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23rd January 2010
The exciting news is that the '14 will be going “on tour” immediately after the Elsecar Diesel Gala (May 2nd and 3rd). First stop will be the Midland Railway at Butterley where it will take part in the Diesel Event scheduled for May 22nd and 23rd and the Shunter Event (26th and 27th June). Present plans are that it will operate a number of duties, from a single coach shuttle top'n'tail with an 08 to other more exciting operations over the MRB. The fact that the 14 is configured so that it can act as a translator between air-brake only locos and vac fitted stock offers some interesting possibilities! Watch the MRB website here and literature for further details.
To be ready for its first foray, the 14 will be receiving bodywork repairs, followed by a repaint. As the majority of '14s are preserved in BR green, Andrew has decided that for the next few years the loco will remain in BR Blue and continue with its (fictitious, but more appropriate to blue) number of 14 901.
A set of main line light units came into Andrew's possession today and will shortly be fitted to the loco. Most 14s received headlights of some form in industrial service, but none before has received the contemporary head and code light boxes.
The charge circuit defect found at Christmas turned out to be nothing more than a blown fuse – a lower rated fuse having been inserted as a precaution during initial wiring/testing had succumbed to the demands of the cold batteries. This has now been rectified and the loco is charging again. The loco was out today with the Swindon-built "Toad" Brakevan on crew training.
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