During the previous week I had ordered two vacuum cylinders from Railpart to replace the two sent to the SVR for refurbishment. The cylinders were ordered to be delivered and fitted during the weeks work-in.
Saturday was very hot and the best and coolest place was under the body working on the bogie frames. Thus Saturday afternoon was spent cleaning out the vacuum cylinder area under No. 2 end and repainting in chassis black.
On Saturday Bob had asked me to cover the Guard's duty on the following day as the DMU was in service. I duly arrived for duty and with Bob prepared the unit when Clive arrived and took over the duty. I took the unit out as driver. The rest of Sunday was spent under the No. 1 end cleaning out the vacuum cylinder area at that end. Once repainted I began on the task of cutting out the rotten areas of the No. 1 side.
Monday was spent in cutting out the patch pieces for the No. 1 side. Dick, who was primarily working on the Peak, welded in three of the pieces including the whole bottom 7'' of the worst affected part.
Tuesday was spent in doing more of the same but especially the No. 2 cab end. The wiper motors were originally cut through the panelling with no strengthening plates. Once the panel rotted a small strengthening plate, with wiper mounting fittings, was used. These plates were screwed into the original panel which was still rotten. Eventually the rot also caused the screws and hence the small plates to fall out.
The only way to combat this was to cut out the rotten pieces and weld in new ones. To this end replacement pieces 12" by 3" were cut out. The small panel was duly fitted and riveted to the new plate and the new plate then fitted under the guttering, duly sealed, and to the top of the window frame once again duly sealed. The two outer edges were welded into place.
Wednesday saw more rotten patches cut out on the No. 2 side and painted ready for work. The bolts for the vacuum cylinders were overhauled and greased up ready for the arrival of the cylinders.
The SVR called to reaffirm that of the two cylinders sent away for overhaul the failed one was indeed a failure and only just about fit for duty. The other one was overhauled successfully. Both will be used as spares.
RAIL magazine then called to ask about W55001 and after a long chat to the editor I managed to get back to work. The rest of the day was spent in cutting out patch pieces and starting on the No. 2 body sides. This consisted of removing the lettering on the cab door, the double arrow insignia and the old West Midland logo and red oxiding.
Thursday started hot and after telephoning Doncaster to ascertain the whereabouts and likely arrival day/time of the vacuum cylinders, Friday for certain, I spent the first couple of hours cutting out patch pieces. About 1200 hrs. however the two vacuum cylinders duly arrived.
Nick and Dick fired up the crane and by 1300 hrs. the cylinders were in position ready for assembly. Kevin arrived about this time and proceeded to do a couple of dismantling jobs to fill in the time until I could finish the cutting.
About 1500 hrs. Nick, Kevin and myself started to reassemble the vacuum cylinders. By 1900 hrs. they were both up and ready for testing. The engines were fired up and both cylinders tested, successfully. All in all a good days work.
Friday Nick, Dick and I reassembled the brake rigging and by the evening all that was left was to tighten up the bolts, put in the strings and run the unit. The unit was tested in situ with complete success. Dick found a No. 9 fuse had failed and replaced it. Nick showed me how to toggle up the gear box and we left once again with a job well done.
After I arrived home my brother Stuart and family arrived from Somerset for a brief stop over.
On Saturday Nick and I tightened up all the bolts and I attached the strings. By noon we all had had enough. Dick's welder had packed up and in any case he was at work that night so both he and Nick wanted to get away. I was just plain tired. Angie, Stuart and family arrived about 1200 hrs. for a look at the railway as Nick and Dick were on their way home. So after they had gone I tidied up showed the family around the site and went home.
Later that afternoon Stuart, Bryce and I went for ride on the Bletchley-Bedford line and managed two Class 117s Nos 707 & 724 and a trip behind 55031. This unit had just come back from Ilford and was being used as backup power as the two car (724) had two of the four engines out.
