ISSUE 60 - FEBRUARY 2001

INTRODUCTION

It was welcome to read in the latest Steam Railway that the Telford Steam Railway had one of the biggest rise in passenger figures in the country — in a year when nearly all the services were DMU operated.

Saturday 17th March is the deadline for Issue 61 of The Railcar.

THE RAILCAR ASSOCIATION

We have been in touch with Scientifics at Derby about the asbestos status of the remaining Class 101 vehicles. We can purchase a database on behalf of all TRA members which will allow us to identify vehicles which are potentially low risk. Comparing this information with the vehicles' current condition will highlight the desirable vehicles.

That would then leave us with the still- difficult-to-surmount problem with Angel, in persuading them to sell the 101s with an HSE excemption certificate, which would mean that full stripping is not a prerequisite of sale.

The HSE are empowered through the 1992 asbestos regulations to issue an excemption certificate to an owner of vehicles known to have been built with blue asbestos which allows them to sell, without a complete strip, such vehicles to a minor or preserved railway for continued service if these vehicles have already been stripped of asbestos "as far as is reasonably practical".

Unfortunately the HMRI (and on their advice Angel) are currently interpreting this as meaning that a full strip is required. Hopefully we will be able to get them to view these requirements more sympathetically to the preservation movement, so that they do not insist on an expensive dismantling inspection as a condition of sale, the quoted cost of which has now risen to £7–12,000 on top of purchase, meaning a 2-car set would cost about £30,000.

6th Annual DMU Owners Convention
Mike Evans has supplied a rough framework for the event so people can put dates in their diaries. Final details will be announced later.

Fri. 14th Sep. — Sun 16th Sep.

Fri: Driver Experience Day

Sat: Meeting 13:00. Evening Fish & Chip charter to Wymondham that will end up at Dereham station in 'Puffers Bar' — a static coach in the bay platform.

Sun: DMU bashing day on Mid-Norfolk using various combinations. No trips to other railways envisaged.

CONTACTS

Chris Bull has no mobile phone at the moment, but can be e-mailed at chrisbull_108dmu@yahoo.co.uk.

Kevin Dowd has a new mobile number, 0775 9000 570, and can be e-mailed at kevindowd@bushinternet.com. He would welcome calls from anyone intending to do some 101 bashing around Manchester — call him the day before you go and he can find out all the latest gen for you.

NEWS

VEHICLE MOVEMENTS You may have noticed in one of the recent enthusiast magazines that Class 100 DTC 56317 was noted as having moved from Essex to the South Midlands Railway site at AWD sidings, Dunstable.

The collection of 104s at the Telford Steam Railway has grown to four with the arrival of E50556 from Meadowhall on 1st February, where it had been in open storage.

VEHICLES SOLD The Class 107 on the Brechin Railway has now been sold to Class 107 Ltd. The line is pleased to see 51993/52012 saved, as they were pretty close to being scrapped. The unit is to remain on the line at Bridge of Dun for the next year while Mike Froud and Michael Owen restore the ex-Swindon & Cricklade 107. Sponsorship is being sought from Angus Council by the Caledonian Railway to bring this restored unit to the line on hire.

PARTS & SUPPLIERS

LIGHTBULBS The Dean Forest DMU Group wish to thank Trevor Daw (SVR) and Phil Gray (Williton 103 Group) for replying to their appeal in the last issue for guard's van lights; to fit the indicator light for the pie warmer.

The DMU marker light bulbs / lamps (28-volt 15-watt, round, in red or white, stamped B.R. CLB), are available from CEAG, Pontefract Road, Barnsley, tel 01226 206842.

They are available from local suppliers such as Aardvark Electrics, 22 Commercial Street, Pontnewydd, 01633 875381, who do them by the box at approx £50 white, or £60 red.

The Group has purchased a box of 10, although only need one or two, so if any other group wants to purchase a 25-volt 15-watt pygmy bulb with bayonet cap fitting, contact Chris Bull.

