ISSUE 96 - SEPTEMBER 2004

Railcar50

Plans are going well for this. Visiting vehicles planned, subject to the usual disclaimers - in service: Class 101 2-car from East Anglian Railway Museum; Wickham 2-car from Llangollen (now withdrawn from plans); Class 116/118 hybrid from Battlefield Railway; Class 121 bubble from Chiltern Railways; Class 104 2-car from Churnet Valley Railway; AC Cars railbus from Colne Valley Railway; GWR Railcar from Didcot; Class 114 driving trailer from MRC; on static display: Swindon Inter-City Class 126 centre car from Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway; Derby Lightweight power car from MRC; and a Class 127 power car as a 'restoration project' from MRC.

Driver experience As it is the SVR's policy to still have steam services during the Sat / Sun of diesel galas, the Friday was added to the event to give more freedom of operation. This pushed the driver experience back to the Thursday. We hope that this does not deter people from participating. We have split the line in half, and are using one guest set (Class 104) and one home set (Class 108). The available slots will be sold on a first come-first served basis, and vary in price as they vary in length. They can be viewed at www.railcar50.co.uk/de.htm.  To book, or if you do not have internet access, contact Stuart on 07974 565 243. We must stress that this driver experience is for passed drivers only, and that grade cards must be brought. If in any doubt contact Trevor Daw on 01926 484 670 beforehand. For all participants, and for TRA members that arrive on the Thursday evening, there will be an evening fish and chip train, departing Kidderminster at 19:00, returning to Kidderminster at 21:50. Please join us.

TRA Meeting With so much going on, and with a demand for groups that are bring vehicles to man them at all times, we are having a reduced TRA meeting. It will be held upstairs in the Kidderminster Railway Museum, which is part of the station. Anticipated schedule:

2.30 Welcome, from Trevor Daw
2.35 The DMU year, by Tony Fox
2.45 SVR Officer
2.55 Adrian Shooter, Chiltern Railways
3.15 2005/6 DMU days and Open Forum
3.30 End

In the same venue on the Friday evening will be an illustrated talk on the history of DMUs. Saturday evening's entertainment is a fish and trip run, and since we have a lot of units on site we'll run as big a train as is possible.

For all the up-to-date information, see the website www.railcar50.co.uk or contact stuart@railcar50.co.uk or on 07974 565 243.

NEWS

101 VIDEO If you order a copy of 101's in & around Manchester from now until January you will get a free week-to-view diary. At the moment the video is only available in VHS format but a DVD version may appear. The video features the last couple of years of the 101's right up to the last day, with bits of the tour on and the final journey out of Manchester Piccadilly on the last day. It is £7.50 (inc p&p). Go to www.class101.tk for more info. Or write to James Palmer, 2 Brookfield Grove, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancs, OL6 6TL.

UNIT WANTED Robert Hustwick Chairman KWVR DMU Group asks - Does your unit sit in a siding not used? Would you like to join an established railway that runs a DMU service most weekends? Anyone out there interested in selling, hiring, loaning a unit or joining us on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway?

We are looking for an additional unit to go with our Class 108. Our unit is in need of a rest after running most weekends March - September and December for the last 12 years. An additional unit will mean we can do some heavy repairs on the 108.

One restriction is that our directors will not allow any unit that has had blue asbestos insulation, even if it has been stripped. A Class 108 power twin would be preferable. Interested? Tel 07970 414539, e-mail Hustwick.r@orange.net.

VEHICLE AVAILABLE The fire damaged Class 117 centre car at Minehead on the West Somerset is available for disposal. For technical / condition information contact Andrew Forster, wsrcme@aol.com, or for contractual / purchasing matters contact Mark Smith wsrmd@aol.com.

SUPPLIERS

BLINDS Mark Cornell writes - I'm in the planning process for having the 2 Aspect Route Indicator Blinds made for our Groups Class 101 and Class 108 vehicles. These blinds are larger than the four Aspect Route Indicator Blinds that Norbury's already have patterns for.

The blinds will have the following on them: 0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / White Blank / White Dot / Black Blank / A / B / C

The price is unknown but should be around £50.00 each, £100 per vehicle. Please let me know if you are interested in joining me for a bulk order, I already have provisional orders for 20 blinds. Mcornell@bankofny.com.

