The Railcar Association News Bulletin ISSUE 155 September 2019 EDITORIAL the cost will be £25 single trip or £50 Sunday October 6th I write this shortly before departing for return. Members will be allowed to ride Will see another running day with mem- sunny Wales for the Llangollen Railcar on this train. Catering will be available bers able to sample the full length of Gala, so will hopefully see several at Stanhope station café, including hot the operable section of this scenic line, friendly faces there! We also have the meals and drinks all day. For bookings which is just over 15 miles long, rising annual convention in October which of email Elizabeth Green-Hughes by over 300 feet and in the process course is central in the calendar for crosses the River Wear many times by meeting up. Away from galas, it's been Saturday October 5th a number of large bridges. another few busy months of “business The line will operate a two-train DMU as normal”, almost to the extent there's service which will see one of the first Further Information no time left for writing bulletins! Enjoy appearances of the former Bodmin Timetables will be available nearer the this issue in any case! (PS: Special Railway Class 108, alongside the Class event. Day Rovers for a single day will thanks this issue to Clive Hanley for the 122. For those who wish to attend the be priced at £16, or will be £30 for both excellent front cover photo – to which event by rail the Weardale Railway days. he retains copyright) station is close to the Network Rail station at Bishop Auckland (which has Any enquiries other than bookings to 2019 CONVENTION hourly trains from Darlington). It is also Evan Green-Hughes This year’s annual gathering for Railcar possible that a visiting unit may be able Association members will take place at to attend from mainline operator Bookings to Elizabeth Green-Hughes the Weardale Railway in County Northern. Durham, with activities being centred NEWS on Stanhope Station. The ‘formal’ meeting will take place at Llangollen Railway: Class 104 50528 1500 hrs in Stanhope, with a fish and has had metalwork repairs to the cab, Friday October 4th chip special departing at 1745 for a which was a bit 'crusty' at the bottom. The customary driver experience trips return trip to Bishop Auckland (this will At the same time the bufferbeam, will take place using the section of line connect with Network Rail service). jumper sockets and other paraphernalia between Stanhope Station and Scotch Either fish, chips and peas (£6) and have been needle gunned and painted Isle Loop (where the main depot is sausage, chips and beans (£5) will be up to smarten it all up. Viewers will situated) using Class 122 ‘Bubble car’ available and it would be useful for the need sunglasses for at least the first 55012, covering a distance of just over catering department if members could few weeks until the Welsh weather has five miles each way. Departures will be email Elizabeth Green-Hughes with weathered it all down a bit. The false on the hour from 1000 until 1700, and their orders at least a week prior to the route indicator cover hasn't been event. The auto isolating valve had a cover 60-year-old steel ones that had fitted - turns out the reason it was corroded badly. A final drive air cylinder missing is that it is impossible to fit was also replaced as it was quite badly once the valve is in situ! No.1 engine is worn and needs sleeving if it is to be still awaiting a properly overhauled fuel used any more. pump as it occasionally stalls when 1st gear is selected, and doesn't idle at all Not much news on the 127/108 set, but when cold without a lump of ballast 51618 is due back in the shed over the behind the hand throttle. Destination Winter for the next section of corrosion indicators have been prepared for both to be tackled. Hopefully the first section cars but await the woodwork team to fit will also receive its second gloss and them. The front end of 54504 is next in lining out at last! line for similar treatment to 50528, as that is also quite tatty. The set made an In other news, a couple of box vans unusual appearance on a Driver-Ex have been tidied up a bit as tail loads when the timetable had it needing to for the forthcoming gala; new refitted for the time being to give a overtake the Wickham. which was on a destination blinds are also in hand and change of appearance. An errant fan charter: this suited the first participant will provide a selection of different drive on partner 50454 stopped things who had already driven the 104 twice options from those available previously. for a while: it is a mystery why two of and the Wickham, and fancied a Evening trains on the Saturday, and the the four fasteners suddenly decided to change. 'Oktoberfest', should provide a bit more shear, but shear they did. Fortunately interest too. the fan drive remained attached until The “Wickham” 109 had a 'C' exam dealt with. completed over the Summer and was Midland Railway Butterley: Class 127 back in traffic for the Autumn season, M51591, engine number 1, has been The never-ending list of small jobs that when there are quite a few midweek restarted with the overhauled fuel pump take forever continues to be tackled on days to cover. The set was split for returning from servicing. Further work is the “new” Class 108. 51933's demister some months whilst 56456 was required to ensure the engine runs was replaced but required much occupying one of our spots in the shed. smoothly as initially it is thought not to messing to access it under the desk; A long awaited repair to air pipework be firing on all cylinders, and an oil leak the two worst exhaust leaks have been was completed using some locally around one of the filter bowls need dealt with using a 'gun gum' kit for now. sourced flexible pipes to replace the attention. Its partner M51625's repaint has been completed. It was dragged off combination fitted. In addition to the shed for use at the diesel gala prior to above, the secondmans door has been having its numbers and roundels taken further with the droplight window applied, it's hoped that it can return installed and the remaining furniture soon to have these applied and fitted to the rear of the door, giving it an completion of the underframe almost complete appearance (just the paintwork. handrail still to refit). Final sanding and filling bodywork preparation has also North Norfolk Railway: With the been completed on the first class generous help from our friends at the bodysides, these being re-primed Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, a (again), finally receiving a green replacement final drive protection relay undercoat. The biggest news however was sourced which allowed both Class is the arrival of the laser cut 101 sets to be “in traffic” at the same replacement cab front, which has time once again. Both sets have been currently been pinned (prior to welding) operating throughout the summer to the front to check the initial fit. Some season with little trouble. adjustments are required to get around a collision the vehicle has had on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway: drivers side, but other than that the fit is Diesels will run from Pickering on most good. The vehicle now needs its dome days from 30th September to 20th October, which were originally planned to be DMU operated. However following which it received paint and depending on projected loadings and has been refitted to the vehicle. More ambient temperatures these could be underframe electrical trunking has been either loco hauled or railcar? removed, from on top of the bogies, some of which is corroded and requires RESTORATION NEWS repair/replacement. On the vehicle Class 104 56182 (North Norfolk): itself, the two cab doors are now fully Re-skinning of the bottom of the fuel rehung onto the vehicle following tank has been completed and the overhaul. The wooden door jambs then reassembled item tested with diesel, followed and the lock and catch destroyed, the vehicle is now having a bodywork overhaul. Areas for welding have been identified and the doors (20 of them) are in the process of being checked over and a work list for each one created. Internally all the seats are being removed to enable the floor covering to be replaced. MOVEMENTS Class 121 55028 moved from is a patchwork fabrication and was Eastleigh Works back to its home the refitting and it will finally have its “face” never galvanized, unlike the rest of the Swanage Railway in July. This is back again! Lastly, a pair of Class 104 roof. The mess coach 5809 had a brief following the completion of a protracted powercar bogies has arrived on the excursion from its long term resting overhaul. It was moved by rail by Class railway for storage/future insurance. place to allow 56456 to regain its usual 33 D6515 and the 121 has not yet Although the powercar that 56182 is spot. returned to passenger use. It has eventually to run with has not yet however been used on a series of arrived on the railway, the spare bogies Class 114 50019 (Midland Rly driver training trips. needed re-homing and may even prove Butterley): E50019 has recently been useful as accommodation bogies whilst fitted with a new brake van floor, the TIME TRAVELLER 56182's own are removed for overhaul, previous was showing significant signs possibly next year sometime.