running our first tour in over 3 years during spring of 2014 and details will be announced when we have finalized the itinerary.

We have a number of jobs still outstanding on both locomotives that need attending to during the winter and I am hoping to have one of our locos ready to work Saturday diesel diagrams with working steam heat boiler.

Much of the work requires money to spent on parts and equipment to help us extend life of components such as batteries. Its been on the cards for last 3 years to install battery chargers on both 335 and 345 to ensure batteries remain in good condition as a new set of batteries costs over £5000 pounds.

So we do still need your help with donations and items we can flog on our sales stands to help me and my team on the engineering side to continue to make the improvements to both locomotives and help to finance long overdue repaint of D335.

To all of you that have donated and supported our cause over the last 3 years with 345's repairs a big thank you.

Finally I personally would like to say thanks to our excellent engineering team over last 3 years on 345 its been a long slog but we got there in the end!

Cheers for now...

Lee

p.s anyone who has any pictures of 345 from Monday's jaunt or Fridays returning working I would be much obliged if you could send me a copy for inclusion onto the blog.  



 

345/ 335 update and more good news...........

Evening everyone ..........

I have some more good news to report and another step forward to 345 returning to the mainline once again. 

345

Firstly progress over the last week on list of work has been greatly progressed, with only low priority jobs now remaining thanks to the efforts of James Bottomley, Seton Spencer, Carl Holt, Mark Jopson, John Stephens and myself.

Last Sunday the gang got together and tackled the following:

• Loco was re brake blocked ready for tyre turning.
• Traction motor gearcases all checked and topped up as required.
• All traction motors checked again prior to running, all were in good order.
• Calibrated Ammeters were refitted to both cab desks.
• Air leak on engine compartment air tank on A side cured.
• Brake test and OTMR test fully completed.
• Missing cab safety signs installed.
• Underframe exam and final inspection done.  

Today our Vehicle Acceptance Body has carried out an engineering inspection on 345 at Barrowhill and I am pleased to report the loco flew through the inspection with only 2 minor corrective actions which will be attended to this Saturday along with Fitness to Run exam for movement this Monday coming. 

After the inspection the loco was positioned ready for a delivery of fuel by road tanker due Weds or Thurs. A big thanks to East Lancs Railway in particular Paul Bonello and David Layland for arranging it. 

D335

Last week D335 was put over the pit at the Carriage Works at Bury and the loco was fully re-blocked and all underframe levels checked and topped up as needed. Under frame inspection which revealed two body to bogie air hoses were defective and required replacement. These were replaced next day. 

All the bogies were greased and FTR completed ready for movement to the wheel lathe. 
My next job after completing the blog update is to complete the necessary paperwork for D335 to be given a transit move certificate to allow movement over Network Rail. 

Thanks to Seton Spencer and Rory Lushman for there help

I can now present the full picture to you what will be happening and when.

Monday 4th November 2013  
(note its just short of 3 years by only 7 days since 345 arrived at Barrowhill for repairs)

D9009 will haul D335 from Bury to Barrowhill on arrival 345 will be attached to the consist. 345 will then  haul D9009 and D335 from Barrowhill to Tyseley TMD.


The consist will remain there to allow all three locomotives to be tyre turned and the necessary checks after tyre turning to be undertaken. These being as follows:

• Speedometer re-calibration.
• AWS/ TPWS aerial/ receiver height check.
• Brake adjustment.
• Safety Guard height check.
• Buffer heights check. 

Friday the 8th November 2013 

345 will haul D9009 and D335 back to Barrowhill dropping D9009 off at home base then continuing on home to the East Lancs Railway. 

Saturday 8th November 2013

I am hopefully going to arrange for 345 to work one or two trains on Saturday 9th November 2013 as part of the CFPS annual general meeting I will let you all know if this is going to happen next week.

There are few outstanding items of repairs to do on 345 but these will attended to over the winter but I for one will be glad to see her back home. 

Timings are below for loco moves next week.

