Llangollen Diesel Group

26010 on River Siding

Image by Mark Smales.

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).

Welcome to our new website, which has been kindly produced by Diesel Group member and IT whizz Gareth Evans. As many of you will already know from what has been reported elsewhere in the railway press, the Llangollen Diesel Group is in the process of going through some major changes to both our fleet and membership.

We hope you enjoy looking round our new site. Please note and bookmark the new address and come back to visit regularly. We have used new software which will allow the site to be updated much more regularly than in the past.

Best wishes

Tez Pickthall, Publicity Officer

Our recent press release explaining what’s going on is reproduced for you here, in full:

27th June 2009. LLANGOLLEN DIESEL GROUP FLEET CHANGES

Following the successful conclusion of discussions and negotiations with various parties, the Llangollen Diesel Group is now in a position to announce three significant changes to our fleet. These changes aim to leave the Group with a more manageable and fully operational fleet of three ex-BR mainline diesel locomotives.

25313

The extensive corrosion discovered on both cabs when they were stripped meant the original timescale for overhaul was no longer feasible. The Llangollen Railway require the provision of a Type 2 standby locomotive in a timescale far shorter than it would take the Group to complete cab replacement and the other parts of the extensive bodywork and mechanical overhaul with our current resources and facilities.

This has led to the Group stopping the overhaul and reluctantly offering the Sulzer Type 2 for sale. This was a difficult decision given 25313 was one of the first diesel locomotives at Llangollen and a most appropriate machine to be seen at work on a North Wales branchline.

We are pleased to announce we have sold the locomotive to a professional railwayman. The new owner will perform a full overhaul of the locomotive’s bodywork and complete the turbo and other mechanical repairs. The LDG is retaining the opportunity to buy the locomotive back at a later date, if the opportunity were to present itself.

We wish her new owner every success with his new purchase and the overhaul. Following completion of her overhaul, we are also hopeful that the locomotive will return to Llangollen for a future diesel event.

26010

To provide a replacement for 25313 and offer the Llangollen Railway an appropriate and reliable standby locomotive, the Group is delighted to announce the purchase BRCW Type 2 D5310 (26010) from Matt Stoddon. The locomotive received a high quality bodywork overhaul to original 1960’s condition in 2006 and is in full working order. The ability to provide a locomotive that can be put into traffic immediately is of vital importance to both the Group and Railway.

D5310 operated a farewell run at her current home of the SRPS at Bo’ness on Sunday 21^st June and should move to Llangollen some time in July.

Although the Class 26’s never worked in North Wales, D5310’s immaculate as-built appearance is highly appropriate for the image of the Llangollen Railway. With the rugged scenery of the Dee Valley closely resembling parts of Scotland, we are sure she will look most at home, be an asset to both the Group and Railway and also attract plenty of enthusiasts to sample her at work on the challenging climb of Berwyn Bank.

It is hoped to launch the locomotive into traffic at the Railway on Saturday 26^th September, although an earlier additional running day is subject to confirmation. Further details will be made available on the Group’s website in due course.

46010

As previously reported elsewhere, the Board of the Llangollen Railway PLC served the Group notice to remove the locomotive from the railway by 30^th June 2009. Following extensive discussions with the Board and within the Group, the locomotive will not be run again on the railway and will be leaving for pastures new.

Re-homing the locomotive was not something we would have chosen to do and has split the Group in half. However, putting personal feelings to one side, the Group has to move forward and offer the best future for the locomotive. To this end, we are pleased to announce that the ‘Peak’ will be leaving the Llangollen Railway sometime before the end of the summer. Her new home will be announced at the end of July.

Several long-established members of the Group will be leaving the LDG to form a dedicated new group that will provide care and support for the locomotive. Ownership will be transferred to this new group.

This decision has not been taken lightly and is not without a great deal of regret, as we see the departure of trusted friends who have invested a lot of time and effort in the fleet. The LDG hopes to retain close links with the new 46010 group and wish them every success with her new life.