2019
47771 Eastleigh Update, Tuesday 15th October 2019
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Re: Sales Stand at Folkestone, Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th October 2019
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Folkestone, Saturday 5th & Sunday 6th October 2019
This weekend our sales team will be making their annual visit to the Folkestone Model Railway Club’s Model Railway Exhibition at The Leas Cliff Hall, The Leas, Folkestone, Kent CT20 2DZ. The venue is within comfortable walking distance from Folkestone Central station, and the doors are open from 10am till 5pm on both days.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Eastleigh Update, Tuesday 24th September 2019
This day’s activity comprised more of the same as we continued the work of the previous two visits. As before, progress was slow due to the cramped and uncomfortable conditions (nothing new there!), but we’re hopeful that one more session should see the remaining panels ready for lifting.
We also had a constructive conversation with one of our contacts at Arlington Fleet Services on the subject of the repairs to the heavy duty cables, and viewed some of the cable attachments that Arlington have obtained for use in those repairs.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Tuesday 3rd September 2019
This day’s visit saw us picking up where we left off last time. Although tedious and uncomfortable, our efforts resulted in some progress being made with the first of the panels being successfully removed. A preliminary inspection revealed cabling that has survived the theft and as far can be ascertained at this stage, appears to be in sound condition.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Friday 30th August 2019
The two volunteers who attended on this occasion spent most of the session inside 771, making a start to the mundane task of removing panelling in readiness for the installation of new heavy duty cabling. When completed, this will make good much of the damage sustained in the 2009 attack on the loco by metal thieves. The repairs themselves will be undertaken by Arlington staff.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Re: Sales Stand at Eridge, Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd August 2019
The sales team had an excellent two days’ trading at the Spa Valley Railway, raising further funds that will go towards 47771’s repairs.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Eridge, Friday 2nd & Saturday 3rd August 2019
The Spa Valley Railway’s Summer Diesel Gala is taking place this coming weekend of Friday 2nd, Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th August. Our sales team will be attending on Friday and Saturday (but not on Sunday) and will be in our usual location on the platform at Eridge.
Advertised visiting locos are ‘Warship’ D821 and Class 27 27001.
Further details are on the railway’s website at www.spavalleyrailway.co.uk
Sales Stand at Horsted Keynes, Saturday 27th July 2019
The Sales Stand returned to Horsted Keynes station on the Bluebell Railway for the second Toy & Rail Collectors’ Fair of the year. Once again the team were under the canopy on the island platform, which given the weather, was just as well. It rained up until lunch time when it eased off, then drizzled for a while in the afternoon. Fortunately there was no dampening of the public’s enthusiasm to buy, and the day ended with another satisfactory result.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Horsted Keynes, Saturday 27th July 2019
Our sales team will be attending the Bluebell Railway’s Toy & Rail Collectors’ Fair at Horsted Keynes station on Saturday 27th July. Open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on the station platforms and in the car park. Steam trains will be running all day.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Friday 28th June 2019
The team returned to the loco’s centre roof section, continuing from where we’d left off eight days previously. With that particular job finished for the time being, we made a start on the exterior of No.1 End cab roof.
On two occasions during the day we took a break from the work in hand to discuss other aspects of 771’s repair programme with Arlington Fleet Services staff. These included welding repairs on the centre roof section and the replacement of damaged or stolen heavy duty cables.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Monday 24th June 2019
A solo effort from a member of the Restoration Team saw some progress being made on preparing the interior of 771’s No.1 End cab roof for painting.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Thursday 20th June 2019
With the loco stabled at present in a bay platform, the team’s attention on this visit was directed towards the centre roof section on ‘A’ side. Although the major repairs to the roof section will require the expertise of Arlington Fleet Services, much of what needs doing elsewhere is being undertaken by our Restoration Team.
