Background to the overhaul of 45133
45133 was withdrawn from traffic on 7th November 2017 for a comprehensive overhaul, with stripping of components commencing on 3rd December 2017. Attention is being given to the engine, generator, electrical machines, bogies and bodywork.
The overhaul is being completed through a combination of work contracted out to Pioneer Diesels Ltd (PDL) and our own volunteer labour.
Work throughout 2018 concentrated on the refurbishment of the No.2 nose end and several electrical machines. The traction motor blower and compressor from this end, along with the triple pump and vacuum exhauster from the engine room, were sent away to Bowers Electricals in Heanor for overhaul. With the overhauled traction motor blower and compressor reinstalled in the No.2 end nose, the nose front was refitted on 10th October 2018.
With the nose end nearing completion, work on the engine overhaul commenced and continued throughout 2019. Following removal of the exhaust pipework all 12 cylinder heads were removed and have been overhauled.
In September 2019, the Pioneer Diesel Ltd lads lifted out the 6 pistons from 'B bank' on the engine. They were all placed in a stand to enable them to be inspected and overhauled. The 6 cylinder liners were then removed for inspection. These were all found to be in good condition, so after cleaning up and honing, were all refitted on 1st November. The same work was then carried out on the 'A bank'.
Bodywork continued, with the repainted No.2 end cab and nose front given an application of Clear Coat and then polished to give a great shine.
Refurbishment of the No.1 end nose started in late 2019, with all equipment removed and the traction motor blower motor sent to Bowers Electricals Ltd for overhaul. The cab side panels were also cut way to remove corrosion and enable new metalwork to be welded in. Work continued on No.1 end throughout 2020, but progress was slowed by the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
Reassembly of the refurbished No.1 end nose took one step closer to completion, with bolting on of the nose crown on 27/11/20. New engine bearings were delivered on 07/12/20, which enabled the first overhauled piston to be refitted on 10/12/20. The No.1 end cab desk refurbishment was also nearly complete. Bodyside grilles were removed for shot blasting and repair and to enable an assessment of the amount of body panelling repairs required.
January and February 2021 saw the reassembly of the engine completed, along with reinstallation of the heat exchanger etc. In April 2021 the turbo charger and main generator were disconnected and lifted out, with the generator going to Bowers Electricals for attention and the turbo charger overhauled on site.
In Spring 2021 work started on bodyside repairs, with large areas of corroded panelling removed and new steel welded in. After much preparation of the new panelling, by September 2021 final top coats of BR blue paint were being applied.
During November and December 2021, work included refurbishment of the radiator area, with all elements removed for testing and the vacated space stripped for repainting, refitting of refurbished electrical components (such as the load regulator and resistance frame) and refitting of the repaired and repainted engine room grilles. Repainting was also ongoing in the engine room ready for reinstallation of the main generator in the New Year and a start had been made on stripping the ETH cubicle for overhaul.
Thursday 27th January 2022 saw the overhaul of 45133 take a big step forward with the return of the main generator from Bowers Electricals Ltd and refitting into the loco. Once the generator was back in position, the overhauled turbocharger was also lifted back into place. Work then started in refitting all the pipework and electrical connections to these components.
April and May 2022 saw lots of activity on the overhaul. Rewiring and reassembly of the ETH cubicle made good progress and looked immaculate. The intercoolers were refitted to the engine and work was ongoing reconnecting all the associated pipework. Outside, the painstaking process of stripping all the old paint from the roof sections ready for repainting was nearly complete. Finally, the cab ceilings were receiving new insulation, lining and a repaint.
During July to October 2022 lots more progress was made on the ETH cubicle and the fitting of new cab roof insulation and lining. Meanwhile, reconnecting the multitude of pipework to the engine was ongoing.
During November and December 2022 a start was made on cleaning up the bogie side frames in preparation for repainting. Refurbishment of the electrical cubicle was nearing completion and work continued on the refitting of the exhaust system. January and February 2023 saw the first areas of black top coat paint applied to the bogies, as and when temperatures in the shed allowed.