0Z40 Castleton Hopwood Gf 0800 Castleton North Jn 0803-0813 Castleton 0840-0842 Rochdale 0844 Rochdale East Jn 0845 Littleborough 0853 Hall Royd Jn 0903 Hebden Bridge 0907 Milner Royd Jn 0917 Greetland Jn 0919 Bradley Wood Jn 0924 Heaton Lodge East Jn 0926 Mirfield East Jn 0928 Thornhill L.N.W. Jn. 0929 Horbury Jn 0940 Wakefield Kirkgate 0943 Calder Bridge Jn 0944 Crofton West Jn 0946 Hare Park Junction 0949 South Kirkby Jn 0957 Moorthorpe 0957 Swinton (S.Yorks) 1013 Aldwarke Jn 1015 Masborough Jn 1018 Treeton Jn 1022 Beighton Jn 1024 Barrow Hill North Jn 1032 Barrow Hill South Jn. 1034-1038 Barrow Hill L.I.P. 1052 0Z41 Barrow Hill L.I.P. 1340 Barrow Hill South Jn. 1347-1352 Barrow Hill North Jn 1355-1359 Tapton Jn 1411 Chesterfield 1411 Chesterfield South Jn 1412 Clay Cross North Jn 1414 Ambergate Jn 1431 Derby 1443-1445 Sunnyhill 1448-1516 Stenson Jn 1519 North Stafford Jn 1520 Clay Mills Jn 1524 Burton-on-trent 1533-1541 Wichnor Jn 1548 Tamworth 1556 Kingsbury Jn 1602 Water Orton 1608 Water Orton West Jn 1610 Castle Bromwich Jn 1612 Washwood Heath West Jn 1626 Landor Street Jn 1629 St Andrews Jn (West Mids) 1631 Bordesley Jn 1635 Small Heath South Jn 1638 Tyseley T.M.D. 1640

08/11/13 Loco Transfer - Tyseley to Barrow Hill (55009 40135 40145)0Z43 Tyseley T.M.D. 1026 Small Heath South Jn 1028 Bordesley Jn 1033 St Andrews Jn (West Mids) 1034 Landor Street Jn 1036 Castle Bromwich Jn 1043 Water Orton West Jn 1045 Water Orton 1046 Kingsbury Jn 1051 Tamworth 1056 Wichnor Jn 1103 Burton-on-trent 1109 Clay Mills Jn 1115 North Stafford Jn 1118 Stenson Jn 1119 Derby 1125-1131 Ambergate Jn 1143 Clay Cross North Jn 1154 Chesterfield South Jn 1154 Chesterfield 1155 Tapton Jn 1156 Barrow Hill South Jn. 1201-1205 Barrow Hill L.I.P. 1219

08/11/13 Loco Transfer - Barrow Hill to ELR (40135 40145) 0Z44 Barrow Hill L.I.P. 1350 Barrow Hill South Jn. 1355-1400 Barrow Hill North Jn 1402 Beighton Jn 1407 Treeton Jn 1408 Masborough Jn 1412 Aldwarke Jn 1415 Swinton (S.Yorks) 1420 Moorthorpe 1427 South Kirkby Jn 1428 Hare Park Junction 1435 Crofton West Jn 1438 Calder Bridge Jn 1439 Wakefield Kirkgate 1441-1447 Horbury Jn 1459 Mirfield East Jn 1526 Heaton Lodge Jn 1532 Huddersfield 1537-1550 Marsden 1558 Diggle Jn 1604 Greenfield 1607 Stalybridge 1613 Ashton Moss North Jn 1617 Baguley Fold Jn 1621 Philips Park West Jn 1627 Brewery Junction 1637 Thorpes Bridge Jn 1640 Vitriol Works 1642 Castleton East Jn 1650 Castleton 1651-1655 Castleton East Jn 1707-1712 Castleton North Jn 1724-1729 Castleton Hopwood Gf 1733

Thanks to West Coast Railway Company for organizing and arranging the moves.  

We still need your continued support to help achieve getting both loco's in to tip top condition. 

More news soon.....

Cheers
Lee