Heritage Shunters Trust
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05/12/20 The interior of our Exhibition shed, at a very cold, down town Rowsley.
The loco impersonating a clothes horse, is none other than the 01, D2953, in an experiment to try to reduce the amount of condensation that collects on the loco, strangely, seemingly more on this than any other in our fleet??! something else that only seems to happen to the 01, is our resident Robin, has a preference to leaving his mark (poo), on this particular loco, something that has puzzled us for years??I'm sure that even with all these sheets on he will find a way through!! he would no doubt, be even more determined if it was just freshly painted.
This was its first start up in 18? months or more, and it was also doing a wonderful job of creating a smoke screen! The intelligent chargers are certainly doing the job of keeping the batteries topped up, and ready for use. Left ticking over it made over 60 psi of air, so would have been ready to go but that wasn't the object of the exercise, which was to ensure the engine has not seized being dormant for such a long period.
Next to start was D2284 after a little remedial work, as we had to replace the old positive battery clamp, that had decided to arc while starting, thereby also incurring a repair job to the positive, lead , battery post while drawing maximum amps, a job that Shaun is very adept at doing, and which will wait until we have finished checking all of the working locos, all fifteen of them. (It doesn't sound a lot, if you say it quickly!!) The next to start was Shaun's 02, D2854, which I didn't manage to get a shot of.
The final photo shows the smoke escaping after the roller shutter doors had been opened at each end of the building. The loco pictured in the doorway being 09001, part way through its repair, but halted of course, due to the pandemic.
Other checks carried out previously to this was not only, oil and coolant levels, but also a check to ensure the antifreeze content of the coolant, was adequate to ensure the coolant wouldn't "freeze up", even in sub zero temperatures. Oh well, only another 12 to go!!!
Just had to add this one as an afterthought, also taken 5/12/20; The unique 06, enveloped by the smokescreen laid down by the running 01. This is just as I remember seeing the 06s at Leith Central, a truly memorable location, now sadly obliterated from the landscape. The rows of DMUs ticking over here, were many or seemed so, and as I remember some of the roads they were stabled on, were raised, so as to ease inspection on the running gear, wheelsets and batteries, very Happy days!!
