Monday February 28th was to be a red letter day for W55003.
It began wet and getting wetter but by the time I had collected Nick from Long Buckby the sun was breaking through. Martin met us at Pitsford. I started the engines on W55003 and also the heaters. The No. 2 heater was giving problems and required three attempts to get it firing properly. Once it had blown through whatever was causing the problem it worked a treat and along with the other heater soon had both saloons roasting warm.
Keith and the three RESCO men arrived by about 1030 hrs. and we congregated in the small saloon. I had placed all the documentation on the drop down shelf anf even if I say so myself it looked good.
Whilst Nick, Martin, Chris and Wayne began the mechanical exam, John, Keith and I sat down to undergo the management briefing. This lasted almost two hours but both Keith and I know what we are letting ourselves into.
Wayne set up the speedos and now they are accurate to 0.5 m.p.h. at 70 m.p.h. well within tolerance. After a break the inspection continued. The main problem being the doors. Being MKI by construction they suffer the vagaries of the weather. This winter has caused the wood to swell anf three of the doors would not quite pass the final 'granny' test. The other problem being that there should be a 0.5 mm gaps between top and bottom parts of the hinges. There were none on any of the hinges!! This will require replacement of all the hinge balls and a clean out of the intersection gaps. After all the work we put into getting those doors to work I was bit downhearted.
Eventually, however, we set off down the line for the rolling test.
After this the RESCO men gave me the bad news there were various jobs they would require to be done before they would issue the main line certification. Then the good news, when would I like the certificate to start. We agreed they could issue the certificate at the end of March.
The next time they want to see the unit is when it is ready and waiting on Railtrack metals for it's test run. Brilliant.
The sun by this time was shining and we all disembarked to take photos.
I was so pleased to find RESCO stickers on both ends of the unit. Even better was the news that 55003 was still on TOPS and that I could have my old number in the new world.
Believe it or not because 55003 was on TOPS the Deltics had to be given 98xxx numbers as TOPS cannot cope with two 'locomotives' with the same number and also it cannot take letters e.g. W55003.
The photos were taken, farewells were exchanged and the RESCO men rode off into the setting sun.
I should have been pleased, as this was a first. The first DMMU in preservation to get back on the main line!!! But I wasn't, I had no feeling, no emotion. Despite all the congratulations I felt absolutely dead.
We also had to get the Fowler off the low loader and onto the rails. We had it all sorted by 1800 hrs..
I walked back in the dark to Pitsford from Broughton Crossing after locking up once the low loader had departed, jumped into the car and went home. I had a meal, a beer and was in bed by 2200 hrs..
I awoke at 0500 hrs. with the previous day spinning in my mind. The problems of yesterday were soon laid to rest and in fact of the 16 points only one is what you may consider a big job. Changing the 'balls' on the passenger door hinges. I shall leave it to Saturday until Nick, Dick, Keith and I can get together and work out what to do. The rest of the jobs are small jobs easily accomplished with a bit of forethought.
I have already started by purchasing an 'electric pen' for engraving the vacuum gauges. The two 'top side' gauges I shall reletter myself and the door letters I shall purchase from MK Marketing.
The following weekend was to be a long one. On Friday night Angie and I went to keith & Joan's for a meal and a stop over. We toasted the unit in a old bottle of Bollinger I had been saving for a special occasion. I can't think of anything more special than the first DMU back on the main line.
The next day Saturday. March 4th, I took Angie home and went off to the line. Keith followed later.
By mid afternoon, with Daryl's assistance, we had 6 of the outstanding items done and 5 in abeyance. Keith and I started on the worst of the doors. After changing the balls in the hinges I ground down the wooden uprights until the door closed properly and still gave a 0.5 mm gap in the hinge itself. Dick and I will complete the other 5 doors next weekend.
That evening most of the motive power department met for a meal in the Swan. A most enjoyable time was had by all. Nick, Dick and I discussed getting a small, but not too small, air compressor for the various jobs we have to do that need such a machine, including engraving the gauges. Dick will look into it for next weekend.
