The main job this week has been to give the Wickham a small exam following its service this spring.
The maintenance team also tackled an oil leak on the no 1 gearbox of Class 108 51907. This was found to have ingested the remains of some exhauster or alternator drive belts on its input seal and so the seal was renewed.
Painting was also completed on the front end of Class 127 51618.
Over at Butterley the framework of the driver's side front compartment of Gloucester 51118 has been repaired and/or cleaned up as required. A rather nasty bodge by a previous owner was discovered, filler had been used to hide corrosion on a structure bearing body member. This has now been properly repaired. Also repaired has been the roof edges in the same area and the lower curved body panels have been attached.
A start has been made on running the new wiring for the public address system in trailer 56097. Plastic conduits are being fitted in the roof to take the additional wiring required.
A busy weekend at the Pentrefelin workshops at Llangollen saw a number of jobs progressed.
The repairs that have been ongoing to the cab front of Class 127 51618 are nearing the end of the current phase. The steelwork is completed, the windows are back in and the cab is cleaned up. It is only waiting for lining to complete.
Maintenance issues tackled included an air leak on Class 104 50454 which was traced to a piston cover plate on the throttle motor. This had become holed due to a combination of corrosion and the piston tapping the cover each time it was operated. A new cover sorted the problem. Class 108 trailer 56223 had a replacement sliding door handle fitted as one had gone missing.
The Wickham had some attention to the seating and during this it was discovered that one of the frames had fractured. The seat was therefore removed, the defect welded up and the seat returned to its rightful place.
Work progressed inside Cravens Trailer 56456. More ceiling supports have been fitted and work has commenced on cleaning up the sliding windows and fitting the wood and trim that holds the windows in place.
Over at Butterley work continues on Gloucester 51118 with the section between the driver's cab and the first vestibule now being tackled. Much of the frame is rotted but the lower box section is in fairly good condition, probably assisted by the fact that it was full of water and obviously had been for some time! The area is now stripped down and repairs are being made to the frame, roof edge and box sections.
A working meeting at Llangollen on Saturday was held to try to clear some jobs that were on the Deferred Work Register.
An air leak under the desk in the cab of Wickham power car 50416 was coming from a split in a pipe that supplied the windscreen wipers. Plans to change the part didn't work out as we didn't have the parts in stock so instead the defective part was brazed up. Two of the EP valves also had slight leaks and so these were removed and cleaned up.
Class 108 power car 51907 was also having attention. The no 1 throttle motor had stuck open a couple of times and this was traced to the throttle box pistons that were full of gunge. The offending item was stripped down and cleaned and now all is well. An examination of a gearbox leak was carried out and a plan made as to what to do with it. Inside the unit the debris from Thomas was cleaned out and all the windows cleaned. Some loose trim was also put back.
Blue-liveried Class 104 Driving Motor Composite 50528 has been a bit slow in changing direction of late. Initial thoughts were that this was due to the switch proved incorrect and the problem was then traced to a partially-blocked filter on the EP valve controlling the movement. This was restricting the air flow to the final drive pistons. All is now well.
A defective indicator blind in Class 108 trailer 56223 was also changed while work has continued on the repair of its partner Class 127 51618. The new metal on the secondman's side is now all in place and has been painted in an unorthodox blue livery to protect it.
Over at Butterley the rear guard's van section on the driver's side of Gloucester Power Car 51118 has been rebuilt using one of the newly-fabricated corners. Two strengthening plates that sit inside the vehicle and above the jacking point have been reinstated (they had been removed during the asbestos strip) and the joining strip that runs along the floor has also been replaced.
The remaining section of wooden floor has been replaced in trailer 56097 while three and a half sets of new door pillars have arrived from the woodworking shop and are due to be fitted to the power car.
Only one day's operation this week, and that was of the Wickham which did the Timetable A service at Llangollen on Monday.
Work progresses at Llangollen on the repairs to the front end of Class 127 51618. As can be seen from the photo the new pieces of metal are being welded in where corroded metal has been cut out.
In a separate midweek party some of the previously manufactured wooden parts for around the windows of Cravens 56456 have been fitted. These were mostly shaped wooden side pieces for around the windows but one stained top rail has also been fitted.
Routine work has included the heavy cleaning of the interior of the 104 set following the recent Thomas and the use of the same set for three driver experience sessions on Saturday.
Over at the Midland all the lights in the saloon of Gloucester trailer 56097 are now in working order while the recently-manufactured supports for the ceiling trunking have been fitted. The final piece of the new floor has now been made and will be fitted next time.
There's also been progress with Power Car 51118. The remaining sliding lights and quarter lights have been removed from the repaired section so that they can be replaced with laminated glass. Work has started on the rebuilding of the rear corner on the driver's side and new rolled corners and panels for this have been delivered.
Finally the Class 141 had some minor repairs to the destination indicator covers and also an attempt was made to stop a slight air leak from an auto-drain valve but this was unsuccessful and new parts will be needed.
Llangollen Railcars' Annual General Meeting took place this weekend at the Midland Railway - Butterley.
Members were able to see the progress on the Gloucester Project before taking a tour of the site and travelling on the vintage train. Trustees John Joyce and Graham Parkin were elected for a further turn of office during the meeting.
The floor in Gloucester trailer 56097 is now complete except for one vestibule, and agreement has been worked as to how the additional wiring needed in the roof for the PA system will be run.
Gutter repairs on Power car 51118 are now complete on one side and the floor covering has been removed in the centre saloon so that the repairs can be completed on the driver's side where the floor meets the new framework. Work has started on removing the sliding lights and quarter lights so that they can have more modern laminated glass fitted.
At Llangollen the 127/108 set has gone into the workshop. The missing lining on the front of Class 108 56223 has been put back and work has started on body repairs at the front of Class 127 51618. Corrosion is evident over the front cab windows and this is being cut out and replaced.
A plan has now been agreed to progress the interior work of Cravens 56456 and it is hoped that this will restart imminently.
Preparations are now in full swing for the Gala Event on June 10-12, with the railbus due to arrive with us three days before the event. The Saturday evening event will take place at Glyndyfrdwy and the same station will open on the Friday evening for the photographic special.