On Sunday Stuart, Val & Bryce went for a ride on the railway and I did nothing. It made a nice change.
As the work on the vacuum cylinders was complete I arranged for a test run to be made on the next Thursday, August 21st. The trip was a complete success with only a minor adjustment required on the No. 1 bogie brake settings and to the No. 2 engine throttle control motor. We even managed to retune the horn.
On Friday news came from Gloucester archives that the only photographs taken of the class were of W55013. I therefore have requested 10x8 prints of all 5 shots.
The next weekend was late August Bank Holiday weekend and I only had the Saturday to work on the unit. Sunday being taken up with a christening and Monday with working in the signalbox under the supervision of Simon Crowe.
Dick and Nick came down and brought the two repaired vacuum cylinders from the SVR. These are now in store with the spare engines and gearboxes.
The day was spent in cutting out and fabricating two new patch pieces. The first for the Guard's van door side on No. 1 side and the other for the top outside window areas on the No. 2 cab. These pieces together with the lower patch piece were duly fitted, welded in place and red oxided. The remainder of the front was DA sanded with 240 grade and repainted in red oxide. The work was continued down the No. 2 side to include the rest of the cab front and driver's door. The corner of the No. 2 cab corner is the worst on the unit but is now ready for filling, rubbing and painting.
The plan is to use the unit coupled with the two car during the two days of the Diesel Gala. To this end I hope to continue working on the No. 2 side and paint in green undercoat the corresponding area to the No. 1 side i.e. down to the Guard's van doors. I might even put in the yellow warning panel.
Saturday 30th August started wet but cleared up later on in the day. To start with I measured up, once again, the internal panel for the doors. The original one made earlier in the year is a good enough template and so I now only have to make another 15! They must be waterproofed on the inside though to minimise water damage from the drop lights in the doors.
The one door window glass that required attention was duly fixed by the use of an old inner tube. Three pieces 1" by 3" were cut and placed in the bottom glass holder. The glass was then forced into the holder using the rubber pieces to hold the glass in situ. Apart from a crack on the knuckles from the scissors mechanism the window glass is now secure and the mechanism works without hitting the side of the door.
At lunch time Richie Marcus arrived with 6 EP valves, blue and green, that I swapped for 6 white ones I had in my possession.
Once the rain had stopped I started on cutting out the rot in the No. 1 end cab sheets. This, and fabricating the replacement pieces, took the remainder of the afternoon. Once the pieces are refitted the rubbing down can continue.
On Sunday I only managed a short half day on the unit as I was working overtime during the morning. Once again the weather was patchy rainy but remained fine for sufficient time to allow me to DA sand the front with 240 grade and repaint in undercoat green.
I will not be working on the unit for the next two weeks as Angie and I are taking a well earned rest in St. Ives. The jobs to be done upon return will be the welding of the pieces and the continuing of the rubbing down on the No. 2 side ready for the Diesel Gala in early October.
Well the holiday came and went and on Sunday 14th September I made a visit to the railway to see what had been done. The welding is still to be started but the unit had been shunted and is now 6 ft. further down the back road in even more nettles! I have asked Jim to do the necessary with the strimmer. I also re-erected the scaffolding on the front of the unit ready to refit the exhaust pipes.
I took home the heater air intake for refurbishment and during the week repainted both the intake and the two heater output ducts in chassis black.
Keith Jackson has agreed to come over next weekend, September 20th, to help me reset the throttle motors so that the unit can run in sync with the 117. I will clean out the motors with paraffin and get the Oildag ready for use.
During the week on Wednesday John Bowyer finally arrived to clean the seats. I laid out the required backs and squabs which took up most of the front drive! There were 63 pieces in all.
I left for work at 0830 just as John was arriving. When I returned at 1630 John had just finished. What a difference a clean makes. The rather jaded and faded red was transformed into a colour two shades brighter. Well worth the expense and all the seats are now ready for refitting.