WINDOW RUBBERS Mark Cornell asks: Has anybody looked at having new window rubbers made for their Met- Camm's yet? Or has anyone details of a suitable supplier who may still have the pattern in stock/tooling available as we need to ideally purchase enough to replace all the rubbers in two vehicles. mcornell@bankofny.com.

FERODO PADS The Paignton and Dartmouth Steam Railway have found a firm who can make Ferodo type wear pads for centre castings for 116/7 DMU's, and these may fit others. A bulk order will reduce the price. Contact Roger Gingell at Paignton, tel: 01803 553760 or pdsr@ talk21.com. Roger would also like to hear from anyone spare Class 117 trailer bogies.

PRESERVATION

MIDDLETON WICKHAM The ex- Elliot Track Recording Coach is now completely restored and ready for public use. It is in green livery with whiskers. It's first passenger train is planned for Sunday 24th October (now Saturday 23rd October). See www.wickham-railbus.org.uk.

MIDLAND RAILWAY CENTRE New arrivals have been Class 119 DMBS 51073 and Met-Camm buffet 59575, for future contract restoration work. Class 101 vehicles 53170 & 53253 are also now on site. Sent for scrapping to Caerwent in January, they were driving about just 24 hours after arrival. They formed set 692, with the unique SPT blue livery. They were joined a few days later by 59303 from Blackpool, which used to be part of 692 in Haymarket days. The other Blackpool centre car, 59539 ex-Daisy, is now at Mid-Norfolk Railway. The set will likely retain it's blue livery, with the centre car being painted in same. It is surplus to requirements at the MRC, so would be available to hire to other lines. It is TPWS fitted.

FOR SALE

AWS Receiver Heads plus junction box and connecting Harness £25.00 each. Mike Evans 07974724853 email mrailcar@aol.com 

Fluorescent fittings: we have a large number of these, from Class 108 and 101 DMU's and all components are available - including tubes, diffusers, inverters and base plates - more than willing to split if only individual components are required. we only require a donation in exchange, if no takers then the majority will be scrapped as they are taking up a large amount of space. Mark Cornell, DUPA, e-mail mcornell@bankofny.com

DMU Group (WM) Sales items: 
Smith's Heater glow plug covers £3.00 incl. VAT
Smith's Heater casing blank covers £2.50 incl. VAT
Air Cleaner upper felt seal (Large) £7.20 incl. VAT
Air Cleaner lower felt seal (Small) £4.95 incl. VAT
Radiator Fan bearing felt seal (Two required) £0. 75 incl. VAT
Fuel Gauge to tank mounting gasket £3.40 incl. VAT
D.S.D. Springs £3.00 incl. VAT
Throttle Rod return springs £6.25 incl. VAT
Air Unloader to Reservoir mounting gasket (Four stud fixing) £1.00 incl. VAT
Air Unloader unit small gaskets x 3 per set £1.00 incl. VAT
Air System cylindrical felt filter £1.40 incl. VAT
Air Unloader non-return valve with new moulded seat (Customer to supply brass valve for remoulding) £36. 60 incl. VAT
Throttle Motor piston cup seals (Packs of ten) £7.70 incl. VAT
Engine Oil pressure switch £94.76 incl. VAT
Exhauster Rotor Vanes £6. 50 incl. VAT  (Manufactured from non-asbestos material and machined to size)
F/Drive sliding dog piston cup seals (Packs of four) £9.40 incl. VAT

Contact Trevor Daw for advice on small items difficult to obtain. If there is a demand from DMU operators a trial order can be placed. Call 01926-484670 or e-mail: trddmug@tiscali.co.uk.

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.

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.

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

Photos: I am looking for a picture(s) of Class 122 55014 in any shape or form also for a shot or two of the Scottish conversions to parcel cars. All expenses etc etc paid by me. Ian McDonald 01234 750769 ian@w55003.freeserve.co.uk 

Misc: I am need a brake handle, and a CIS key for the 103, does anyone have a spare to sell? Also, where can I obtain a set of maintenance/exam instructions from? Richard Thornton richard.thornton@hmce.gsi.gov.uk

Vacuum exhauster x2, and spare parts to assist in the overhaul of three worn out exhausters or a suppliers name and address from which the spares can be purchased. Telephone Martin Harris on 01536-398948 evenings only or e-mail at mrhd9019@aol.co.uk 

Alternator for the Class 107 on the Strathspey Railway which has suffered a failed alternator which on close inspection has been found to be damaged beyond economic repair. Contact martin.macleod@btinternet.com

STORING MECHANICAL PARTS

Richard Thornton, Park Royal Vehicles Ltd, asks: can anyone advise on the best way to 'mothball' or 'lay up' engines and final drives? The usual methods of storing say, car engines, seem to be short term, whereas we would be keeping the engines for years.