Sunday dawned fair and I went up to the line with only two jobs to complete. These were soon done except for the fact that I was parked in the headshunt at Pitsford Siding about as far away from my tools and facilities as it is possible to get!!! By lunch time the other tight door had been freed and all the luggage racks have now been fitted with a full complement of bolts. I then painted the door pillars in undercoat green ready for top coating next weekend.
This leaves 8 items outstanding of which 4 are in abeyance and 4 to be started.
On the way back I checked the shackles on W51359. The No. 2 end is slightly worn but the No. 1 end is virtually brand new. I shall exchange them with those off W55003 next weekend.
With that job done I finished at about 1500 hrs. and made my way home a lot happier.
The roster had W55003 on the service train for Sunday 12th March. So on Saturday I was on site early to start work on the items outstanding from the RESCO inspection.
The first job was to unbolt all the door hinge pins ready to change the ball mounts. With Robert's assistance and Dick's know how we soon had all the mounts changed. By lunchtime I had all the doors opening and closing correctly and by early afternoon had all the undercoat on.
Dick and I then changed the shackles as required. I don't think they will need changing for a good few years.
Dick had brought the four bolts needed to refit the speedo head so I fitted them. The last job was to change the one bolt in the lock that was non standard. This leaves 5 jobs to do, one of which is in abeyance and the hardest of which will be the AWS mounting bracket.
Before I left I washed down the unit with the Simonize wash & wax and left it to dry. It certainly looked good in the afternoon sun.
Sunday dawned warm and sunny. I was on site about 0900 hrs. for an 1130 first train. I removed the seat covers and swept out the saloons. The unit was ready and looked a treat. The engines fired up on first time of asking, which shows how good the batteries are, even after leaving the lights on overnight.
The crew, me driving, Martin Harris driving instructor, Mervyn Hing second man and Charlie Coleman Guard. We only had one problem all day. The low tone on the No. 1 end horn failed, then started working again later in the day! I will need to look at it a bit more closely next weekend.
All in all it was a very good weekend. The unit is now back in service for the first time since August 1993 and performing faultlessly.
After the service was over we were told there was film assignment arranged for the evening and were we staying. As the only available motive power we didn't have much choice!!! Eventually the filming ended, the shunt was done and we left the site at 2030 hrs. very tired.
During the week Dick purchased a air compressor for me so that I can now use the engraver properly. I will also be able to use it for spraying etc..
John Collins rang and informed me that it was L702's last day of service on Saturday 18th March. He was arranging for it to work various services on the branch that day. I went down to Stewartby early to get the 150s and was surprised to find L702 on the diagram early. I managed 4 shots of the unit before leaving Woburn Sands at 1130 hrs. for Northampton.
The age of the Class 117s on the branch and indeed in Britain is now over.
After depositing more spares in the container my first job was to fix the door numbers in the appropriate places. Nick and Daryl then put fuel in the unit. Why it cannot be done when the tanker is on site I do not know. Dick with a little assistance from me then repositioned the AWS pick up.
This left the gauges to do. The first job was to reletter the two top side gauges. This was accomplished reasonably easily. Then they were scribed using my new air driven etching pen. Apart from thinking your fillings are coming out it worked fine. I then scribed all the other vacuum or air gauges except the Guard's vacuum gauge. This gauge has the calibration sticker on the face.
All the work required by RESCO has now been done and the unit is ready and waiting for its 'proving run'.
Keith and I are off the Derby to see Fragonset regarding the run on Tuesday, March 21st. After the meeting we went to Chesterfield to photograph the 'crooked spire' from the railway bridge.
The meeting with Fragonset went well and the Fragonset management team are coming down on Saturday 1st April to inspect me and the unit.
I have put myself on an PTS course in Derby beginning on April 3rd.
The weekend of March 25th and 26th went without a hitch. Stuart and Bryce came down and we had the added excitement of videoing D172 Ixion both ways on the branch on Saturday night. Sunday was forecast fair but getting wet late on. That was not how it panned out. The day remained bright with intermittent clouds all day. We managed to get some good footage and some good stills shots.
The unit was cleaned down on the Saturday and performed faultlessly on the Sunday. There was once again a good turnout of passengers.
