Restoration diary

I found another 10-12 conduit and pipe clamps that I need for in the generator room. I cleaned these up with wet and dry sandpaper and a wire cut brush, then white spirited them and painted them. Also put another coat of paint on the 40-odd clamps that I did last time I was on site.

I also re-secured 50029’s tarpaulin which was loose and flapping around a bit on one corner.

Dave Rolfe was on site as usual and continued with painting a second coat of paint onto the radiator grilles.  I took a few photos and noted how good they were looking; we will share these here soon.

Dave was on site all weekend working on cleaning and painting one of the bodyside radiator grilles.



Ian and Pete with some assistance from Dave continued working on the ex-50008 engine replacing some of the head covers.



Steve and Sarah assessed traction motor contactor arc-chutes so spares and paxolin to replace missing parts can be ordered.



The long process of verifying all the cables from the electrical cubicle to equipment in 50029 was started. Each cable was to be tested with a multi-meter to confirm continuity. The first cables checked were those from terminal bar TB6 with blower No1 cables testing out ok. Problems were then encountered as we checked Blower No2 but could get no reading and eventually realised this was because the cables and flexible conduit had been cut about an inch from the connection box.



As it is too difficult to pull any slack through we have decided to dismantle the conduits with a view to reinstalling via a shorter route up the front of the blower negating the need to replace the cables.

Tom prepared the cab vestibule at no 2 end for repainting and carried out repairs to ceiling trims. new cab light frames were cut and replacement lights fitted.  Chris unseized the bolts securing the rad fan ducting to the fan motor and freed off the rad fan securing nuts. Doesn't sound much but all are captive and rusted solid so needed considerable work to avoid shearing and drilling out later.

Tim & Dom continued buzzing the surface rust and grime off the brake rigging that had been selected by Chris and Dave for use on the bogie overhauls.  The pile of "to do" components is now virtually nothing and Dom got a very nice facial treatment out of it as well, after which he discovered the shower in the Peak Rail shed is stored unserviceable. Tim took to the bits of rigging Dom had done to clean the areas he couldn't reach, using a drill as opposed to the wire cup brush Dom had. Following this and an unexpected appearance by Chris Bodell the two of them dragged the cleaned-up rigging to join the rest of it in an undercover location.  There they sprayed the pieces with light oil in order to preserve them until we start reassembling the bogies.

I only attended on Sunday, and with the length of the committee meeting, I only had time to fit the last missing shaped copper bar I had made, which goes from the reverser to no.2 traction motor contactor.

We will be on site the weekend of 17-18 March to continue restoration work. Anyone in the area is welcome to drop by and say hello although we are planning to have a Committee meeting on Sunday which may take up a good few hours with much to discuss.

A good attendance this last weekend, others will contribute their own reports in due course. New volunteer James Andrews arrived on Saturday for his first working party and we were also blessed with the presence of Paul Sturm on an impromptu trip from the Netherlands. Dave Rolfe was the usual permanent fixture on site as Tim and I arrived at about midday on Saturday. Later on Sunday we were joined by Mark Burrows, Ian Kemp and Peter Carter.

Tim, Paul and I concentrated on the continued cleaning of brake rigging equipment where a large stash was extracted from storage:

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Although not in the "Chris Thorn" level of restoration skill the wire brushing of these took much elbow grease and many cups of tea and ready meals during the day. The gradual accumulation of brushed parts into a pile for Tim to hone with the smaller drill was quite satisfying:

Meanwhile Dave and James had removed one of the adjustable radiator louvres from 50030 with a view to getting the shutters to work again. The linkage was seized utterly solid and heavily rusted. However Paul brushed it up and when Ian arrived on Sunday their combined efforts made for an amazing transformation:

Elsewhere, Dave, obviously heartened by the success on one radiator grille, removed the other one for similar treatment (but did reinstall it before the end of the weekend).

All in all this was a very productive weekend and I look forward to the next working party.

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I have to confess to have been a lapsed 50 fan for 25-odd years, I last saw Renown in January 1986 on a Waterloo – Exeter service and Repulse in August 1985 on the lengthy Scots Streaker II Railtour. It had been too long. I have recently “come back” and joined RRRG, and in late February finally joined a working party. After a few dead-ends in the sprawling Peak Rail site, I eventually tracked down the locos and it was great to see them again after all these years, although sadly quiet for the time being.

Dave greeted me with the immortal words “Have I got a job for you!”, and, having shown me round and letting me linger for a bit around Thunderer’s 16CSVT, we set to work removing the bolts holding in the louvre grills at No 1 end of Repulse. It wasn’t clear if these had been removed at refurbishment or never at all, but they were a job! While we were working through these, Dom and Tim arrived along with Paul Sturm, fresh off the ferry from the Netherlands. They tackled cleaning up the brake rigging gear while we slowly but surely removed the bolts. In classic tradition, the last bolt followed form by thinking itself completely invincible, being not only firmly stuck but also seemingly utterly inaccessible. After lunch and a fortifying mug of tea though, we were on a roll and spitting defiance finally got it out, allowing the frame containing all of the (very jammed) louvres to be taken out and gently lowered to the ground. In no time, they were freed up and moving again, and the upper louvre re-aligned to match the others – cracking job! The very corroded arm which should open and close the louvres was also removed – it looked like to have been under the sea for years and I thought it was beyond hope, but Paul and Tim brought it back to life with a bit of grinding and a diet of engine oil.



I had to return home in the evening and so missed the beers and curry, but what a superb day – up close and more personal than I ever imagined to Renown and Repulse (they’re bigger than you think from ground level), and a feeling of complete satisfaction at having contributed something real (albeit miniscule) to getting them back up and running again. Looking forward to my return, and thanks to Dave, Tim, Dom and Paul for putting up with my general clumsiness and endless questions. And they never even sent me for a bag of steam or striped paint once…..Thanks guys!

James Andrews

Dave spent his usual weekend on site, this time removing pipework in no.1 end clean air compartment to allow it's cleaning & refurbishment. Ian & Pete are currently reassembling power unit valvegear & fitting cork gaskets between the various cylinder head covers. I fitted a missing copper strip between two of the rad fan contactors. I had had a suitable piece for some time, but needed to copy the mounting holes from another 50, so copied it from the same piece in Thunderer. I also hunted out & found a copper busbar I had retrieved some time ago from a scrap 31 to cut a piece from the reverser to no.2 motor contactor. I also found a suitable piece of Paxolin board from our stock to cut pieces for the rad fan electronic unit we are having made for us. As Ian and I missed the pre-Chrismtas curry due to the weather, after we finished at Rowsley, we went for one at the Maazi in Matlock, and very nice it was too, but yours truly had a coughing fit when some mint sauce went down the wrong way & frightened the waiters.

We will be having a work party on site at Rowsley South, Peak Rail, over the weekend of 25-26 February. There will be plenty to do for anyone wanting to come along even as just a "pair of hands". RRRG members will be on site from around 09:30 on Saturday morning and everyone is welcome to attend - member James Andrews has already confirmed he will attend his first work party on that weekend and we would love to welcome other members, whether this will be your first or fiftieth working party! Use the comments on this post if you would like to let us know you're coming along. Tim and I will both be there too.