By Saturday September 19th the unit had been moved out of the back road and into the loop. So much for Jim's strimming! I spent the first part of the day in replacing the exhaust stacks where it stood. We then started the unit and ran it into the bay for the Sunday. I erected the scaffolding and began rubbing down the No. 2 side with the DA sander and preparing it for red oxide painting on the Sunday.
Sunday came and the No. 2 side down to the guard's van doors was red oxided. Dick brought the welder and welded the pieces into the No. 2 side. We also removed and refabricated a large piece of the secondman's side of the No. 1 cab.
Keith arrived at 1500hrs. and we firstly ran up the engines to operating speed i.e. got them hot. Keith tested the throttle motors and agreed they did need resetting. So off with the casing front and out with the spanner. Eventually all motors were readjusted to give the correct characteristics. We also discovered that the No. 3 & No. 4 throttle motors were not resetting quickly enough. This caused the No. 1 engine not to return to idling speed quickly enough. This could cause problems when in a multiple unit formation when changing gears.
The solution was to strip the pots down and oil with Oildag.
On Friday September 26th the quote came through for the internal panels. I have agreed it and they should be ready for late November.
The next weekend was the late September 'Thomas' weekend and because of shunting difficulties 55003 was not moved to the mineral sidings until 1130 hrs. thus losing 3 hrs. work time. In the event I only managed to strip down one set of throttle motors but it did the trick and now both engines come down as required. I also refilled the fuel governors and right angled drives on each engine and greased and oiled where required all joints and cables.
On Sunday I was in the signalbox all day. However as Dave brought the unit back from the sidings he noticed that the brakes on the No. 2 bogie were not coming on. I did a cursory inspection of the bogie and nothing seems to be amiss, i.e. hanging off, so it remains to see just what the problem is. I spoke to Dick over the telephone and he will inspect the brakes next weekend. The problem is that it is the Diesel Gala and 55003 is due to be out with the Class117/108 twin set. Providing nothing too drastic is found it should make it.
Next weekend I am in Germany so no more work will be done until October 11th weekend and I will be 47.
The problem with the brake cylinder is that air is passing the ball valve in the piston when the brake is applied. The piston does not rise. After speaking with Kevin it appears that this is a common problem of late with overhauled pistons failing between 30 & 40 applications. Evidently 20 is the test application pass mark.
The unit took part in the diesel gala coupled with the 117/108 twin set but with the No. 1 engine isolated and no brakes on the No. 2 bogie - great! The No. 1 engine was evidently not down on No. 4 throttle setting so Dick isolated it. I had evidently overfilled the governors and this can cause this problem.
I returned to the railway on Saturday 11th and sorted out the oil problem in the governors. All throttle motors seem to be working properly now. The weather was rain all day so by midday I was soaked and cold. I decided to call it a day and left.
The following weekend I had decided to drop the failed vacuum cylinder and refit the good spare. There were only two problems, the unit was left at the far end of the loop and the spare cylinder was by the gate in the yard.
On Saturday October 18th I dismantled the brake gear etc. only to be told there was to be shunt for the next two hours. The weather however was good so I had an easy lunchtime. By 1530 hrs. the cylinder was ready to come down so with the help of Nick Gibbon it was lowered. After discussions we decided to move the cylinder on the trolley on the Sunday morning so I packed up and went home.
Sunday dawned misty but fair and soon the sun had burnt off the mist. However I could not start moving the cylinder as the trolley had gone with Graham for signal equipment reclamation from Stourbridge way. Robert, the PW man's trolley was broken so eventually after the first train had run Andrew Entwhistle picked up the cylinder with the JCB and took it to the unit. He then removed the failed cylinder back to the yard ready for Kevin and I to remove to Doncaster on the following day.
Kevin arrived at about 1300 hrs. just in time to help me rebuild the brake system. The cylinder was soon in place with all vacuum connections in place. The test took place and showed the cylinder was good. It just left the rest of the brake gear to reassemble.