PRESERVATION

COVENTRY/SOUTH MIDLAND 103 Recent progress has been held up by the weather, but DMBS 50397 at the Coventry Railway Centre has been repainted in a second coat of red oxide as the single coat had begun to deteriorate. Alfred Roberts, who reports this progress, felt he reached an important milestone when he managed to open three of the four side passenger doors. Those on the driver's side required no doorframe repairs, the front secondman side doorframe requires extensive attention, the rear cannot be opened because it has no doorhandle. The cab doors had been replaced by fixed LMS coach doors when the vehicle was converted into an observation saloon on the Battlefield Railway in 1978/9. Alfred needs to replace these and wants to know if there is anyone who wants LMS coach doors and is prepared to help him remove them? The front pair of passenger doors will need replacing but the rear driver's side door is good and secondman side appears reasonable. Both of the driver's side guard's van doors need replacing and, where one fell of its hinges in 1999, doorframe repairs are required. He has been collecting plate glass to reglaze the vehicle temporarily from scrap double glazing stock and from a Mk I coach being scrapped at the Battlefield Railway. He needs to identify a suitable substance to seal it into the aluminium window frames. The vehicle's steel roofing at cantrail height needs repainting, as does the front dome above the cab, some of the roof needs re-riveting and the missing roof panel needs refitting. Once the work is completed he intends to give the vehicle a temporary coat of blue 'Dulux' with a full yellow end.

Certain staff at Coventry have suggested it may be better if the DMBS 50397 left and joined 56160 as having the unit split on different sites is not good for the project and the 103 doesn't fit in with the EMUs at SERA (this is a long term idea). At present the vehicle is locked in behind a Class 457 and a Mk I coach and the siding isn't rail connected.

DTC 56160 has left Snetterton for the South Midland Railway, in South Bedfordshire. Still asbestos contaminated, the vehicle had to be sealed before it left, and has no substantial work done so far.

The Battlefield Railway have asked Alfred Roberts to state that they deny that they are the legal owners of DTC M56160, and that they sold the vehicle in 1996 to Mr Northfield / 'Essex Rail Traction Group'.

In the medium term, Alfred will appeal in Railcar and the railway press for support to form a group to handle restoration et al.

EARM 108 The first-class section of DMC 51568 is in the process of being converted to second-class seating, the first-class being downrated to second-class in the last years of BR service. It was decided that it was easier to change the seats rather than have the originals refurbished. This vehicle together with DMC 52053 are due to move the Keith & Dufftown Railway in the early summer. DMC 51568 had been the 'Christmas Tree' for the group for the last five years, it was a self-propelled spares store! The group have nearly finished replacing all the items that were robbed over the years and it is expected to see a few more years' service.

KWVR For the first time this year, the Keighley & Worth Valley will be operating a midweek diesel train service in February, in connection with the school half term.

A special stop will be made at Oakworth — The Railway Children's station — on Oxenhope-bound trains to enable passengers to look round this delightful station. The Museum of Rail Travel at Ingrow will be open and admission is free to KWVR Day Ticket holders.

Trains operate approximately hourly from 1030 – 1700 operated by either the Class 108 or diesel railbus.

This month is also 'Free February' for residents of Keighley or the Worth Valley — with a railcard they could travel free on all these trains — as well as weekend services.

NRM 108 Following appeals in this newsletter, Chris Bull and Alan Pace from the Dean Forest DMU Group spent two days restoring the fire circuits on M51922 to working order. Paul Ellis wants to thank Chris and Alan for finding the time to come and help them out. They can now sort out the minor niggles on this vehicle, knowing that the main worry is behind them.

TELFORD 104s Frank Nicholas reports: "The unit was finally suspended from service at the beginning of February, and work commenced on the overhaul. It had been decided to internally repanel 53479 first, as this vehicle has borne the brunt of passengers, and was leaking from various joints and gaps. The seats of the No 1 side were removed and stored against the other side, and a start made on removing the plywood panels fitted back in BR days. It was found that the vehicle had suffered collision damage for nearly half the vehicle length, as the entire bottom sections and framing had been replaced at some stage, possibly very early in its career, as the lower panels still carried traces of green paint.