As I am fast approaching 50 I have arranged for another medical with the Queensview Medical Centre in Northampton for the PTS course.
The unit was in action again on the 29th March. This time for a vist of the local school. The children were treated to a tour around the site and a visit to the cab of PWM651. They were then given a ride up and down the line in W55003. Once again the unit performed faultlessly. The medical was also passed successfully. I picked up the overhauled fuel pump from Northampton. I now have it in stock ready for use.
On Thursday morning the RESCO certificates arrived, hooray, together with the bill, boooo!! I shall copy the certificates and have them displayed in the Guard's van. This will ensure anyone who needs to see them can have ready access. Roll on the main line test.
April 2000 rolled in and with it the weather deteriorated.
The first weekend, April 1st and 2nd, I attended the railway only on the Saturday. This was the day the Fragonset chaps were paying a visit to 'inspect' the unit.
The four of them finally arrived and whilst Roger inspected the unit Ken Bott did a full audit on my paperwork. Four hours it took. Afterwards I was brow beaten and shell shocked. Although there were no major gaping holes Ken found 19 CARS (Corrective Action Required) and 5 OBS (Observations).
When they had gone I sat down and took stock. If nothing else my procedures will pass ISO9001 when I've finished, but it does take the gloss off running a unit having so much paperwork.
I refitted the glass in the No. 1 end high side vacuum gauge and replaced the wiperblade on the secondman's side at the No. 2 end.
Once that was done I had had enough so I contented myself with helping Dick and Robert on the Peak.
On the Sunday I went over to Keith's and we went through the RESCO and the auditors notes. We will not sign off the RESCO part until we have in our possession all the correct documentation.
I spent the next two days in Derby where I passed my PTS.
The rest of the week was spent in getting the auditor's recommendations actioned. It will be a long tedious job but I suppose it has to be done.
The next weekend was an easy one for me. On Saturday, April 8th, Angie and I went to Kevin & Charlotte's wedding in Reading. On Sunday I prepared the unit whilst Bob drove. I spent the rest of the day in the container tidying it up.
On Monday I rewrote the W55003 Group General Safety policy document to include drugs & alocohol and safety critical working hours. Roger Scanlon is going to assist me by obtaining another set of standards appertaining to the above.
Keith telephoned to say Mike Burke, of NSE fame, was reading my safety case and would comment as he sees fit. I will get this document correct if it takes all year!!
The weekend of April 15th/16th was an easy one. The unit was not in service so I didn't need to be on site to prepare the unit. I spent a very wet and windy morning videoing and photographing 55029 and 55027 on the branch. Both are now in Silverlink colours.
I arrived at Northampton at about 1500 hrs. and set about replacing the injector in the No. 2 engine. Whilst replacing the injector I noticed a small leak of water out of the No. 1 injector housing tube. Dick reckons that it should take up with use of the correct expanding tool. I hope so. I hope it isn't a cracked head. The engine ran up well enough for all that. I shall have to keep a good eye on it. We will need it sorting before the unit departs the NLR.
I applied the two 'W's to the '55003's at either end of the unit. Dick and I looked at the window rubber and decided to leave it until a better day weatherwise. We repaired to the pub and Dick and I went through the working documents so as to tie up the VMI examination schedule to our examination schedule. We also amended the Driver's Daily Exam to include a check of the marker lights and signed off the 'B' exam with a Deferred Exam for the remaining small items.
Easter was late this year, April 21st - April 24th. On Good Friday I spent the time in the dark room printing up the negative of W55017 at Eastleigh together with another couple of negatives of Bedford and Willington.
On Easter Saturday I was on Guard Duty.
Nick and Dick used the injector tube expander tool and expanded the No. 6 tube on the No. 1 engine. It is now watertight again. Whilst doing the job they noticed that only one rocker arm was pumping oil onto the valve springs correctly. The other five were bunged up.
Easter Sunday was spent in the pursuit of more spares and putting them into the container. I hope it doesn't rain I think the container might sink!! The weather was reasonable and so I put on the 'Battery Isolation Switch' transfer on the BIS box. Whilst doing this I noticed that another belt had been 'spun' on the No. 2 end.
