New Arrival
M50455 & M50517
The running set is getting a spruce up in preparation for the Scenic Railcar Weekend. It was attacked with scrapers and all those nasty bubbles etc prised off to reveal much more had been affected than we originally thought. There isn't any major corrosion, but the areas where paint has lifted extended further than was originally visible. These "craters" were then sanded and protected ready for patch painting before the gala. This is a tempory measure as both cars are due a full repaint next year for the launch of M59137 into service. The oil and filters have been changed on one of M50517's engines which was the worst in the set for smoking. All four are expected to have similar treatment before the gala.
M56182
As hinted last update work on the Sandite Car has been on the air and vac systems. All the obvious leaks left when the Sandite equipment was removed have been plugged and the system tested OK when charged to 100psi with a compressor. While we had air we also did work on the horns and we now have two tones functioning. The Vacuum system has also been tested, thankfully both brake cylinders are operating perfectly (like M50455 & M50517's did when being restored) and don't need to be removed (like M59137's will) which was a scenario we were hoping to avoid. The broken Cab Seat has been bolted through the floor and the front marker lights now work. Heritage Restorations have got the couplings working
again which were ceased, one was freed off and the other has been replaced. The vehicle is currently in the shed and is in the process of being repainted into BR Blue with additional markings, the correct livery for its 1987-1994 Sandite operations.
M59137
Protection of the ceiling in all three saloons has now been completed by Chris, with only the three vestibules left to cover. This is the last of the work to the metal skin, after this insulation and the internal ceilings can be installed.
Class 101 977391 & 977392
Anybody wondering what the "Yellow Peril", "Flying Banana", "It's better than you're green one over there" (call it what you like) was in the bay this
weekend? It is a new arrival, the last Class 101 DMU operating on Network Rail, and the most heavily converted British Railcar in existence. For example a normal power car weighs 32 tons, these are 42 tons! It is here to aid the Permanent Way gang in maintaining the CVR, something the railway has been working on for some time. It is a North Staffs Railway Company (NSRC) vehicle, and isn't part of the BRCW Group. We still deal in 104s! Just to confirm (and it's obvious when you see it) this isn't a passenger vehicle, and hasn't been since the mid 1980's. There's no intention to return it to passenger use either, the set will be used as a works train. We are still unsure about how to operate this unique machine, so it is planned to be on static display for the DMU Gala in two weeks. The bus times have also been released for the event.
