With the generator out, we are taking the opportunity to do a few more tasks on 33035. The turbocharger has been stripped down by Bill and Doug, and some impact damage found to the turbine blades. This will be dressed off and polished. The rest of the turbocharger is in good condition, including the bearings and seals. One of the main crankshaft journal bearings was removed for examination by Kev. This was at the position that caused the loco’s original bearing failure and withdrawal from BR. The cap for the replacement bearing had been remachined, and the wedges shimmed to get the correct clearances. Fortunately, the bearing shells appeared to be in good condition, and the surface of the crankshaft shows no signs of overheating.

Over at Barrow Hill, engine work on Sherwood continues, as the final liner has been extracted, and cleaning of the remaining pistons and liners is occupying the team, keen to turn the tide and start the engine rebuild.

Close up of damage - the laminations are whats left of the steel slots that support the copper winding that has vapourised.

Turbine blades from turbocharger showing damage from something that went through.

Shell bearing-half showing polished surfaces.

Journal of crankshaft showing original pitting, but otherwise in good condition.

Jacob and Mick extract the last liner from Sherwood.

Fitting piston rings after cleaning and inspection.

Stack of piston rings, top ring chrome plated, two plain middle piston rings, lower oil scraper ring (and another is at bottom of piston).

Close-up of oil scraper ring. It is important that it is fitted this way up, with the tapered razor edge pointing down.

Photo by R Buckby

Since the generator disgraced itself on Good Friday, we have been preparing for the big lift to remove it for repairs. The biggest challenge was the ring of bolts connecting the end of the generator to the engine crankshaft, which are not exactly accessible, requiring the use of a special flogging spanner joggled to go round the back of the coupling flange. The end of this spanner is designed to be whacked with a lump hammer, but this simply bounced off with no effect. After some foraging around Wirksworth yard, we discovered a seriously large sledge hammer, courtesy of the steam team (they have even larger bolts to deal with). This did the trick, taking several well aimed blows by Carl to loosen each nut.

Because the central armature is only supported at the back end by a bearing, the engine coupling end had to be supported by two trunnion tie-bars, hooked into the flange coupling and tightened to stop the armature dropping on to the field coils. These have to be fitted in position before the coupling is split with two 1in BSW jacking bolts.

The main mounting bolts were undone with the aid of large sockets, T-bars and various extension devices for extra leverage, and the final bolt, being the most stubborn, was persuaded to surrender with a hydraulic jack.

We arranged for the lift to be done in Wirksworth station yard this Saturday, with an early start to complete the job before too many cars arrived. This meant that everything had to be unbolted beforehand, including the roof and turbocharger that sits on top of the generator. Fortunately everything went exactly to plan, with 33035 being shunted alongside the 25 ton crane, and a new set of slings making an easy job of lifting the roof. Our crane driver Mark was already familiar with generator lifting, having helped us with Sherwood Forester a few years ago, and so it was a fairly straightforward task. The generator was lifted above the loco, which was then pulled away by the shunter, and the lorry backed under. After strapping down, the lorry was on its way to Bowers at Heanor, the whole job taking just 90 minutes.

The next stage will be to dismantle the generator and examine the damage closely to decide the best course of action. Further pictures will be posted as the work progresses.

Thanks go to Shires Cranes of Chesterfield, Buntings transport, K Cook, D Hesketh of Bowers and the volunteers at Ecclesbourne Valley Railway for their assistance and advice.

Carl belts the spanner to undo the coupling bolts (viewed from above)

Tie bars to support the armature. Coupling has been split

Mounting bolts removed from bedplate

8 ton generator being eased out of the engine room

25T crane makes a straight lift to clear loco

Generator coupling end (R Buckby)

Job done, generator loaded and on its way

Although the main generator seems fine and the loco takes power, it is too risky to continue running the engine, because both generators are connected, and further damage could be done if the dead ETH generator disintegrates.

So, we have regretfully advised the EVR that 33035 will be out of service for a few months while we send the generator away for repairs, and enquiries are being made for a stand-in to cover the loco’s duties this summer.

