Heritage News
THE CLASS 40 Preservation Society is to refocus its attentions on carrying out costly repairs to East Lancashire Railway-based 40135, which has been laid up for the past year following the discovery of a damaged crankshaft in the locomotive’s English Electric 16SVT power unit.
BR blue liveried 40135 underwent a routine inspection at the ELR in September 2020 when CFPS volunteer Stuart Hurst and engineering officer Lee Kenny discovered a significant crack in the locomotive’s crankshaft, which could have potentially caused catastrophic damage had it failed while the 40 was in service. Following the discovery, 40135 was withdrawn until repairs could be carried out.
The damaged crankshaft will have to be replaced and the CFPS is now preparing to have a spare crankshaft it owns examined to establish if it is suitable for re-use. Additionally, the CFPS is investigating other options that may provide a suitable crankshaft for use in 40135.
Whichever option is settled on, it is likely to be some time before the locomotive returns to use on the ELR, and the cost of repairs are likely to be significant.
The CFPS also owns 40106 Atlantic Conveyor, which is currently based at the Severn Valley Railway, while the society’s flagship locomotive, main line registered D345 (40145), is on hire to Locomotive Services Ltd (LSL). CFPS chairman John Stephens told Railways Illustrated that he was thankful the crankshaft hadn’t failed while 40135 was in use, but the cost and level of work required was a major setback for the society at a time when it has experienced significant expenditure on D345, which had new tyres fitted to its wheel sets last year. D345 has also undergone significant bodywork repairs prior to a recent repaint by LSL at its Crewe base. In late July work on repainting D345 into BR green livery with small yellow warning panels was reaching an advanced stage.
It is expected that the newly-repainted locomotive will make its debut in its new guise at the ELR’S autumn diesel gala on September 17/18.
At the end of July, LSL subsidiary tour company Intercity announced a new charter, ‘The Devonian Double’, which is due to feature both D345 and privately-owned D213 Andania, travelling between Preston and Plymouth on October 30, with the two Class 40s operating in multiple.
This is the first main line tour to feature two Class 40s since the type was withdrawn by BR in the 1980s. Such was the popularity of the tour that it was declared a sell-out within four hours of bookings going live. Many CFPS members were unable to obtain a seat on the October trip and in response LSL and the CFPS have arranged another charter featuring both Class 40s. It is scheduled to run on Saturday, November 13 from Crewe to Edinburgh and return.
Mr Stephens said that LSL is to be congratulated for its positive reaction and support for the two Class 40s presently in its care.
For more information on the CFPS and how to donate towards the 40135 Crankshaft Appeal, please visit the website www.cfps.co.uk