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56006 has been invited back to the Eat Lancs Diesel Gala and the Committee and Volunteers are currently working hard to ensure the tyre turning required can be completed in time for 56006 to hitch a ride on the Gala convoy which will operate a few days prior to the Gala.
More news as things develop but we are looking forward to visiting the ELR again.
As part of the preparations for the visit Danny Sladdin and Mick Palfreyman led a working day at UKRL Leicester to fit a fresh set of batteries to 56006. Shield Batteries Ltd had really pulled out all the stops to help us and turned a set of batteries round in les than a week. The fully charged set arrived at Leicester on Friday 16th June and were fitted on the Sunday 18th .
The engine governor on 56006 needed a little help starting the first time with the fuel rack being held open, but a second restart needed no intervention and the focus turned to other systems. A faulty parking brake release was traced to a faulty release button in No 1 cab. There was also no low tone on the warning horn at No 1 end and this was traced to the Electro- Pneumatic valve (EP valve) which had dried out and was sticking. This was stripped down and the seals coated with special purpose lubricant and the horn restored to full effectiveness.
56006 should have a Fitness to Run (FTR) examination in the coming week ahead of its transfer to Etches Park. After the tyre turning all 24 brake blocks will need changing and the associated brake cylinders will need adjusting. The blocks will need changing as the old blocks will have worn to match the diameter of the wheels as they are now. After turning the reduced wheel diameter would mean the current brake blocks would only make point contact which would not give the locomotive its full brake force and can cause problems with heating and gouging to the new wheel tread.