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News
March 2009 30 March We finished stripping the bogies of all moving parts by the middle of March. Some of the primary springs were seized to the spring bolts. We had to jack the equalising beams against the horn ties in order to compress the springs, which came unseized with some 14lb sledgehammer persuasion! Some swing link pins needed Oxy-Propane torch warming to free them. Last week the bogie frames visited PSP elsewhere on the Works site for shot blasting. They returned on Saturday, finished in 2 –pack polyurethane black gloss. The equalising beams are being so treated this week, as are the coil springs. The bogie frames are stacked, awaiting manufacture of new primary spring hanger bolts, which is being done at Swanage Railway. All 16 fulcrum lever assemblies have been stripped, cleaned and re-assembled, they are also at Swanage for contract overhaul. The main activity for the past 2 weeks has been cleaning all bogie suspension parts, ready for painting. Swing and safety links, tie bars, suss. cap and gearcase bolts, bogie end covers, handbrake linkages. The slack adjusters have been externally cleaned and removed from pull rods, ready for overhaul. We are having new battery box casings made, all fittings have been removed from the old boxes for re-use on the new boxes. Following inspection by Harry Frith, who used to be a Supervisor in Eastleigh Works; we have taken on the light overhaul of the traction motors ourselves. The Works' overhead cranes are ideal for removing armatures and end-covers. No 4 traction motor has had its brush boxes removed, ready for armature removal. A photo is here 12 March During the past month there has been good progress with stripping both bogies to their component parts. All brake rigging removed from both bogies, Bolsters and secondary suspension springs out. No 1 bogie is completely stripped of all moving parts; primary springs, spring hangers, equalising beams, spring plank. The brake rigging has been steam cleaned prior to stripping and assessment for bush and pin replacement. Axlebox liners measured, bogie horn liners measured. Although there is excessive clearance, the good news is that there is sufficient material thickness on both the Axlebox and horn liner plates for them to be machined flat and the horn liners shimmed to close the gap to 0.015”. Fuel tank cleaned ready for storage. We have also created more working space by reducing the size of our huge workbench so that it fits between two stanchions.Recent photos are here here here here and here February 2009 7th February During the week Arlington Rail Services have been assisting the 71A Locomotive Group by lifting the 4 traction motors out of the bogies and removing the wheelsets ready for overhaul The 4 traction motors have been put onto pallets and will be given a heavy clean before being carefully packed away for storage. These will be kept as spare motors as we will be using the motors from 33204’s bogies once they have been fully overhauled. 6 members of the group have been at Eastleigh Works today and have spent the day stripping down the bogies and cleaning the many years of accumulated muck that had built up where steam cleaning could not reach. All of the associated bogie pipework has been removed as well as the brake hangers, handbrake rigging etc. There is a little bit more work to do such as removing the springs for testing but hopefully this should be completed next weekend. The bogies will then be shot blasted and repainted. There will be much cleaning and painting over the next few weeks so that all the removed items will be ready to be refitted to the bogies after being carefully labelled and marked. 31st January Dan Bennett, Nathan Rogers and myself, finished stripping the traction motor gearcases, axle covers and suspension caps on the No 1 bogie. All the various items were marked using paint pens. We then removed all the brake cylinders and all the sandboxes, on both bogies. James continued to prepare the power unit for removal; the remainder of electrical connections to gauge panel and water temperature sender were disconnected, hydrostatic fan pipework removed. On Sunday 1st February, John the electrician and myself, removed the slack adjusters from both bogies, various brackets from both bogies, the AWS magnet from No 2 bogie, and all the pipework from No 2 bogie (No 1 bogie pipework was done by a couple of other lads). Again, everything was marked using paint pens, except the pipework, which we marked using marking tape. I also got off three brake blocks which were loose, and these and their associated pins are in the container. All bolts, nuts, washers and brackets from all of the above, are in plastic containers which are marked up with what the contents are, and these are in the container as well. Barry and Dave Axton finished removing the power unit holding down bolts, then they lifted out the header tank and hydrostatic tank.
