45149 Restoration: 2006
 

A power handle has been refurbished for the No.2 end, the power controller has been stripped down and all bearings replaced with new ones. The switch gear was overhauled some 4 years ago and when space allows in our workshop van it will be reassembled. 2 arm assemblies from the power controller, one refurbished with new bearings and the plunger mechanism which was ceased has been freed up. We have decided, where applicable, any bare metal components from the power controller, which are bare steel to paint them as the protective plating has long ago expired.

We made the fatal mistake of reassembling No.1 end cab without paying proper attention to what was below the floor panels. When we lifted the checker plate in the foot well of the second man's side of the cab we found two control air pipes with holes in. After much needle gunning in the area we found all sorts of treasures that we didn't know we had. With the area fully descaled and the pipes thoroughly inspected we decided to spray the area with red oxide primer which will be followed by a coat of gloss, this exercise has caused a lot of dust (brake dust) to settle in the cab. Now this is all finished the outstanding task of fitting the seats and remaining heaters will be carried out. We did start the refurbishment of the drivers side cab door, when we stripped the insulation off unfortunately we found several cracks in the door and will possibly use a door from 45128's cab.

This picture shows where the main event has been since Christmas, the followers of the preserved diesels web site will no doubt have seen the pictures of the heat exchanger being fitted recently. In this picture you see all the reassembled pipe work on a dry run, we found a few alignment problems(some pipes are ex class 47) and some of the pipe work will need adjustment. We recently brought Mr Mike Phipps a specialist pipe fitter out of retirement to help us with a pipe that ran from the bottom of the oil filter into the back of the crank case. The original one was missing so we acquired one from a class 47, however, then we found that the flange into the crack case from the pipe was 180 degrees out and that section of pipe was too short, so with Mike on hand and some machining of the flange to accommodate the new bolts which were of a larger diameter than the original and a bit of chopping and changing a new pipe was ready.

Our aims for the next quarter, after a visit from Mr Dave Owen, a very knowledgeable ex-BR engineer from Canton depot in Cardiff, he has advised us that we need to inspect our main engine bearings but has ok'd our shell bearings for re-use. Before we do that we need to remove the liners and pistons from B Bank and if the main bearings are sound re-assembly will start straight away.

The turbo has been cleaned and vacuumed, the propeller spins freely so we decided it was unnecessary to dismantle the unit and a straight forward clean and paint job should be done.

Our two intercoolers were dismantled and the matrix inside removed with new gaskets made and the matrix meticulously overhauled and vacuum tested. One has been reassembled whilst the other one awaits the refitting of the matrix. We did find during dismantling one of the turbo's that a bolt with its spacer and locking tab had fallen off the matrix and would have probably ended up causing untold damage had we not had dismantled them and cleaned them. As with the gaskets on the rebuilt free end of the power unit all gaskets are home made.

Plate work below the radiator area has been removed (picture, right) and has been replaced with new metal work which we have just purchased. If you look closely enough you can make out the original 135 number in the rusty area and the outline of the 1960's lower body side white stripe.

The unique casting from the control air pipe work from No.1 end cab, the pipe leading to this casting had severely corroded and has been replaced with a flexi hose, however, the thread on the casting is the now defunct emeto thread. Our replacement pipe was fitted with a BSP coupling so the spiggot at the top of the casting is about to be machined away and replaced with an internal BSP thread.

During the turbo overhaul it was found necessary to remove the silencer elbow which we noticed was severely cracked and required welding to cure these cracks and the best way to do this was to remove it from the turbo.

The damaged concertina found on the silencer elbow is an inherited legacy from the when the power unit was removed from the loco prior to delivery to Toddington. The group is desperate to find a replacement and, so far, we have drawn a blank. The original manufacturer, we are told, is Gloster Saro. Searches on the internet have proved fruitless as the company no longer exists. We did purchase a similar item from a Class 47, however, dimensionally it is different and, therefore, we can't use it.

Work on No.2 cab is well under way. A few horror stories have appeared and this cab has been found to be in a poorer state than first thought. 80% of the cab floor has been removed and all air pipes and electrical conduit runs are being inspected and having the brake dust removed from them. Fortunately so far we have found the air pipes to be in good order, unlike No.1 end where at least pipes had to be replaced. Unlike No1 end rain is running behind the back head wall and causing severe corrosion in the steel work a the bottom, much of which will probably have to be replaced. Recent items overhauled include the fault lights whilst the power controller re-built will hopefully be completed at Christmas.

The power unit sees regular activity on two fronts, the generator/alternator has been receiving regular attention and recently the internals have been blown out with compressed air via a plastic tube. Steel was avoided in case it damaged any of the internal windings and rubber/plastic proved to be more flexible. To help remove carbon deposits the body was needle gunned to help shake the carbon loose which proved very successful and the external diameter was then painted as seen in the view above. The all important readings on the generator via a mega test were 250k and the beginning and after cleaning rising to 850k, still more work to do using special carbon removing agents which will be sprayed into the generator and then blown out again.

We have now removed 'B' bank pistons and liners,fortunately the only hiccups were B1 piston sticking during lifting and with our technical officer on hand a few technical hits with a hammer remedied the situation and then on B4 piston the thread stripped so the hole had to be opened out from half inch width worth to 5 eights width worth thread. Two liners had fret band damage due to bad fitting but all of the shell bearings are sound and two of the liners are considered reusable which will save us having to buy two more piston top rings. They now all sit in the container awaiting re-fitting.

Thanks to Stuart Seller (SRPS) for the tools to enable us to inspect the main bearings in the power unit which were mentioned earlier in the year. With these on hand we can proceed with this operation and then, hopefully, next year we begin the reassembly of the power unit.