This was the only part of the job that proved troublesome. The brake rigging had come down in one piece but would not go back in one piece. I had already removed the brake blocks and had managed to get one side in position and pinned into place. The other was about 1/4 inch out of true and would not line up. I was not a happy chappie!!
The answer was to slacken off the bolts holding the lower square actuating bar and the brake hanger. This then gave the necessary flexibility to the structure to go back into place. The job was completed by 1700 hrs.
On Monday Kevin and I transported the errant cylinder back to Railpart at Doncaster for inspection and eventual replacement. Next weekend I can start the Winter jobs.
The week was mainly good weather but very cold with a slight ground frost. On Saturday 25th October I began 'winterising' the unit. After painting and refitting the removed guard irons from the No. 2 bogie the first job I tackled was to check the batteries and grease the battery terminals and links. All battery solution levels were more or less correct and very little corrosion was evident on the terminals or links. The next job was to fill the air intake tanks with methylated spirits. When air is drawn in the meths is also drawn in and prevents the sir system from freezing up. The final job was to top up the cooling systems with antifreeze. The No. 1 engine took a considerable amount of liquid whilst the No. 2 engine was more or less full.
Once these jobs were done Dave and Martin came down to test the unit since the brake cylinder change. The unit however failed to fire. The No. 2 engine turned over very slowly so there was no alternative but to give the batteries a quick charge.
Following a cup of tea, for me, and a quick charge, for the engines, the engines fired up successfully. The brake test was carried out and was completed successfully. The unit is, once again, fully functional.
The rest of the day was spent in fabricating and welding in place the pillar inserts in the small saloon. The job was brought to a premature end because I ran out of welding wire.
Sunday October 26th was also dry and frosty. I spent two hours in cleaning out the guttering of leaves and rubbish from where the unit is parked. Once again the guttering is clear but will not be clear permanently until the unit is put back into the siding. The rest of the day was spent in grinding down and painting the welding that I had managed to complete and fitting the side panel holding floor strips.
I had had the long strips cut to 48''. They should have been 50''. Still by utilising the old strips where possible I had to fabricate only 4 extra 50'' (2 x 25'') pieces. These will be fitted next weekend. I drilled and fitted the pieces with screws and shoulder cups at home.
The next weekend came and went and no work was done on the unit as my brothers and families came down for a family party and I was at work on the Sunday.
November 8th and 9th was the next weekend for work on the unit. On the Saturday I cleaned out the guttering, again!!, finished off 'winterising' the unit and started on the rest of the internal welding. I inserted a new welding wire spool and soon had the upright welded in place. I followed this up by red oxiding the metal work and reinserting the window piece.
The next job was to start fitting the side panel floor retention strips. These are the 'L' shaped pieces screwed into the side pieces that take the internal side panels and hold them in place on the floor.
I finished the job off on the Sunday in between turns as guard on the DMU. The unit is now ready to have the seats refurbished and refitted in the small saloon and down the No. 1 side. The No. 2 side will have to wait for next summer.
Following on the next weekend I once again cleaned out the guttering. Nick and Dick came down and whilst Nick worked on 45118 Dick and I finished off the welding on the No. 1 side. At last it is now complete. I can now start on the internal refurbishment. Whilst Dick was welding Kevin and I started preparing the internal woodwork. We first began by removing all the pins, screws and other nails from the woodwork. I then coated all the wood surfaces with Cuprinol wood preservative and replaced the insulation.
Sunday came round and the first job was to grind down the welds and paint in red oxide. I then began to pin the lino in the small saloon so as to prevent it lifting whilst in service. This took two packets of tacks so the main saloon will take another four. The wooden door frames were then inspected to ascertain the extent to which I will need to replace the draught excluders. Basically it means all will need to be renewed, all 224 feet of it. If the wood needs to be replaced it will need 3/4 x 3/16 x 72" pieces as uprights and 3/4 x 3/16 x 23" along the tops. The top pieces will then be 1.5 x 3/16 x 72" etc.. The draught excluders will be pinned between the pieces.
