Llangollen Diesel Group

A big thank you to the folk who turned out to support D5310’s public debut yesterday. Her busy four trip schedule went well, the only minor gremlin being a few brief engine shutdowns. This has been traced to a grumpy enclosed contactor in the electrical cubicle, which does not seem to like the vibration caused by passing over one particular rail joint when travelling down Berwyn Bank! The relay will be removed for cleaning and checking in due course.

With all of her owners in preservation present, and several others who put a lot of work into her overhaul at Bo’ness, our new recruit proudly looked and sounded the part as she ran through the Autumnal colours of the Dee Valley hauling a 5 coach train, including the railway’s new GWR Observation Saloon. This lovely vehicle is available for private hire.

Here’s a couple of my photos of her at work during the day, first reversing the stock into Llangollen:

And running round in the wonderful Autumn sunshine at Carrog

And here’s some video footage  (watch your speaker volume for the tunnel horn-o-thon):

Best wishes

Tez Pickthall

D5310 made a successful test run from Llangollen to Carrog and back last night after services had finished, hauling a dead D1566 as weight and insurance.  The photo below shows her coupled to D1566 in the yard at Llangollen.

She made some lovely sounds as she made her way through a darkening Dee Valley, particularly through Berwyn tunnel. All systems go for Saturday!

Here’s a super little Youtube video to whet your appetite for the debut of Class 26 No D5310 at Llangollen on the 26th September. The video shows D5310 being put through her paces at the SRPS Diesel Gala on the August bank holiday weekend. It’s worth keeping watching right through to the end, which features some fruity 6LDA action as the old girl gives it some beans on load 6. Enjoy!

Many thanks to Gordon for capturing this important bit of history in D5310’s life in preservation.

There were some big smiles all round when D5310, our new resident Sulzer Type 2, arrived safely in a very sunny Llangollen yesterday just after 3pm. Thanks to Simon Searle and Richard Jones for the photos.

Squeezing her way off Mill Street onto the Dee bridge

Bringing the centre of Llangollen to a standstill!

Reversing up Abbey Road…..

Finally, she’s in the yard!

Gently lowered onto Llangollen Railway metals for the first time

Welcome to Wales old Girl!

She was started with no problems only a few minutes after this photo was taken and shortly afterwards moved under her own power for the first time on Welsh metals with driver Mark Smales in the chair.  She will perform a gauging and test run up the line at some point in the next couple of weeks then undergo a thorough wash and brush up in preparation for her all-important public debut on Saturday 26th September.

Phew! It’s been quite a week.

Tez Pickthall

25313 is now safely in Leeming Bar yard at the Wensleydale Railway:

Thanks to Jonathon Kirby at the Wensleydale Railway for the photo.

This afternoon, D5310 left Bo’ness on the same loader:

Thanks to David Dibben for the photo.

All being well, D5310 will arrive at Llangollen on Wednesday (8th September).

Shortly after 13:00 today 25313 left the Llangollen railway, her home for the last 21 years. The photo below shows her being secured on the low loader in the yard and then making her way along Mill Street, heading towards Ruabon.

Thanks to Keith Whitehead for the photos.

She arrived safely at Leeming Bar only 4.5 hours later for unloading. Good luck in your new life old girl, we hope to see you back one day in the not too near distant future.

The Group wishes her new owner every success with her overhaul and we’re sure her new custodians, the Wensleydale Diesel Traction Group, will also take good care of her.

The loader will now be heading to Bo’ness to collect D5310 and bring her South for her new life in North Wales.

37240 successfully worked her morning drivers experience trip on Saturday 5th September. The photo below shows her powering away from Goods Junction (thanks to Si Searle for this cracking shot):

Unfortunately, she then failed half way through her first public trip with low water and oil pressure. Our apologies to disappoint those that turned up to support us. The Group has put a lot of work into trying to get the loco back into traffic after numerous niggling faults, mostly resulting from a long period of inactivity. Although she has been tested light engine and run up twice during the week, a loaded test run had not been possible.

We’ve yet to find out if the reasons behind her low water and oil pressure are serious. The loco will not work another public train on the line until we are confident she can perform reliably.

Moving on to more positive news, D5310 should arrive at Llangollen next week, with 25313 leaving Llangollen on the 7th September. We’re all very much looking forward to the 26’s debut running day on the 26th of September.

Best wishes

Tez Pickthall, Publicity Officer

37240 was successfully started yesterday! 

Tractor clag over Llan – photo by Martin Perry

The fault was traced to a stuck engine shutdown switch in the loco’s header tank. This wasn’t helped by the gauge glass on the header tank being blocked and giving a false reading – of being full, even when the tank was empty. Our EE Type 3 favourite should now be available for her first working of the year on Saturday the 5th September.

We are pleased to announce the purchase of Class 26 No D5310 is now complete. Before the loco leaves her current home at Bo’ness and heads for North Wales in early September, she will star in the SRPS Diesel Gala at Bo’ness next weekend. For more information about this excellent, traction-packed event, see  http://www.srpsdiesel.com/ and look at the special events section.

Meanwhile, back at Llangollen, 37240 was unfortunately unable to work her scheduled driver experience train on Saturday 23rd August, with Class 47 D1566 deputising. This was very frustrating for us, as the loco was successfully run up to test her out the preceding weekend and all appeared OK. Her first timetabled working of 2009 remains frustratingly elusive. Initial investigations suggest an electrical fault and the Group’s volunteers are working hard to try and have her repaired for her next driver experience and public trains on Saturday the 5th September. Watch this space….

Tez Pickthall

We are pleased to announce the following running days in September, including an additional working:

On Saturday 5th September 37240 will make a long awaited return to service. After working a morning driver experience train (an excellent photo opportunity if there is good weather), our popular EE Type 3 will then work two public services, departing Llangollen at 13:25 and 15:25. We look forward to welcoming 37 fans along to celebrate seeing her back doing what she does best! This is likely to be her last public outing before some bodywork and a repaint. 

On Saturday 26th September, we expect our new fleet member, Class 26 No D5310 to make her operational debut, working four full return trips;  the 10.30, 12.00, 14.00 and 16.00 departures from Llangollen.

For more details see our RUNNING DATES page.