ISSUE 89 - JULY 2003

INTRO

Urgent - Engine Fires on Railcars Following on from the debate at the Chasewater Convention, we must establish just how many engine fires have occurred on railcars in preservation. Any information you can provide, first-hand, second-hand or rumour, will be very useful. In addition, we need to understand the engine fire story during the years when 4,000 railcars ran on the main-line. If you have any thoughts on how we can get access to such information speedily, your input would be appreciated. Please contact Mike Hancocks (abb19 @ globalnet.co.uk).

Saturday 16th August is the deadline for Issue 90 of The Railcar. Submissions to editor@railcar.co.uk.

NEWS

WENSLEYDALE RLY OPENS The Wensleydale Railway opened to the public on 4th July. This year, the railway will be running DMUs on the beautiful 12 mile route between Leeming Bar (near the A1) and Leyburn in Wensleydale for 7 days/week until 31 October. Trains depart from Leeming Bar at 1030, 1230, 1430 and 1630. Return departures from Leyburn are at 1130, 1330, 1530 and 1730. At present, the service is provided by Mike Froud and Michael Owen's three car Class 107. This is to be joined soon by Alan Schofield's three car Class 110 from the East Lancs.

Wensleydale Railway is anxious to expand its panel of qualified Class 1xx DMU volunteer drivers and Guards. If you are a current or recently-qualified DMU driver or Guard, please do get in touch. It is not expected that you will abandon your existing railway, or even have to live in NE England. Why not come for a series of weekends or a working holiday, operating on a long, beautiful and interesting line? There have access to a variety of accommodation to suit you. Contact Steve Deane (0781 330 9946 days).

A new gallery now added looking at this, images from Alistair Beadle who has a web site devoted to the line at http://trak.to/wra/

DMU CONVENTION    July 11th - 13th Chasewater Rly

For a review of the weekend click here.

PRESERVATION

CLASS 107 Ltd Preparation of the Class 107 (52006, 59791 and 52025) was completed at 1am on the morning of the grand opening on 4th July. This was less than 8 weeks after the Wensleydale Railway took over the Redmire Branch and passengers paid a premium £95 per person for the first train and almost every seat was taken. Was this the largest ever fare income per mile for a heritage DMU service? Thankfully 'Maisy' performed well all weekend and has been running continuously since. The 110 from the ELR will allow a few outstanding issues on Maisy that cannot be done in the limited time currently available while operating.

On the Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway 52005 and 52031 performing well in service on Saturdays plus some midweek workings

51993 has arrived from Brechin to join 52012 and the observant may note that they both arrived facing the same way. This is not such a problem as it may seem as it will be years before this pair runs again and no doubt there will opportunities to turn whilst going off site for bogie lift etc.

W55003 GROUP W55003 - Mid Hants. Has been in occasional use over the last month mainly coupled to L721 as a three car replacing a non available steam engine. The throttle motors have at last been reset after new fuel pumps were fitted earlier in the year.

L721 - is in use during the week on the Alton start diagram. The next major outing for both sets is during the next Thomas event, August 9th - 17th, when the two sets will be in service for 9 days continuously.

FOR SALE

Leyland Railbus Demonstrator - number RB004, which was shipped to the United States in 1984, and travelled widely before returning to Derby works in 1986. Powered by 200bhp 6-cylinder Leyland TR11 diesel engines, with fully automatic gearbox units. For further details see issue 88. Serious offers invited. Contact: David Barlow by email on dbsouthgate@tiscali.co.uk or on 07764 308350.

Rolls Royce C6 horizontal engine - ex-DMU, currently fitted to a much modified RF bus at Cobham Bus Museum, which was converted to a glider winch unit. Previous history not known but is in good running order and does not appear to be modified from rail use. (still painted metallic purple same as some other engines around and still fitted with fluid flywheel). The vehicle is likely to be dismantled for spares for other preserved buses, for which the engine is of no use to and so open to serious offers. Contact Mike Nash, 07836 656692.

Throttle rod return springs - DMU Group have had a small batch of springs manufactured to the original specification with a corrosion resistant finish, price £5.40 each p&p extra. These will give a long and reliable life. The BR type were made with soft wire hooks which wear through fairly quickly. The new ones have hard wire hooks and should not fail in service. Trevor Daw 01926-484670 after 7pm any day.

Engine parts - Two x TL11 cylinder heads, ex store probably new with original tape over valves. One Leyland Leopard coach fluid flywheel similar to DMU power cars. Offers to Trevor Daw 01926-484670 after 7pm any day.

Silencers - Pressed Steel Heritage have surplus items for disposal: Two ex-Class 116 vertical silencers, £50 each. Contact Mervyn Rogers 01277 623141

Injectors - New injectors for Leyland 680 engines. BR part no. 15-77004. £18 each plus postage/carriage. Contact David Aldridge (55000) 01626 879453.

WANTED

Partition parts - A couple of alloy poles and fittings, and a couple of sheets of glass are required to reinstate a partition in Iris, removed in research days. Stuart Mackay 07974 565 243 or e-mail editor@railcar.co.uk 

Seat cushions - and backs for 3 first class seats in dark purple/orange fleck moquette as fitted to 108 DTCL during refurb at Doncaster about 1990. Also 2 double and one triple seat cushion and 1 double seat back for second class in same moquette. Mike Hancocks abb19@globalnet.co.uk or 07957 645021

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