back issues
ISSUE 66 - AUGUST 2001
INTRO
Sharon Gray would like me to emphasise her appeal for Class 101 pics as she has had no response in the two months it has appeared in the Wanted section.
Saturday 15th September is the deadline for Issue 67 of The Railcar.
TRA
DMU Convention (Friday 14th – Sunday 16th September)
Friday is Driving Experience Day (cost £25, pre-book) from 09:30 at Dereham; on Saturday there is a visit to Dereham yard at 11:00, the main meeting in the King's Head Hotel (5 mins. from MNR) at 13:00 and an evening Fish & Chip charter; Sunday is DMU "bashing" day.
Confirmed speakers are Roger Keys from Chiltern Trains, Bruce Knights of DERA and Stuart Mackay.
Mike Evans asks that people booked for the Driving Experience course should bring with them their certificates to drive from their home railway and their hi-vis vests. Hi-vis vests are also required for the Saturday yard visit.
NEWS
101s News from the 101DMU e-mail group is that 101 678 was dragged back from Glasgow Works during the evening of July 31st, arriving at Longsight early the next morning. Also running on the 31st was a 5Z20 Longsight – Springburn which was 47 770 hauling 101 685 and another two vehicles, one of which was 51426.
114 The remaining Class 114 vehicle on the 'big railway' has been spotted at Thornaby.
BUBBLES Last month we reported that at one point there were eight bubble cars at Aylesbury. The status of these was:
- 55027 and 55031 are destined to become the Severn Tunnel emergency train, and were merely "passing through".
- 960013 and 960014 will be put into storage, probably at Derby, until a use for them arises.
- 960002 will remain in storage for the time being.
- 960010 + 960015 + 960021 will once again be used for this season's Sandite program.
- Also, 117306 is just for spares.
So it seems that none of these will come up for sale for some time. The EWS / Loadhaul 122 is apparently stored out of use.
Rail-Gen later reported that on the 2nd August there was a 5T20 07:31 Aylesbury–Derby Etches Park running via Bicester North and Banbury. It included six bubbles, one in Railtrack maroon, one in Silverlink, one in Railtrack Orange/Grey (working) and three in NSE livery.
NEW BOOK Last month I managed to mistype the telephone number for ordering the book on 115s by The Chiltern Heritage DMU Project. Call the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre on 01296 655270.
SUPPLIERS
UNLOADER VALVE NUTS The Dean Forest DMU Group have a source for manufacturing blanking nuts for unloader valves. These are used when the unloader valve sticks in the open position. They cost about £7 each, and if interested parties could call Chris Bull straight away, these can be made and brought to the DMU convention.
UNLOADER VALVE OVERHAULS Geoff Newton, a Dean Forest Railway machine tool-room volunteer has overhauled the DMU Group's knackered unloader valve. Apart from the usual cleaning and overhauling, one particular problem was difficult to overcome. Inside there is a one-way valve made of brass with a washer bonded to it. This is normally the first thing to go, and now appears to be unavailable.
Geoff made one up from a new brass turning, which incorporates a industrial rubber washer. After rebuilding and testing, they have now had the unit in service for four months after the conversion, with excellent results.
Costs: this particularly bad example came to less than £40 for the whole overhaul. Geoff can now offer this service to other DMU groups on a refurbishing basis. Please contact Geoff at the Dean Forest Railway at: Norchard Steam Centre, Forest Road, Lydney,
GLOS. GL15 4ET.
OLEO BUFFERS The Dean Forest DMU Group advise us that Railpart can fully overhaul (including repressurising) OLEO buffers for approx. £50.
PRESERVATION
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE RAILWAY CENTRE 115 The set was used in the filming of a TV advert for The Sun newspaper's Super Goals supplement.
DUNSTABLE CLASS 103 DTC 56160 has been partially stripped of blue asbestos under order by the local authority.
EARM CLASS 108 DUPA's two DMCs (51568 and 52053) moved north at the end of July to the Keith & Dufftown Railway, joining DMBS 53628 and DTC 54223. The vehicles were repainted into green before moving, and have had successful test runs on the K&DR. This line is due to open the full 11 miles in mid-August, and is entirely dependant on the Class 108s for passenger trains. All four have been leased until Feb 2004.
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52053 outside the restoration shed after repainting. Lawrence Beeching |
GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY (NOTTINGHAM) Work by a contractor allowed DMBS 50926 to be started up and taken for a test run for the first time in preservation. The former Sandite car had been well robbed of spare parts before it was purchased, and required extensive replacement of air and vacuum piping that had been cut off. Its partner (50645) requires both engines to be swapped but is otherwise complete. The internal refurbishment of this DMC is almost complete.
The set will be joined in September by the two Class 116 power cars from the Colne Valley Railway, purchased from Pressed Steel Heritage Ltd, and later by the 117 centre car once it has completed its contractual obligations at Castle Hedingham.
- If you can help any of the following groups with their needs or information, please e-mail us at editor@railcar.co.uk
WANTED
Leaf springs — for a Class 121. Graham Petts.
Help — Would anybody be willing to purchase a 101 driving car for spares, so that I may obtain the cab section for display in my back garden? Obviously subject to the asbestos situation. If so, please contact me. Also any Class 101 observations from the Manchester area would be most welcome. Keith Mitchell.
Pictures — I own the Class 110 on the East Lancs Railway and I would like copies of pictures of Class 110s in traffic, and of my set in particular, or information on some of its workings. Allan Schofield, scudfield@aol.com.
Pictures — Any Class 101 pics, particularly interiors and in the Skegness area. Sharon Gray.
Exhauster — For the Middleton Railway: I am seeking a standard rotary DMU exhauster. EM2 Locomotive Society.
FOR SALE
Headcode box rubber — we had to purchase a minimum order of 4-character headcode box window rubber from Myers, and we have enough left to do about another seven of these which we can sell on at cost price. Can be handed over at the DMU gala. Dean Forest DMU Group.
Water pumps and rectifiers — 3 brand- new unused water pumps suitable for Leyland Albion 900 series engines £75.00 each, plus 4 RUG IIA rectifiers (need cleaning) hence £25.00 each or will exchange for final drive casing (complete) and/or driver's window(s) suitable for Class 117 or 122. W55003 Group.
Seats — from Class 101s: free, but must be uplifted ASAP or they will be skipped. Williton Traction Groups.