The fit of the windows is not quite right as a result, and several minor problems were encountered, the more notable ones being: replacement framing uprights not welded together, allowing the bodyside to flex; window sill trims put in with solid packing beneath, effectively blocking the drains and rotting the wood; drain holes in the toplight section blocked, causing more rot in the side trims; original roof vent holes blocked off by flat plates held on by pop rivets, which had failed, causing more water ingress and metal rot.

Fortunately, it had been possible to engage a contractor for a week to progress the overhaul work. By the Friday afternoon, the driver's side was virtually complete, having been welded, treated, relagged, repanelled, stained and varnished, roof leaks cured, windows resealed and also work done on new arrival 53556.

It was closely inspected, and found to be missing the final drive gear shafts on the No.1 bogie. A spare set was refurbished and installed, the fourth time this job has been tackled by myself, and I tempted fate by saying that it was the last final drive I was going to work on. Subsequent inspection of the other end revealed a missing back bearing on the final drive, which entails a stripdown of..... the final drive. B********!!! Attempts to start the engines were hampered by the usual flat batteries, so the heaters were tried instead. Both turned happily, but a faulty fuel solenoid valve in one and a split fuel pipe in the other stopped the party. With 59228 coupled up as well, a line up of four Class 104 vehicles was created; a pity they were not all working.

Thanks to Ron Downing for his efforts, Derek Parker for his graffiti removal skill with a paint roller ( get well soon Derek), and of course the contract labourer, a S. Mackay from north of the Border."

• If you can help any of the following groups with their needs or information, please e-mail us at editor@railcar.co.uk

WANTED

Seats - Class 108 second-class seat frames available. We require nine Doubles and six Triples, we don't require squabs or backs but would take them if they were available. We have a complete set of Class 108 first-class seat frames available, complete with squabs, backs, arm rests and side panels all in different moquette patterns and all requiring recovering. DUPA.

Mounting Rubbers - Has anyone had any engine mounting rubbers for Leyland 680s made or have any idea where we can get some? Paul Ellis, NRM 108.

Oil Separator - Eric Maxwell, of the Tanfield Railway (Tel. 0191 274 2002) is looking for an oil separator to work with a DMU exhauster.

Circuit Boards - Two Tacho Generator circuit boards, if not available does anyone have a cct drawing? Gwent 108 Group.

Spring - Both Midland Railway Trust power cars have hydraulic fluid self-contained in the torque convertor. Does anyone have any info on the small spring in the quick release valve under the front of the bogie. We require some spares. Midland Railway Trust.

Tyre Gauge - Does anyone out there have a tyre thickness gauge, BR catalogue number 39/29799, that I can borrow? As per the VMI, I am adjusting and checking the speedos. Having made a test rig, I need the tyre gauge to get an accurate reading to set the speedo. Telford Steam Railway.

Glass sizes - Does anyone have the BR Cat Nos. for DMU glass or exact sizes of window panes for our Class 107 vehicles? It would be of general interest I'm sure, if anyone has this information, to produce a summary of all DMU glass and window rubber profiles? Mike Froud, Class 107 Ltd.

FOR SALE

Engine Spares - The Cheshire Locomotive Preservation Group have contacted us as they have a substantial amount of Leyland 680 spares, bought as a job lot with some Sulzer spares, which they want to sell. Their five-page list contains everything from a complete overhauled 680 engine to bearings, gaskets and seals, and everything in between. Contact them for a copy of the list.

Glass - I have some items of glass for sale/swap: i) A small number of glazing panes for a Class 116 (or possibly 115/117/118?); ii) Two internal vestibule glazing panes for a Class 103; iii) Approx. 50 sliding quarterlight glazing panes for Class 108s. Kevin Dowd.

Video - "101 Twilight" video, 60 mins duration, featuring 101s in N. Wales and around Manchester. Cost £10 inc. P&P. Cheques made payable to "Gwent 108 Group".

CD-ROM - 101 Twilight CD containing over 100 high-quality digital photos of 20 units, in N. Wales and around the Manchester area. Cost £6.50 plus £1 P&P. Cheques made payable to "Gwent 108 Group".

NEXT ISSUE : 21st March 2001

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