ISSUE 94 - FEBRUARY 2004

INTRO

Perhaps disappointingly only one person mentioned the lack of a December bulletin. Traditionally the newsletters over this period are thinner than the rest of the year. This time there was very little, nothing of urgency, and had little free to put it together, so it was delayed. Even now I'm having to waffle a bit here to fill both sides!

It's not to say that nothing has happened in the DMU world lately, quite the opposite. Farewell 101s! I'm sure anyone that was on the tour will agree that FNW did a superb job and a good day out was had by all. The were also very generous in donating the headboard from the tour to an on-train raffle to raise funds for the Derby Lightweight, which made £429. Thanks to all that bought tickets.

A batch of Longsight vehicles were sent for scrapping to Caerwent in South Wales, which was a bonus for anyone that managed to get down there. All the cutting up there is complete, at least for now... It was with great sadness I watched the final one, 51177, destructed by a JCB to just an underframe in under half an hour.

We should also have said farewell to all those Halon bottles before the 31st December. The information remains on the website in the technical section.

2004 will be an interesting year, getting off to a good start with the launch into traffic of the Wickham on the 7th February, while another HLF funded restoration, the Derby Lightweight power car 79018 is well underway and on schedule for a May completion.

Hopefully many more 101s will enter preservation? How many more railways can take DMUs! And will anyone take 'Daisy' or will it be proved a coat of paint doesn't make it any more preservable than the rest (other than for those that would preserve for 'historic' reasons such as the NRM). And there are indications that the two centre cars will finally move from Blackpool soon!

And of course October will be the Railcar50 event at the Severn Valley Railway.

Because of the need to run steam on the Sat / Sun (16/17th), Friday (15th) will be our main running day. That means the driver experience will be on the Thursday (14th). It's eight months away, so there's no excuse for not getting time of work! It will be a much more public orientated event than we normally have, it's our chance to show everyone what we get up to and encourage them to help us. DMUs will still run on the weekend, but there will be many static displays as well. The hosts, the DMU Group (West Midlands) have made an application to the HLF to fund the event, which will principally fund the transport of visiting units and displays.

The event has its own website at www.railcar50.co.uk.

SUPPLIERS

BIS SWITCHES Mike Evans has been in contact with a supplier of these, which are about £150 each, although the price will come down with volume. Contact Mike on 07974 724 853.

HORNS Trevor Daw has found a supplier for air horns, which are identical to the originals. Contact Klaxon Signals Ltd., Wrigley Street, Oldham, Lancashire OL4 1HW. Tel 0161 287 5555. The website at www.klaxonsignals.com has downloadable data sheets for them, look for the SK & TDE range.

PRESERVATION

CLASS 107 LTD 52025 suffered a final drive failure at Wensleydale Railway on 14th September. The bearing on the primary bevel pinion collapsed, although the cause has not been established. The final drive oil level was checked the day before and appeared OK, but after the failure had occurred the sump was dry and there was oil over the outside of the casing. There was no obvious sign of where the oil had been lost from, and the drive itself was too hot to touch. This 3-car set had been running on 3 engines since the beginning of August due to No. 2 engine failure on car 52006, and there had been no opportunity to replace it as WR had no other rolling stock available to operate the daily service. It would be interesting to hear any opinions people might have as to the cause of failure and the influence of having run over 4000 miles since reduction to 3 engines.

Right: 52025 at the premises of the LH Group, Barton-under-Needwood for repair, with the front sitting on an accommodation bogie. 5th October 2003.

At Embsay No. 1 engine and gearbox on 52031 have been replaced and cosmetic repainting is ongoing to 52012. 51993 has been cleared out completely with all spare seating now in 52012. The remaining window glass has been reinstated in 51993. 52005 and 52031 will be running Sundays in January from Bolton Abbey to Holywell Halt only, due to trackwork at Embsay.

RAILCAR ENTERPRISES Class 122 bubble 55006 is moving to Wirksworth, who hope to start services in the next few months. It is yet another 'new generation' line starting up with DMUs as their main train. It will be joined by 117/108 hybrid 51360/56224. The other 108, DMC 51572 has been sold to Class 107 Ltd and will move to Wensleydale as a back up vehicle.

FOR SALE

Misc items - 1. Quantity of Gangway curtains. Yellow(ish) colour, all marked BR.

2. Injector pipe set - new but shop soiled for BUT engine.

3. Self Changing Gears, 4 speed Wilson gearbox. Case is ok the rest is for spares.

No reasonable offers refused - please come and take them off our hands!!!!! For info contact Dave Owen on 01492 583151.

Class 119 - DMBC 51073 at Dereham. For details contact Mike Evans 07974724853.

Class 151s - Endeavour Rail Limited bought the class 151's for rebuilding for use on the national network. As it is unlikely that they will be allowed to run and accordingly, they have put them up for sale - 2 x 3 cars, built 1984 by Metro Cam, along with two coupling translator wagons. Serious enquiries please to David Humphreys at dgh@vodafone.net or 07787 967694.

Spares: Leyland Cylinder heads (New!) to suit 680 engines.
DSD unit for Blue square multiple unit (Ex-Works).
Sun Blinds for Blue square multiple unit. (New!)
Door locks (new boxed)Suburban type with interior handle.
Striker plates to suit the above.
Wheel wear compensator unit (ex CL117)
G&C DMU Brake valve
+ other odds and ends. Contact Jo Coultas (Churnet T&RS Group) e-mail jocoultas@yahoo.co.uk.

Class 117 items - two bogies, less final drives and vacuum cylinders. All tyres 77-80mm. Class 117 aluminium doors. Dave Clay, MNR Railway Station, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1DF.

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

Albion Engine or spares, particularly cylinder heads. Carl Hookings, e-mail Carl.hookings@ntlworld.com 

Bubble Car: The Bideford and Instow Railway Group are interested in renting a DMU bubble car to enable them to start running services on their short length of line next year. Are any bubble car owning groups interested? Contact Stanley Thomas at 12 Clovelly Close, Bideford, Devon. EX39 3DN.

 

“Wickham of Ware”. A history of this well known Hertfordshire manufacturing company has recently been published and may be of interest, particularly as the Wickham 2-car set keeps getting mentioned! "The long overdue story of Britain’s most prolific manufacturer of railcars, trolleys, underground man riding cars and other permanent way equipment has at last been published.  “Wickham of Ware”, a history of D Wickham & Co Ltd by the late Loxley Ford (Works Director), with additional material bringing the story up to date by James Cooper (Chairman until 1986) and edited by Ware historian David Perman, tells the story of the Company from its early days as maker of beer bottling equipment and motor engines to railcars and rail trolleys, contractors plant and equipment for sewage and water treatment.  The name and reputation of Wickham lives on in rail vehicles still operating in many corners of the world and in those restored by preservation groups. “Wickham of Ware” is a hardback publication of 288 pages, copiously illustrated, and is available from the publisher, Rockingham Press, 11 Musley Lane, Ware, Herts SG12  7EN, price £14.95 (including P&P) (see also http://www.rockingham-press.co.uk).

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