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September 22nd: After the frenetic activity that preceeded the August 31st Diesel Gala, Andrew's "team" has been taking it easy, with Andrew starting his career in the Rail Industry and a scheduled invitation to Sir W McAlpine's private railway at Henley.
Nevertheless, after the unfortunate termination of the '14's operations at Elsecar with clogged fuel filters, it was decided that the tanks had to be cleaned out, so all the fuel was drained (proving how little fuel the loco had actually consumed in the course of testing and passenger working) and the tanks opened up. They were then sluiced through and ragged out reasonably clean, and left open ready for further cleaning assessment. The fuel tank gauge (which looks to have been originally fitted somewhere else) was u/s has also been removed.
The original Class 14 fuel tank layout comprises two side tanks which form the running plates by the engine casings, joined together and feeding a lower tank behind the front buffer beam. This tank has at some time been removed (during its repower at Barclays?) and Andrew proposes to re-instate a new tank in that location, designed so as to be constantly full of de-aerated fuel. In addition, when the Rolls' DV8 engine was installed, the manifolds fouled the distinctive breather pipes which were fitted on top of the side tanks, so these were simply cut off. Since this allows the possibility of easy ingress of dirt and moisture, and the likelihood of fuel sloshing out through the open pipe ends when in service, the opportunity of rectifying them while the tank is dry has to be taken.
Meanwhile, Andrew has agreed the purchase of a derelict Rolls-Royce DV8 engine to yield various parts including a viscous damper and "proper" front engine mounts. The DV8 at present installed has the distinctive R-R "girder sump" mounting, whereby an RSJ passes through the engine sump, roughly on the mid-point of the engine. Quite practical on a gen-set application (where the back of the engine is supported by the generator and thus the gen' back feet) but less so on a stand-alone application where the support is thus middle and rear. That is more of a long term improvement though. The damper is to be fitted first to see if it eases the vibration issues before stripping or replacing the Holset coupling.
The heading of this section is "Encore?" and you might be wondering why. Well, Elsecar railway management have now asked for another Class 14 operating day, probably during November. That means that most of these jobs (and a few more as well) have to be put in hand fairly quickly. We'll publish the date here as soon as it is agreed.
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