Gareth Broughton (C56G Chief Technical Officer) and Edward Stevenson continued with preperations to get 56040 ready for the Battlefield Gala (15th /16th May). The loco started up first time and air built up ok and after clearing a couple of small faults the loco was able to take power. However one of the compressors had tripped out and subsequent investigation revealed signs of metal contamination in the compressor sump.
Edward Stevenson has kindly allowed us to use a spare compressor from his pool of spares and this is expected to be fitted on 13th May – the Thursday before the Gala. A two day working party will take place on the 13th & 14th May, with work on 56098/ 56086 also taking place. Hopefully the compressor can be replaced on the Thursday allowing 56040 to receive a wash and polish before the Gala.
We do seem to be fated to have problems just before Galas – but that seems to be the way it is in preservation!
If anyone is available to come down to Shackerstone on the Thursday or Friday to lend a hand please get in touch with Gareth at class56group@hotmail.com. Don’t worry if your only skill is brewing up, if you can wave a damp cloth around the many square metres of grid bodysides which need cleaning then you’ll be found a job. Of course if we get them running there’s always the opportunity to go on a test run!
Keith Bulmer
C56G Chairman
56040 at Crewe Depot in 1983. Photo by Tony Jones.
