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Saturday 24th April
Although a few enthusiasts have penetrated the security around Fort Elsecar, the revised livery of 14 901 (D9524) will hopefully remain a secret until just before the Elsecar diesel gala on May 2nd/3rd. Most of the casing doors have been repaired, refitted and repainted, the battery boxes have been re-plated, re-hinged and returned to Elsecar on the 21st so will be going back on this weekend. The engine end doors, removed to enable them to be straightened (they looked as though someone had tried to open them from the bottom with a crowbar!) have been rewelded back on the loco; new rubber for their "domino" windows has been received and these will shortly be refitted. The BMAC lights and brackets have been cleaned and re-painted and these too should be fitted in time for the gala, although whether the vinyls will be received is sounding dioubtful. The working timetable for the loco at the Elsecar gala days has the '14 running up to 5 passenger trips in the afternoons, with rumour of a freight turn in the morning.
Meanwhile, the public timetable for the appearance of the loco at Butterley has now been published. It sees the loco first top'n'tailing with 47 401 on the 10.50 ex Swanwick (11.15 ex Butterley) to Riddings, then back to Swanwick as the 11.37. It comes out again in a 3 loco formation, 14 901 + 20048 (with 31271 at the other end) on the 13.45 ex Swanwick (14.10 Butterley to Riddings, 14.32 Riddings back to Swanwick) a third trip top'n'tail with 45 133 (15.30 ex Swanwick, 15.55 Butterley to Riddings, 16.17 Riddings back to Swanwick) and a final turn with 08 590 (16.40 Swanwick to Butterley).
At the end of June, after the Butterley galas, 14 901 will move across to Peak Rail in time for the "Anything Goes" event in early July, and it is hoped to have it in regular use in order to acquire some additional hours and prove reliability. Approaches have been made to the Heritage Shunters Trust and we hope it will be taking part in the HST's Peak Rail event in October, after which the loco will be heading to the Gwili Railway for a two year stay.
Back at Elsecar, the question inevitably being asked is "will the loco be ready in time?" and it probably depends on your definition of 'ready'. Finished - no. But sounding good and fit for operation - yes, come and see!
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On other locos, work has resumed on the WD 72229, with the rear axlebox lube reservoir and feed hoses being re-instated (its position having been usurped by the exhauster) and exhauster suction pipework begun.
The Cummins engine destined for D2128 at Scunthorpe finally relocated to the Palvan at the AFRPS early in April, meaning that all major lumps (engine, transmission, coolers and compressor) are now on site. The same day's move saw much "stuffing" of the VBA at Rowsley: DV8 parts from Elsecar, various parts and racking uplifted from Andrew's 40ft container and even a pallet truck collected from Nottingham.
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