No more BE ! January 2009 24/1/09 After two very productive days on the loco, we spent Saturday on the Establishment; Light fittings repaired for illuminating our work area better. A bench was procured and installed in the container, and plywood sourced for fitting in the container for hanging large spanners etc on. There is still plenty of work to do in our bay to ensure that, as parts are removed from 33012 we are able to clean, overhaul and store them. On 33012 the fuel tank was removed using a forklift along with further work on traction motor gearcase bolts. 22/1/09 Today six 71A Locomotive Group members attended Eastleigh Works to assist with the lifting of 33012 off its bogies onto stands. The loco was shunted into our compound on Wednesday afternoon. We started today by working with Richard from Knights Rail and Paul & Barry from Arlington Fleet to rig the spreader beams with their loco lifting brackets. Then the stands were positioned and measurements taken for appropriate hardwood blocks. Both 50t overhead cranes were used to lift 33012 off its bogies and traverse across the other road above the stands. With the loco only a couple of inches from the blocks, it was lowered no.1 end first (which is heavier than no 2) onto the stand. When No1 end was settled, the other end was finally lowered. All this was accomplished by 1100. So we spent the remainder of the day on the bogies, removing traction motor bellows for safe storage. Then TM nose suspension bolts, gearcase bolts, axle covers and Suspension bearing caps. No. 1 TM is ready for lifting out. Not content with that, progress was made on preparing the power unit for lifting out. Main, Auxiliary & ETH generator cables disconnected, turbo drain pipe removed, coolant drained for storage, coolant drain disconnected, lub oil filler pipe removed. Oil priming pipes removed, main coolant pipes disconnected and more work to free the battery boxes for removal. 14/1/09 Preparation for 33012 to be towed on Network Rail took place at Swanage. All 4 axles were ultrasonically tested with a clean bill of health. The air receivers are due 10 yearly inspection in October 2009, so are still in date. Bogies & underframe were thoroughly steam cleaned and a full inspection of traction motor axle suspension cap oil levels, gearcase Motak levels and general examination of bogies, brakes and underframe; prior to the VAB inspector’s visit. We had to apply an orange wash strip and overhead electrification warning flashes, despite the loco only travelling on DC electrified lines. The VAB inspector gave 33012 a clean bill of health for being towed dead on Network Rail. The date booked with GBRf was 14th January. Then came the problems… Network Rail carried out an inspection of the Worgret Junction – Motala section only one week before the move was due to take place. Unfortunately they found timber weigh beams on the River Frome bridge were rotten. For a few days the move was off, with no news of when it could take place, then a bridge engineer inspected on Monday 12th January, his verdict was inconclusive. So his boss had a look on Tuesday 13th, and gave the bridge 5mph speed restriction. So we could go ahead. GBRf’s 73205 arrived on time at Wareham, collected the Network Rail Mobile Operations Manager and they trundled on down the Furzebrook Branch to Motala, then on to Norden to collect 33012. The move to Eastleigh went without a hitch, plenty of photographers out and about. On arrival at Eastleigh Station; the GBRf Ops. Manager made arrangements with the Signalbox for the time honoured propelling move into the Works with two drivers. Once in the Works Yard, 33012 was started and was utilised to shunt some empty 100t oil tank wagons, excellent photographic opportunity. Then shut down for the final time for many months. Knights Rail Services shunted ’12 into a pit road in the Erecting Shop, ready for our first work party on Sunday 18th January. 10 71A Locomotive Group members and Supporters met at 1000 for a briefing from Dave Axton and James Cox about work practices and to gauge the likely level of support over the next few weeks. Then we got to work: Fire bottles disconnected, bogie “D” brackets removed, brake and sander flexi pipes removed, traction motor cables disconnected, earth straps removed, blower bellows detached, handbrake pull rods disconnected and tied up. Battery cells removed and onto pallet for collection by Pb Batteries, who are going to store them at their workshop and deep-cycle charge them every couple of weeks. Battery boxes disconnected and all but two bolts removed from each. Underframe air receivers removed, exhaust stack cowl removed, roof catches slackened. A start was made on disconnecting the power unit; holding down bolts removed – except for one in each corner, ETH generator cables disconnected, hydrostatic fan system drained. 33012 is due to be lifted off bogies onto stands on Thursday 22nd January. Knights Rail have provided a dedicated compound for 33012 and its components. We have acquired a 20’ container as a workshop/ store. The next phase of work is to fit out the container with lighting, workbench, racking and cupboards. Before we continue to disconnect the power unit, for removal. November 2008 The induction course was held at Eastleigh works on November 1st for the members of the 71A group who will work on 33012 next year during the overhaul. 19 Members of the group attended the course run by Richard Sinclair of Knight Rail Services, who hold the lease on Eastleigh Works. 