At about 1500 hrs. I retired home to prepare the final two pieces of floor trimming.
During the week the final two pieces were stained and varnished ready for fitting. The fitting was done as the third job on Saturday 22nd. The first two jobs were, cleaning down the guttering and preparing spare antifreeze.
Once the two pieces were fitted I finished off tacking the lino down along the No. 1 side. I also prepared the rest of the woodwork, including treating with wood preservative, around the windows and doors for the panelling whenever it arrives. Hopefully it should be ready sometime the next week. I refitted the draught excluder beading in the door in the small saloon.
The next job tackled was to look at the trim left over from when the unit was stripped for asbestos contamination checking. I found that 80% of the original trim is still available and usable. This included all the upright trims (12 in all) for the hinge side of the door and all the top cross pieces. The uprights for the open side of the door had faired somewhat badly and I may need to replace a certain amount.
I was working during the Sunday but managed to strip down some of the trim pieces at home. They will look good in varnished plain wood. This job has continued during the week at home. One upright has snapped across a screw hole. Luckily it is below window level and so once mended will not be too noticeable. I will however have to perform some skilful surgery on this upright to glue it back together again. One of the cross member pieces was stamped 50898 9T from an old Class 116 vehicle.
Percy Lane has come up trumps with the window rubber seals. I have ordered 100 metres at £2.16 per metre. I have also received from them a copy of the old Beclalite manual complete with a picture of DELTIC on the front. This will allow me to renew all the window rubber and have some spare for Kevin's 55023. I will also be picking up the interior panels from Bennetts of Bedford this Friday so the interior panelling can begin this weekend November 28th and 29th.
The panels were ready when I arrived at Bennetts and I soon had then in the car. I must admit the headlights pointed somewhat upwards!
The first job the next day was to carry the panels from the car to the unit. The only problem was the fact that the unit is now parked at the far end of the loop! The job took 2 hours. Finally I made a start on the small saloon. By nightfall, 1530 hrs, I had managed two sets of panels, one on the small window and one on the large window. The panel above the large window was drilled ready for the luggage rack to be fitted but will need two persons to fit it.
On Sunday I managed to finish the small saloon and two panels in the main saloon. This leaves three more sets to finish, two large and one extra large. This I will continue next Sunday as I am in the signal box on the station next Saturday with Simon for the first day of the Santa Specials.
The freshly overhauled trim was tried in situ but I am now going to replace it all with 1.5" varnished wood. This will match the roof trim.
I took home four luggage racks and hand cleaned them during the week.
Saturday 6th of December was the first day of Santa Specials so I spent the day in the signal box on the station. I should be able to get passed out for this box in the new year once I can learn the rules and regulations. The day was quite eventful starting with the box at Pitsford Siding requiring a spring clean because the paraffin heater had 'smoked'. The 1330 hrs. train was diesel hauled as the steam loco required coaling and watering and could not be done in the turn around time. I was second man on the Class 27 with Dave Stokes.
On Sunday I began cutting the wooden trim for the small saloon and by lunch time had nearly finished all main pieces. I also refitted the two cleaned luggage racks. The final job was to fit another main piece in the main saloon. This leaves only two main pieces and all the upright pieces to finish. Hopefully this can be done next week.
The following week I yacht varnished the pieces and will refit them next weekend. I also purchased a jig-saw during the week so I can now cut the pieces under the emergency brake chains.
The weekend of December 13th and 14th were free so I could concentrate on finishing the saloons. The Saturday was started in cutting out templates for three pieces under the emergency brake chains with my new jig-saw. Using these templates I cut out the three actual pieces, and they fitted!! I then began fitting the wooden trim in the small saloon and by 1500 hrs. had finished. I had to give up at this point as I had run out of battery power in both screwdriver and drill.
