A Racehorse Returns.

15/2/25.

Following the announcement yesterday that all three of the DPS Deltics are going to be attending the Greatest Gathering at Derby in August, what could we possibly do at the depot today that would come anywhere near generating the reaction that news has received?

Only one thing could come close, and we think we achieved it.

After the highs of last year with Tulyar being started for the first time since 13th April 1997 when it was switched off at the Midland Railway Centre for a projected two year overhaul, it may have seemed to the casual observer that not much has been happening.

However since then, the work has mainly been electrical in preparation for getting to the stage that D9015  was ready to move under its own power, and there’s only so many times you can publish a photo of a black wire.

Today was the long awaited day!

After final checks by the “Delectricians” No. 1 engine on Tulyar was started, and after warming up in the miserable damp February conditions the power handle was tentatively pulled back by Mike Hallam-Rudd and Tulyar turned its wheels under its own power for the first time in almost 28 years.

Mike at the controls and the loco is about to take power, 27 years and 11 month's +2 days since he shut it down, and the same driver's key, not used since then.

For the rotation tests the traction motors were initially checked in pairs, before all six were connected up.

Doing the Axle Rotation Testing axle by axle. Yes, they did all go in the same direction.

After a couple of tests to ensure the loco runs backwards and forwards from both cabs, D9015 was driven back inside the depot ( I think the horn handle may have got stuck) and shut down. 

While this is by no means the end of the restoration it’s a massive step forward and the volunteers all went home extremely happy.

This is a good point to pause and thank everyone involved in the locomotives overhaul over the years and while it would be wrong to thank any individual special mention must be made to the fantastic team of “Delectricians” who’s work in sorting through the mass of black wires, largely unlabelled, has been outstanding, and without them we wouldn’t be where we are today.

Welcome back Tulyar!

Back into the Depot under its own power.

Some of the team, today. There have been many more over the last 27 years, sadly a few no longer with us but all have been appreciated.