If you click on a picture to enlarge it, to get back to this page you must now use the back button. This is due to us using a more modern web code (XHTML) that doesn't allow links to open on a new page. Allegedly progress!
We've been getting on quite well with most of the outstanding jobs on W55000. The one causing us the biggest headache though is the compressor. We have removed and stripped it, to find it has a broken valve disc which has dug into the cylinder head. Having Leyland 680 engines, the compressor is different to the AEC ones. It is a watercooled Leyland unit. Renewing the disc would repair it by about 90% but ideally we will replace the pitted cylinder head or even the whole compressor. Has anybody any ideas about where we can get the bits or a whole compressor? I'm told they are the same on Leyland National buses!!
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One of our concerns about our 33 is that we have few Crompton parkinson spares for it. As a start to remedying this we have bought from the lads on the Battlefield Line at Shackerstone a spare traction motor. So last Thursday saw Pete, Neil & myself plying the M5 and M42 to collect it. I new there was a good reason for having a Landrover.... ! Many thanks to the Shackerstone lads for their help loading it and to Nick at Buckfastleigh for unloading it rather later at night than was ideal.
November has seen us take a break from the Crompton as we get our "bubble car" DMU W55000 ready for it's operating season. B shop was borrowed for a week and the roof along with some of the yellow and black was repainted. We have been doing various repairs and jobs that have come up, including fixing the horns, fixing on a fuel pump throttle lever properly and stopping a few small fuel leaks. We've yet to renew the air seals in one of the final drives and change a compressor which must be done before entering traffic.
We held our annual gronk aid gala again, to raise money to fix our very ill "Gronk" 09 002/D3666. This year we used the Friday and the Saturday as the Devon diesel society had arranged for the 37 mileage bashers to have lots of trips behind D6737 on the Friday and we ran a normal diesel gala service on the Saturday. It all went well, with only one failure, luckily on the last trip and not far from home. D6737 blew a traction motor blower.
Here are some pics:
Saturday finds the pair of twenties clagging well. Only while they start, thank goodness!
20 110 in the loop at Bishops Bridge. © Alan Waldron
The 20s prepare to leave Buckfastleigh © Neil Cannon
Cab View from 20 118 showing the Autumn Colours.
20 118 leaves Bishops Bridge Signal Box heading for Buck.. |
The 127 DMU passes Bishops Bridge loop. © Jason Moore.
D6737 arrives at Buck passing the 20s. © Neil Cannon.
D7612 with a goods at Caddaford. © Neil Cannon.
The 127 DMU Nears Caddaford on the Friday. © Neil Cannon.
D7612 arrives at Buckfastleigh. © Neil Cannon.
D6737 Arrives at Buckfastleigh beside 20118.
D7612 passes the 20s at Bishops Bridge. © Alan Waldron.
20 110 & 20 118 pass Bishops Bridge. © Neil Cannon.
20 110 and the DMU running near Woodville heading South.
D7612 at Staverton in the dusk. © Neil Canon.
20 118 sits at Bishops Bridgewaiting to cross an up train.
Token changing from D7612 at Bishops Bridge.
D7612 pulls away from Bishops Bridge towards Buck. |
Led by Alan our chief electician, we've cleaned & freed up the traction motor brushes and painted the commutator edges.
These Crompton Parkinson traction motors have the brush boxes mounted on ring gear, which can be wound around to work on the top brushes from underneath. Certainly a nicely made bit of kit.
It was a horrible job, working from the steam pit but we all feel happier to know the're done.
We had a "Driver Experience" day on October 5th with D7612. A good day was had by all, see the pics below:
D7612 about to couple to the DMU for the Drivex train.
The gang and their families at Totnes
Another view, this time at Bishops Bridge, waiting to cross the steam train. |
33 002 Finally spluttered into life today! after two and a half years of work and eight years since it last started. We battled today against sticking contactors, dodgy resistances, cables and connections.
There was plenty of clag to start with but after less than two minutes it was running beatifully clean. After yet more contact cleaning, we appear to have battery charging, compressor, exhausters and Traction Motor Blower.
This is a major landmark for us so well done to everybody involved. Unfortunately though, we've still got along way to go before she's in traffic with various electrical systems still to be fettled, traction motors to be checked and some air system parts to rebuild, so keep watching this space!
Thanks to Alan V Sparks, you can now watch this amazing scene on youtube!
33 002 roars into life.
After a short while, a clean exhaust!
Another view, this time Courtesy & © Neil Cannon.
Is Neil wiping a tear? or is it just clag?
A seminar of dodgy individuals with nothing better to do than attempt to fix Southern engines destroyed by Northern winters! |
