The
South Devon Railway
'South Devon Diesel Traction'
NewsLetter 8



 
D8110 [20110]
In service. working some Permanent Way trains as well as shunt releases at weekends for Santa specials. But the old compressor oil is once again due an oil change. Two weeks before Christmas the loco was derailed on the points just outside the box towards the bridge. Damage to sand pipe and life guard were swiftly repaired.
[D8118] 20118
By the second weekend of October the two body side door panels, removed earlier due to paint faults, were back on the loco. Some more doors have been found with the paint bubbling up in places. These have now had the same treatment as the first two, and were all back on by the end of November. A start has been made to find the leak in the turbo which is in the workshop. It has been part dismantled, but due to the need for special tools etc, it has been put back together for the time being. It has also been found that the two spare turbochargers are both the same, both right hand. So this will mean that the left hand turbocharger will have to go away for repair at some stage, to a specialist firm in Birkenhead, Liverpool. With the turbochargers out some cleaning and repainting has taken place. We will use the turbochargers from the spare engine in store. They should be at Buckfastleigh by early 2002 were they will be cleaned, repainted and have the oil in them changed prior to refitting on to the loco.
D7612 [25262, 25901]
Work has started on body side repairs with the patchy filler being knocked out and damaged metal cut away from the cab area only to reveal a well rusted floor. The roof panel around the exhaust stack was removed to reveal a rusted out exhaust stack. This is now on the floor in the workshop. A new one will have to be made.
Tuesday 30th October saw the loco put outside after all the welding was finished and a coat of primer and undercoat applied to the treated parts. A full repaint will now take place during 2002 after the cooler group has been lifted out and repaired. Whilst inside the workshop the batteries were checked over, and all needed topping up. The duff one was found, and it was an old block of four, one cell read 1.5 volts whilst the next one read 3.5volts. All the rest read between 2.2 - 2.4 volts, with this sort of reading from the batteries a new set may not be needed just yet; lets hope! By the end of November the No.2 cab was all back together with the bare bits of paint work repainted, the AWS valve that was leaking air onto the bulkhead above the drivers head was also repaired.  Work on the No.1 end cab has at long last been started, with most of the paint work be attended to.
Below is a T.O.P.S. printout for the loco, with only six months left in service. It was working with 25908 on a sand train from Over & Wharton (Nr Winsford just north of Crewe) to Reading West Junction with a load of 25 wagons totalling 888 tons and it departed 2 hours & 20 minutes late at 15.20; the headcode was 7Z38.
Class 09
Loco back outside. It was started up last on Sunday 11 th November and later that day it was drained down for the winter.
Class 127
Back as a three car set at the start of October. The radiator on the Ashburton end has started to leak badly again.
A bit of history on the unit; on the morning of 7th May 1983 power car 51592 was paired with trailers 59615 & 59645 and powercar 51627.  Powercar 51604 was paired with trailers 59637 & 59617and powercar 51606.  Both sets were in St. Pancras between 07.15 & 07.45.
The set, as preserved, ran an owners special in December and has now been drain down for the winter.
Class 122 - 55000
By the end of the first week of October the cab windows at the brake van end had been replaced. A few weeks later the twin exhaust pipes were refitted to the cab front, along with a start on rebuilding this cab. The small saloon has had it's seats refitted, and looks quite smart.  During December the batteries were washed out and refilled with new acid.  Just before Christmas the batteries were charged up.
Yorkshire
In service.
Fowler
In service, no change from last time.
Hunslet
No change from last time.
South Devon Diesels' Drewry 04
Has been waiting parts or a replacement for the exhauster. A replacement has now been obtained from a class 08.
Stock
MINK - W 104700 - No change
CCT - W94556 - No change. 
SHOCK - No change
MINK `B' W125814 - Two of the new doors were hung on Thursday 12th October. The following Sunday the opposite side doors were fitted and the van was moved outside.
BG - - Purcahser found for this van, so a start on cutting it up was made also on Thursday 12th October and by mid November it had become a flat wagon. A buyer for the frames & bogies may now have been found!
Other
Keep the aluminium drink cans coming in. 
Dates for Diary (Diesels running)

We understand that May 18th and 19th 2002 will be a diesel working weekend; more later.
Slide Show: The Great Western Hotel (Opposite Exeter St. Davids Station), Friday 08th February at 20.00hrs
Working Weekends
Mostly Sundays at the moment.
If you turn up about between 09.30 and 10.00 someone will be around. But no guarantees on this.
Running Days
 No running days left in 2001, have to wait until 2002 (see diary above).

 
 

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© South Devon Railway Trust 2002