More positive progress is being made at Barrow Hill on Sherwood Forester, with all 12 pistons now removed, and only 3 more liners to come out. Paul has brightened up a corner of the engine room with orange and red, and Carl has fitted the second tail-light to the front end.

Engine room colours

Jonno manoeuvres a liner next to six pistons from B bank

Despite the impromptu new-recruit initiation test, pistons 7,8 and 9 were extracted and perched on our new piston rack, leaving just three more pistons for next weeks lucky volunteers. Amazingly, Mick says he is coming back for more!

Carl fitted the second nose end grille, including new filter mesh, and one restored tail-light to the nose end.

On Friday, some winter related electrical faults were repaired on 33035, including the defective battery charge relay, which was chattering in and out, producing a spectacular strobe arc effect in the electrical cubicle. A phone call to Doctor Diesel provided the answer in one, and a series resistor was found to have a broken wire. It was fairly easy to fix it just by adjusting the clamp over the the broken wire. As this is the second time it has happened, we should maybe consider replacing these resistors with something more modern.

The theme of the day on Saturday for Nathan and Malc was cylinder heads, with another batch being craned off 47791 at Booths, and the previous set from 47829 being hoisted into our stores van. We ended the day nursing bruises and aching backs!

Lets go fishing, AWS magnet tester pulls out ratchet from bottom of sump

Piston being extracted from B-bank

Right hand nose grille with new filter mesh

Restored tail light rivetted in position

33035 gets in some rare track with the diversion on the Shottle Loop line

33035 has been awoken from its winter slumbers, not without some resistance from lazy contacts and relays, as well as disappearing volts from the batteries and other far reaches of the electrical system.

The loco was pressed into service last weekend for some guards training and yard shunting, and made a test run to Duffield on Friday with three DMU cars and the saloon coach to measure stopping points on the platform, in readiness for 4-coach operation later this year.

This Saturday, 33035 stepped in for a return run to Duffield after 31414 had a slight hiccup with a leaking brake cylinder (later fixed by the expedient of a penny coin in the feed pipe). 33035′s four booked runs today (Sunday) were completed to the satisfaction of the Crompton enthusiasts, many of whom travelled long distances to enjoy the 8-cylinder thrash along the Ecclesbourne Valley – we appreciate their continued support. Adam and Jacob commenced their training as secondmen (sorry driver’s assistants), under the all knowing, all seeing guidance of Graham, and as far as we know they avoided any major transgressions.

It has not all been play however. Restoration work continues with Sherwood at Barrow Hill, and nose end grilles are being refitted by Carl now that the nose crown is fully bolted down. The liners are being descaled and cleaned up, with five out of six looking good, but one may need replacing due to pitting around the sealing grooves. Meanwhile early Saturday morning workouts have been conducted at Booths to recover some engine spares from 47791.

33035 outside the shed at Wirksworth during a pit exam

Nose end grille refitted

Three liners cleaned, one waiting descaling on right

All six pistons have now been cleaned and polished, the rings checked over and refitted.  Paul has glossed along most of B-side engine room, and Carl continues to bolt down the nose end sections to No2 cab.

Extracting a cylinder liner from the engine block

Three liners on the deck, awaiting de-scaling and cleaning

New nitrile rubber seals have been fitted across the top of Sherwood’s nose and the crown craned on. Next job will be to re-drill the holes as the crown is a replacement and typically they do not line up.

Pete has been busy in the engine room, glossing around the radiator end panels, and Paul has almost finished sanding down and undercoating the side walls.

Our East Lancs branch continue work on 45135′s engine, with a replacement liner ex-45106 being cleaned and polished ready for fitting. Andy has set new standards of finish with his overhaul of the cylinder heads. A newly panelled cab door has been prepared at Barrow Hill for 45135 (just visible in the photo above).

The remaining cab heaters were fitted to 33035 by Adam, although time and a damp engine room prevented a test. Seeing our difficulties with keeping the loco’s batteries charged during the winter, a box of tricks has been assembled by Tim, part owner of 31414. Consisting of just four small electronic components sourced from Radiospares, Tim has designed a miniature battery charger that can be left on continuously to trickle charge the batteries. To prove it works, it was tested out on Sherwood next to its 20th century technology cousin – no doubt some bright spark will design an iphone app to charge loco batteries next?