Easter Monday was an easy day watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang etc. and generally lazing about.
During the week I overhauled a spare set of rocker gear and we shall replace the set from above during the weekend.
Well the weekend arrived and for once was not raining, which was a change for a Mayday Bank Holiday weekend.
I arrived at about 0900 hrs. and got the tools etc. ready. The unit was being shunted down to Pitsford Siding so I had to be ready. We were doing not only the rocker gear but the belts on the No. 2 end.
Nick started on the rocker gear and I began unbolting the freewheel shaft. Later Daryl joined us and we continued.
By lunchtime we had all the jobs done, including resetting the tappets, and we started up the No. 1 engine. It started first turn but was not passing oil through the rocker arms onto the colletts and springs. What had happened was this, I had freed off the rocker bar and of course this now rotated in the mountings. The bar has three grooves cut into it where the top or long studs locate. This allows the oil ways to match up and pump oil. What Nick had not done was align the studs and grooves. Once we had realigned them the oil flowed as it should.
We tried the No. 2 engine and the belts rotated properly.
We checked the two NIRs I had received from RESCO and both were OK.
In the small saloon I fitted the door stop Stuart and I had found. It looks good now it's varnished up properly.
After all this excitement we had a big shunt to perform so I was signalman for the rest of the day.
On the Sunday I was early turn fireman on the Tkh. I was doing all right until about 0900 hrs. when, as if by magic, firemen appeared from all corners of Northampton all intent on shovelling coal and telling me how to do the job. We got through the day without blowing off, needing coal, a blow-up or any other problems, amazing what an old hand can do.
Monday, May 1st, was spent at home overhauling another set of rocker gear and generally having an easy time.
During the week David Brown, Traction Magazine, had contacted me regarding a possible lease of W55003 to Central Trains. After contacting Central Trains they made an appointment to come and view the unit on Friday May 5th. The day went extremely well with all parties satisfied with the outcome. As usual W55003 performed faultlessly and as the day went on appeared to be settling down better and better. Thanks go to Nick, Gordon and Martin for all their assistance.
The work will be a six week spell doing route learning duties around the Birmingham area based on Tyseley Depot in June & July.
Nick and I then celebrated with a meal at the Brampton Halt.
Saturday May 6th was spent in painting the final bits on the door posts and varnishing the last of the transfers. Dick and I replaced a window pane and its rubber. This now seems to fit much better than the original which has gone back into the spare glass pile.
I refitted the lock on the Guard's cupboard and moved all the paint and accessories back into the container. With Daryl and Adam's help we fitted the spare main beams onto the top of the racking. The rest of the day was spent in making a start to emptying W55001. We managed to clear the No. 2 cab and one third of the seat backs and squabs out of the main saloon.
Sunday was spent in work, well I suppose I will need the cash to see a solicitor to draw up the contract!! But then I may get some of my well spent cash back especially if the contract is extended. Mind you I may need to form a 'Limited' company now. It just seems to go on and on and I only wanted to go to Old Oak Common Open Day!!!!
During the week I was back to earth with a bump. Central Trains and I could not agree terms so the unit will not be going anywhere, yet.
I have had two plates made up regarding gear changing. I have moved the ownership plates to a less obvious place and replaced them with these new plates.
Saturday May 13th was 55027's last day on the branch so I spent the morning doing some videoing and photography for the branch tape. In the afternoon I fitted the plates in the cab, the emergency tool cupboard glass in the Guard's van of W55003 and in the evening we had a barbeque on the NLR. All in all a good day.
On Monday I acquired some mores spares and had to go to London to pick them up. They included a new driver's window and a refurbished driver's controller ex 51333 (L724).
John Wight mentioned a chap down in South Wales who may be interested in buying W55001 off me, for the right money of course. If W55001 does go I shall continue and rebuild W51359.
The No. 1 engine still requires tightening up so I will do it next weekend. I shall continue emptying W55001, that is if the container does not sink. It's getting very full. I think a 20' container may be next on the list of purchases.
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