During March 2023, painting of the bogie side frames and battery boxes continued, in addition to further internal painting around the electrical cubicle area. Lots of progress was also made with refitting the exhaust system and other pipework in the engine room. New main auxiliary supply cables between the ETH and main cubicle have been pulled in. These await termination onto the busbars. Due to the size of the cables, this will be done in warmer temperatures when the cable is a bit more pliable. New control cables between the two have also been installed and terminated. The battery charge resistor has been cleaned and repainted and refitted. New cables have also been pulled in between this and the main cubicle. Five auxiliary resistor frames have been removed for inspection and repair as necessary. Other components are being cleaned and the support rails will have another layer of glass tape applied. These resistor frames enable main generator field control and speed control for the compressors, triple pump and radiator fan.
April to July 2023 saw lots more work carried out on re-assembly of the engine anciliaries, such as exhaust and water pipe sections, followed by the lifting in of the air filter box that sits on top of the main generator. This was later followed by a trial fitting of the exhaust silencer, which needed to be done to work out where the metal feet underneath need to be welded. Other work included cleaning out of the header tanks, fitting of refurbished water sight glasses and more painting of the bogies and battery boxes in gloss black.
In October 2023, the auxiliary resistor frames which were removed from the body were progressing through overhaul, continuity testing of the electrical cubicle cables and switches. The warning lights fitted to the cab desks and the side of the electrical cubicle were examined and condemned. Replacement warning lights with traditional lamps are still available for now, albeit with a more readily available lamp type and were fitted instead. Repainting the bogie sides and battery boxes was completed and consideration given to fitting the silencer and ETH room roof sections. At the same time the radiator area roof will be removed for assessment. The silencer was trial fitted and the repaired feet found to line up perfectly, with the next job to refit the silencer roof section and silencer using a Telehandler. A newly fabricated top coolant pipe was fitted, with new hoses and clamps so the engine coolant pipes were then complete. The Pyrene fire extinguisher system activation cables were checked and lubricated.
By January 2024, work had been progressing well over the winter. The overhauled main generator and auxiliary resistor frames had been refitted. The brake selector switch on the electrical cubicle had been replaced with a brand new one after the original was found to be faulty. Works were ongoing to finish off various snagging jobs on the cubicle and power had been applied from the batteries to the cubicle main terminals. External wiring was being connected up to allow for sequence testing in the spring. Various small pipework jobs were also being finished off around the engine and body to prepare for filling with fluids. The pumps and injectors were being inspected and overhauled by the Stationary Power team on site at Swanwick prior to re-fitting to the engine.
Work carried out up to May 2024 focused on refitting the silencer roof section and silencer. Whilst lifting equipment was available, the opportunity was also taken to remove the radiator roof section. On 28th January, the silencer roof was lifted in first, followed by the silencer and then the radiator roof was removed. Electrical work has mainly been focused on testing and connecting the body control wiring back into the electrical cubicle. In addition, the carbon dioxide fire bottles, which provide extinguishant for the engine room, were dispatched to a specialist in January for inspection.
In June 2024 the bulk of the mechanical work moved onto the radiator area. Years of rust from the top of the radiator cowling and fuel tanks were removed and the area repainted. This is an area almost never seen, but still needing ongoing protection. On the electrical side, live sequence testing of the main electrical cubicle commenced. This involved connecting the battery supply to the cubicle and proving correct operation of relays and contactors using temporary test leads. The initial tests proved successful, with only a compressor selector switch requiring some alteration of connections. This work was ongoing and once completed, the remaining control wires and auxiliary machine cables can be re-connected.
Update July 2024: Stripping of the old paint from the radiator fan roof section was completed and the galvanised steel given a coat of primer. The roof section was then turned over and placed on a trolley in the diesel shed for the underside to be stripped of insulating material and weld repairs to be completed. Electrical testing is ongoing and the nose end air filter assemblies have been modified, fitted with new material and refitted to the loco.
In September 2024, the mechanical systems were almost complete and we were entering a check and testing stage. All flexible coolant pipes had been renewed with new clamps and the coolant system was ready to be refilled with water and then leak tested. Live sequence testing of the main electrical cubicle had progressed, auxiliary relays and contactors had been tested and the field divert system recommissioned. New batteries were to be ordered shortly to assist with testing and to be ready for when the engine can be re-started.
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Thank you all for your continued support.
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