33012 will move to the former BREL works from Swanage in early 2009. October 2008 The Swanage Railway are holding a '1960's Weekend' on November 29 & 30. Both 33012 and 33111 are expected to be in action. August 2008 The 71A Locomotive Group AGM was held at Corfe in August and the meeting agreed that D6515 (33012) would be taken out of service at the start of 2009 for a general overhaul. This would take between nine and twelve months with the work being undertaken at Eastleigh Works. We have been concerned for some time about the state of the underfloor trunking over the bogies and when the chance to do this work at Eastleigh Works came about, it was felt that was too good an opportunity to miss. The use of the overhead cranes and other lifting gear will enable the power unit and generator to be removed allowing work to be done on the bedplate. The brake rigging and the traction motors will be removed from the bogies as well. The opportunity will also be taken to send the generator and traction motors away to be overhauled. The brake rigging will be fitted with new bushes fitted to compensate for any wear and to ensure that it is fit for further use. The brake valves will be stripped, cleaned and put back together with new diaphragms and seals. TPWS and OTMR will possibly be fitted during this overhaul as well so that in the future if we decide to operate D6515 (33012) on the mainline the equipment will already be fitted. In fact we intend to do as much work as is necessary so that D6515 (33012) will last for enough 50 years and returns back to the Swanage Railway as one of the best locomotives in diesel preservation. A full press release is here May 2008 A report on work carried out on 33012 during the spring can be found here. February 2008 The theft of copper and brass pipework and fittings from 33034 has been discovered after reports that the protective tarpaulins had blow off. The thieves had cut the tarpaulins off to allow themselves access to 33034. The plan was always to use 33034 for spares to keep 33012 running however in light of the thefts the group has decided to dismantle 33034 and remove the spares to a secure location for further storage. January 2008 A detailed report of the work carried out on 33012 during 2007 can be viewed here. Forthcoming work to 33012 includes:- Re-torquing of head nuts, setting tappets, clean main generator ,clean auxiliary generator & finish the cab 2 internal refurbishment. We are also investigating the possibility of fittting TPWS and OTDR with a view to returning the loco to the mainline. If you would like to donate towards returning 33012 to the mainline then please contact the treasurer and if you would like to assist at the 71A Locomotive Group at Swanage please contact James Cox
November 2007 33012 has had its electric train heating supply re-instated and it is the intention of the Swanage Railway to re-commission the ETH on one of its rake of coaches for use with our loco. August 2007 33012 has had number 1 & 2 traction motors cleaned which were then tested with a megger gauge to ensure there was no problems with the motor or the cabling. The brush boxes were also removed from the traction motors to allow cleaning to remove the sooty deposits, this will reduce the risk of flashovers. Work has continued on the refurbishment of both cabs although this is still some way off completion. Class 20, D8188 left Swanage in the latter half of July and is on loan to the Severn Valley Railway to assist in the lines reconstruction after major flood damage. July 2007 A 71A working party was held on the 14th during which 33034 was covered with tarpaulins to protect it from the elements and the stores container at Norden was re-organised ready for the transfer of items currently stored at Ropley. Further working parties will be held on
28 July, 26 August & 16 September.
They will start at 1030 and finish around 1630, meeting at Swanage.
We will aim to complete some of the following tasks :- All welcome as any required training will be given. If you are interested in helping please contact David Blandford by email [david.blandford1ATtiscali.co.uk] or phone 07739 523416.
March 2007 Although the exterior work was all completed before 33012 left the shed, some areas in the engine room were bare metal after new sections had been welded in. These have been coated with anti-corrosive primer, pending further painting. It was about due a B8 exam, so this has been carried out over 3 weekends, while 33012 has been in use Monday – Friday on engineering trains. Photos here here and here. Minor items like loose suspension cap bolts were attended to at the time of inspection. Work for the future includes a new set of seals for the feed cut off valves and cleaning traction motors. 33012 will be doing a Crompton Running Day on Friday 13th April. This was originally advertised as Sat 14th.. The Swanage Railway Green Timetable will operate, with the 33 in the diesel path. From 1810 the advertised DMU service will be replaced with 33012 hauling a normal train on evening service timings. Please note that Norden Station closes at 1930, but the train will still go there to run-round. A buffet service serving fine ale, hot & cold drinks, hot & cold snacks will be open all day and evening. Normal day rover fares apply.126.5 miles in one day - that's more like it! February 2007 33012 finally emerged from the carriage shed at Swanage 9th February, under its own power. 71A members and supporters continued with finishing touches, fitting wipers, steam cleaning bogies & under frame. Some essential tasks were also undertaken; pit exam including checking suspension cap oil levels, battery exam. Full brake test and A exam. The loco entered service with the Operations Dept. who quickly found tasks for it! . Photos here here here here here and here
The bodywork restoration of 33012 is now at an advanced and a report of the work so far is here
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