Presumably gearboxes can be filled to the top with oil, but this can't be done with either the engine of final drives as it would leave part of the assembly in the air above the level of the filler.

One thought might be to fill the crankcases as full as possible with clean oil, a squirt of engine oil in the cylinders, and then spray the 'exposed' internals with a sticky 'preserving oil' . But what kind of oil to use? The Americans seem to favour motorcycle chain oil.

Perhaps this is an area we need to look at; and I would be prepared to draw up a paper for the TRA. Can any other groups offer any input to this? How do you store your parts? richard.thornton@hmce.gsi.gov.uk 

FINAL DRIVES

Ian McDonald writes: ref Mike Froud's explanation of failed final drive in last issue. Mike, sorry to be the devil's advocate but if you did have a final drive air failure like you surmise

1 It would not blow out all the oil.

2 You may lose the dipstick and a small amount of oil (very unlikely) but the oil level is lower than the dip stick hole and as the oil is being flung about the drive as it rotates therefore there is very little in the sump at any given moment.

3 The air pressure would drop so quickly that the driver would notice it on his air gauge.

4 If it fell below 60 lb./sq. in. the air axle lights would extinguish for ALL power cars in the train.

5 ALL engines and gearboxes would return to neutral and the train would coast to a halt if not stopped by the driver.

All these indicate that the final drive would not have enough time to get hot and disintegrate. I still maintain the reason for catastrophic failure was lack of oil in the drive. Your remedial actions are very good and should ensure air leaks are minimised. Final drive piston air seals are available off the shelf.

Dipstick retaining clip is normally a piece of wire screwed/bolted to the drive body and the dip stick. The dipsticks are a bugger to find when you take them out put them down and go off for a cup of tea only to find they have sprouted legs and moved/rolled away!!!

Final drive air seals do dry out and lose their elasticity after a number of years therefore a useful tip is to ensure they are smeared with Arctic Paragon (or some such) grease before replacement and use. This not only helps the seal air tight but keeps the material supple longer. Similarly ensure that the air system is drained regularly (every time the unit is started) and once a year is treated to a dose of Meths (ooooer Missus!!) not Clear Frost or whatever it's called. Meths does a much better job in DMU air systems. No water in the air systems means no freezing in winter, no failed unloader valves etc etc.

Your No. 7 should be standard procedure for the driver on loss of air pressure on a DMU. If not ensure it gets put in the driver's rule book for DMUs.

Glad it's all sorted out and good running.

Trevor Daw writes: I have read with interest the comments from Mike Froud and Ian McDonald on failure of final drives owing to lack of lubrication, may I suggest another reason why the piston seals may have failed. It was common knowledge in BR Depot's that these seals often showed a 'blow-by' during cold weather, particularly as they approached a major overhaul.

We at the Severn Valley have had experience of this happening. It is normal practice to isolate all final drives if the unit is not scheduled to run for some time. We were very lucky to find the problem when I was doing a 'fitness to run' exam. It was a cold day with four degrees of frost and a chill wind. The driver moved the reverse 'spoon' to engage the drives. I heard air escaping from one of the f/drives through the air vent and saw oil being pumped out of the dipstick hole. As a result of this we changed both sets of piston seals. On examination they didn't look that worn. Then we remembered the comment from our colleagues at Tyseley Depot. The seals are not flexible enough in cold temperatures and they tend to shrink. Additionally, their distance of travel from isolated position to drive is not sufficient to expand them to fit the cylinder. We check all the drives regularly; at the same time as we inspect bolster springs for signs of breakage.

Tyseley recommended that we don't isolate during cold weather, but leave the drives set for the next direction of travel. When the unit next runs in traffic all the machinery will warm up by the movement of air from the engines and radiators.

Mike says this failure happened in September. It may be worth checking what the overnight temperature was at the time. Be cause I am sure this may have a bearing on why it failed when it did.

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