Volunteers' report 19/4/25
- nigeljulian
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Work on the Deltics was taking place at two locations today.
Barrow Hill
55009.
The final bodywork repairs have been completed and the patches were ground back and sanded smooth ready for the paint. Now these are done the nose ends can be completed over the next few working parties.
D9015.
Work continues into solving the rough running of #2 engine, PU417. The main focus of attention today being air ingress around the fuel spider. This is essentially a junction where the various fuel pipes meet. Once this was dealt with, the engine was running better but it’s still not there yet. Next job will be a campaign change of the 18 fuel pumps.
As expected, Thursday's shakedown runs on the branch have resulted in a small snagging list of areas requiring attention and these will be addressed.
The big news of the day for Tulyar though, was that while the 2nd engine was being tested the 'Delectricians' were able to finish their final jobs in the electrical cubicles and D9015 is now taking power on both engines. (The 'Delectricians' is the nickname affectionally bestowed by the volunteers on the DPS' extraordinary electricians, without whom Tulyar would certainly not be operational, namely, Pete Vickers and Richard Emery).
The completion of a marathon task by this small group of dedicated and highly skilled volunteers. A heart felt thanks from everybody!
As expected for a Bank Holiday Saturday there were a large number of visitors to Barrow Hill and the volunteers were kept busy engaging with the public and also multi tasking by serving customers on the sales stand set up in the depot which had a very busy day. Thank you for all the purchases and donations.
With all the testing happening outside the depot with D9015 many visitors were also fortunate to experience a number of engine starts and some Napier music, including a short period of the loco running on both engines in the afternoon sunshine.
Great Central Railway
55019
Two volunteers attending the GCR today to sort out an issue with the ERR2, Engine Run Relay, No 2 engine. A spare had been stripped back at the Depot, the old one was removed - to be sent back for refurbishment as a spare and the replacement fitted. It was then found that the Generator Cut Off Valve was not functioning correctly. A phone call back to base for a bit of guidance and the EP, (Electro-pneumatic) valve was removed, stripped, cleaned and rebuilt and manually checked and all looked good, so it was refitted.
Whist all of this was going on, the other volunteer topped up the oil in both units, removed all the empty barrels to go back to the Depot and degreased the engine room floors.
Once done, No 2 unit was started, air built up and the power applied in both directions, all was good, No 1 was then started, No 2 shut down so we could see if it switched over, which it did, again power applied in both directions with the required results again. No 2 restarted and again all was good.
Before departing, we loaded the empty oil barrels into the GCR's van along with a spare set of CO2 fire suppression bottles that we have obtained from the Heavy Tractor Group in return for the 2 x cl37 fuel pumps that had been found in our stores. A quick trip up the M1 to BH, unloaded and reloaded with a pallet of 12 x 25ltr oil barrels to go back to the GCR.
This spare set of CO2 bottles will allow us to have a floating set which we can send away just prior to the end of the 10 year life of each set in our 3 locos. They all fall due a retest at different times, we can then remove the expired ones and drop in the refurbished ones on the same day instead of the loco standing for 3>4 weeks awaiting the return of its own bottles.
This project is another unseen cost at about £850 plus vat and transport per loco. The next loco due is D9015 whose current bottles expire on 25th May, all donations welcome.
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