Full advantage was taken of the favourable weather to begin the task of removing the substantial amount of debris from the surface of the area between the roof hatches and grilles, and from the grilles themselves. By finishing time about half of the target area had been dealt with, which was very satisfying.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Ramsgate, Saturday 8th June 2019
The sales team attended Ramsgate Depot Open Day and, despite being located in the open and in some rather challenging weather conditions, had a highly successful day.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
(Facebook version of the above)
Despite the sales stand being located in the open at Ramsgate and in some rather challenging weather conditions, the team had a highly successful day.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Tuesday 21st May 2019
The focus of attention this time was 771’s No.2 End cab roof. The first job was to remove as much of the flaking paint as possible, most of which came off fairly easily. Clearing the gutter followed, which was rather a slow process. Some of the accumulated detritus had solidified and had to be chipped away with a narrow blade, but it all came out eventually.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Horsted Keynes, Saturday 11th May 2019
The sales team made their first visit of the year to the Bluebell Railway’s Toy & Rail Collectors’ Fair at Horsted Keynes station, where they enjoyed a successful day’s trading.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Friday 26th April 2019
After spending the last few work days in the confines of 771’s engine compartment, a change of scene from indoors to outdoors was welcome. Despite the intermittent showers, our two-man team’s attention was concentrated on cleaning the exterior of ‘A’ bodyside. With the warmer weather, the aim is to spend more time on the loco’s appearance while we have the opportunity.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Tuesday 9th April 2019
Another session for the regular duo was spent clearing up in the ‘B’ Side gangway of 771’s Engine Compartment, but with a difference this time as we reached the end of what had been a dirty and uncomfortable task.
With a little time remaining before going home, we took advantage of the fact that the area in front of the buffer beam at 771’s No.2 End was once again accessible. This enabled us to spend a while removing rusted plating and clearing debris from behind it, something we’d started as long ago as 31st July last year!
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Friday 29th March 2019
Following on from the previous visit, our two-man team continued working along the gangway on the ‘B’ Side of 771’s Engine Compartment, clearing accumulated debris and recovering a number of bolts, nuts, washers and other items.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Alexandra Palace, Saturday 23rd & Sunday 24th March 2019
The sales team attended The London Festival of Railway Modelling last weekend and enjoyed another extremely successful two days of trading. This event is the sales high spot of the year; it’s hard work but very rewarding in terms of the money raised towards 771’s repair programme.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
The visit to Eastleigh on 1st March was written straight into the email group.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Friday 1st March 2019
More of the same for this working party’s two members, as they continued their way along the interior of ‘B’ Side of 771’s engine compartment. A small amount of corrosion was uncovered in the lower part of the roof section, but this was expected. Few if any Class 47s that still have their original centre roof sections have not suffered from rust damage to at least some extent, requiring either repairs or replacement. 771’s roof is, as far as we are aware, completely original and shows no signs of having been previously repaired. It’s done well considering its age, but is now due for some attention.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Friday 15th February 2019
On our second of this year’s visits to Eastleigh our team of three resumed where the efforts of the previous working party had left off. With the benefit of an extra pair of hands we made faster progress than last time, passing beyond the midpoint of ‘B’ Side by the end of the day.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
47771 Eastleigh Update, Wednesday 6th February 2019
Our first working party of 2019 saw the two-man team commence work on the interior of 771’s Engine Compartment, starting on ‘B’ Side. The task involved the filthy job of removing the filters which are mounted in the lower roof section, to provide access to the insides of the grilles. A considerable amount of accumulated debris that had entered via the grilles was removed and the filters refitted. We’d done this before, the first time being a few years ago when 771 resided in Essex.
The area of bodyside below where we’d been working was then cleaned up. By the time the session ended we’d worked our way along about a quarter of the length of the Engine Compartment, so there’s a lot more yet to do.
Robert Ward
Class 47 Preservation Project.
Sales Stand at Longfield, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th January 2019
Sales Stand at Longfield, Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th January 2019
Under Construction