The Heavy Tractor Group and the 37108 Group are pleased to announce they are joining forces to continue the restoration of 37108 at its new base at the GCR(N) at Ruddington.
The 2 Groups have worked closely together over the years and this collaboration is the next step in the extensive restoration of 108 which has been underway at the Crewe Heritage Centre.
The work on 37108 is already ongoing,with many of its major components already overhauled and stored ready for re-fitting when internal work and painting is completed.
The restoration will leave no stone unturned and with the work completed to a high standard will eventually see 37108 join D6700 and 37714 along with 37009 as regular performers at the Great Central Railway. The work is expected to commence after a few months of arrival, once the Groups base is established.
Although the 2 Groups are working together, both will retain their separate identities, details of the restoration as it progresses will be updated on the HTG Facebook page and the website.
There is no deadline to complete the work , with the priority focused on a quality restoration.
37108 has received a repaint into BR Green livery ahead of its display at the Key Publishing Show at the NEC this weekend at Modelworld Live.
The 37108 Group and the HTG would like to thank Accruascale, Key Publishing , Reid Freight Services , West Mids Police and Staffs Police with their help in the move of 37108.
37042 Update
More details in the photos but progress on 042 seems to have been bit of a blur since the last update. It's difficult to remember where this page was at & I'm keen to share progress & not get all muddled up.
Since the last update where we were barring it over in EO with the oil pump running we or rather the 042 team at EVR were observing the rocker gear opening & shutting so all is good there. No issues.
We also fitted the test caps for the heat exchanger & pressurised it to 10psi for half an hour & it held so the welded repairs I made are good & no oil leaking either. Another step forward.
There's been quite a discussion in the background about the generator but my view has always been yes there have been past 'events' (shutting off from high power likely) but the loco was shut down & put onto a reserve fleet rather than withdrawn all those years ago but even so a decision was made to take all the brushes out of the main & auxiliary generator & I don't like using the word 'exam' but we've given it a good look over, no broken springs or fingers, scrubbed the comm, removed all the brushes, air lined it, 'meggarwashed' it & the 'meggerred' the brush boxes with a meggar tester checking the resistance & taken photos which I'll put in my records. Team EVR will put the brushes back in the main having already done the auxiliary on a 'wet day job'.
The seized start & stop buttons were removed to Joe's parts washer at work & are now refitted etc so we're inching forward.
Today 'team EVR' were on stripping the A side brake cylinders where 4 out of the 6 are in bits & the brake framework is all moving freely. This'll be cleaned up, lubricated & greased etc. I was on tightening up brush box connection after meggar texting. More details in the photos.
I ain't trying to fill the 1000 gallon or so diesel tank on 37042 out of drums from the back of my van so it was a bonus to find there's a header tank with 30 gallons capacity so the plan is to use this. We won't be running at mainline speeds or loads initially & this was the std 'get you home procedure'. Needs further investigation but we seem to be getting fuel out of the bleed so fingers crossed/further investigation this'll serve our immediate fuel requirements.
We started filling it with water last week & after locating & figuring out the multitude of valves sadly we found the water pump on the A side (I called this wrong during the week & called it the B side) which does the heat exchanger/intercoolers was vommiting water out the 'tell tale' to show the seal has gone so this is a set back.
This was late on Friday eve & the pump was in the back of my van on Sunday eve (I was busy Saturday & Sunday during the day).
There's been kind offers to rebuild it fully but we are hoping to run with it as is but with a new seal attended to.
The next big obstacle upon refitting the pump is whether the liner seals will hold water but with it being drained all these years I'm hopeful.
We also have a kind offer of experienced help should this be the case for a favourable rate should we need it. Thank-you A.
Sadly I can't for the life of me get the impeller off.
Keep up with 37042s progress at 26040 D5340 BRCW type 2 facebook page