Carl carefully cranes on the nose crown

45106's liner before restoration

After restoration showing polished sealing grooves

Valve springs and injector on head for 45135

Battery chargers old and new technology - thats the new one on top!

We can only speculate about what happened here maybe 26 years ago. Not particularly obvious when we removed the piston, as the top was caked in carbon – it also explains the hexagon depressions in the cylinder head. The nut must have done this damage in the first few revs and amazingly been ejected through the exhaust valve without doing any lasting damage. It must surely have made a mess of the turbocharger, and maybe Toton changed it and found the engine worked fine after that. We will probably never know!

The six A-bank pistons have had their piston ring clearances checked and all found to be in virtually unworn condition – well inside the wear limits. They have been cleaned of carbon and given a polish across the crown faces with wire wool and metal polish. The grooves are being carefully scraped clean of carbon and grime. Less satisfactory is the condition of the big end bearings which will be further examined and probably need replacing.

The top of the nose crown had been filled and sanded by Carl, and is being painted up ready for refitting to the loco.

Over at Wirksworth, a message was received that 33035 could not be started due to flat batteries. So we went across to find the inside of the loco dripping in condensation and about 97V on the 110V batteries. A few hours on the charger restored the volts, but it took a lot of coaxing to persuade the loco to start, with relays refusing to pick up and circuit breakers tripping out with the damp. Hopefully it will dry out over the next few days and start as it should.

Two of the cab heaters on the drivers side at No1 end were also replaced with new elements and tested out. We will replace the rest in due course.

Scraping out the carbon from the piston ring grooves

Piston rings replaced after cleaning

Carl spraying the nose interior with gloss

Nathan and Adam undercoat the nose crown

Restored light fitting for nose end

New cab heater element in 33035

Carl has rebuilt the filter housing in one of the nose end grilles, and replaced some of the slats and corroded framework at the bottom. The whole assembly was then bolted back into the nose, and sprayed up with green primer.

Nathan finished off the inside of the nose with a coat of gloss grey, while Paul and Pete continue paintwork in the engine room. One set of winder mechanism for the box headcodes has been overhauled, but the housings have been condemned due to severe corrosion. New sets will have to be manufactured.

Nathan painting inside the nose

Rebuilt nose grille bolted back in

Will and Jacob providing the grunt, undoing big end bolts

Cracking off the big end bolts with barrel ratchet and socket

Will and Jacob raising the 6th piston

The Crew (courtesy P Precious)

A phone call from Adam, and another challenge was on for the A-team, descending at 7am on CF Booths of Rotherham on news of the arrival of 47829 (the Police). The mission this time was salvaging the roof sections for 47484, which are severely corroded. The team was boosted by the celebrity appearance of Pogo, making his comeback to diesel preservation after a 25 year break, and proving its never too late to join in. Grateful thanks are also due to Will and Richard for supporting the usual team this Saturday.

Although some enthusiastic types convinced themselves that removing all three Class 47 roof sections was a mere 3 hour job, the skepticism of more “experienced” hands soon proved right as the number of inaccessible, corroded bolts, pipes, brackets and other obstructions mounted up. The middle engine room section was relatively straightforward, although still requiring assistance with the gas torch to slice through the exhaust pipe. However the cooler group and eth room roofs require dismantling of a large number of connections, and remain a work in progress…

Meanwhile, back at Barrow Hill, more sympathetic dismantling continued with Sherwood’s engine. Two pistons have now been removed and craned out for cleaning and inspection. Carl has completed fitting the nose front back on the loco, and has started repairs on one of the side grilles which is corroded at the bottom. Some grille slats were replaced using better ones cut out from a spare grille. Panda and Pete continued with the engine room repaint.

Adam and Matt spoon out a big-end cap

Piston being gently craned out the liner

Lowering piston alongside the loco

Two pistons freshly removed

Nose grille showing corroded sections removed