On Sunday I fitted the window frames. I found out that they are fitted to each window and they are a very tight fit. However with use of the DA sander and a bit of brute force and ignorance I fitted out the small saloon plus two in the main saloon. I then continued to fit the panels in the large saloon leaving only two top pieces, including the long one and the remaining four emergency brake pieces. Fitting these pieces revealed a small problem. The number 6 door on the No. 1 side would not close. This was due to warping caused by rust in the top cross members. I opened the door and with the DA sander sanded down the cross pieces to fit. This caused great consternation as the Santa Specials were running by the open door. Still if I can't get into the sidings I must make the most of what I have. The last job was to yacht varnish the window frames in situ.
December 20th and 21st was also free to work on the unit. On the Saturday I fitted the two above the window panels and cut out and fitted the four emergency brake pieces above the doors. The rust above the number 6 door was given a good thrashing, most was removed and the rest treated. This eased the tension on the top cross member and the door fitted better as a result. At this point I realised that the two luggage racks for the fitted panels were both uncleaned so I abandoned any further work and was about to retire to the car when Bob asked if I could man the box on the station for the rest of the day. This I did with no problems.
On Sunday I was feeling tired so I contented myself with handing out the Christmas cards and working on the trim in the saloons. I made up the rest of the trim for the small saloon utilising my new mitre. Why didn't I buy one sooner! No cut or sore fingers and joints that fit! I also fabricated all the roof/side wall trim for the main saloon. At lunch time I gave up and went home.
At home I cleaned the two remaining luggage racks, rubbed down the trim and Cuprinoled the pieces. The last job was to glue the above door trim pieces together ready for varnishing and fitting.
The yacht varnishing was done during the following week ready for refitting after Christmas.
I purchased more trim during the week from Bletchley Timber. The trick is that the trim comes in two 35mm. types, Ramin and Hardwood. The Ramin is best used in the upright pieces whilst the Hardwood is more flexible and can be used as the ceiling pieces. I also purchased extra brass screws (5/8" 6s) and cups for the small trim. This was required as the small trim has little or no back wood to screw into i.e. only the metal uprights are behind the main panels the rest is covered with window frame or upright trim.
After Christmas on Saturday 27th the final two luggage racks were refitted together with the small trim pieces. The weather however was extremely wet and I had to pay attention to the guttering which had blocked, again.
On Sunday 28th December I had come down with a bad head cold so only the morning was spent on the unit. I measured up and manufactured the remaining door trims. These I took home ready for Cuprinoling and varnishing ready for New Year's day when I could refit them.
As the end of 1997 approaches I can say once again it has been a very exceptional year. The unit has found a new home and will be joined by a sister machine, W55001, as soon as removal can be arranged from Longsight. W55003 is still an operational unit with runs up and down the line to its credit. Both brake cylinders have been replaced with new ones. The external refurbishment is complete on the No. 2 cab and No 1 side with repainting waiting for the better weather. The roof requires top coating but has proved to be sound and the undercoat is holding fine. The internal refurbishment is proceeding apace with the refurbishment of the No. 1 side of both small and large saloons on track for an early new years finish. I doubt if the remaining work will be finished in 1998 but by the end of 1999 the unit should be in service.
Finally although most of the work has been done by myself thanks must go primarily to Kevin Dingle for all his help and encouragement.
On the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Dave Potter (CME C&PRR), Andy Diston, Andy Fowler, Daniel Weston, Arthur Leeder (Snr.), Arthur Leeder (Jnr.), Alan Vigar and Graham Symes for all their assistance.
On the Northampton and Lamport Railway, Bob and Barbara Faulkner, Dave Stokes, Brian Ashby, Brian Burgess but especially Nick Wilkes and Dick Morris for all their assistance.
Personal thanks go to Mark Herbert and Keith Jackson. Lastly to Angie, my wife, without whose support and understanding I could never have taken the project on.