Nick Simpson, MPD Manager, gives us an update on the various shunters in use at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.

The railway runs on shunters, we have 5 in and around the railway that keep the job moving and the M.P.D. is the place where they get looked after by #TeamDiesel. We are currently having a spree on shunter work to ready them as best we can for the upcoming winter period, heavy civil engineering work is planned and the shunters need to be in the correct locations required by the end of the operating season.

This should see No. 08850 return to Pickering, the loco receiving the priority maintenance work due to P-Ways schedule to begin track work at the end of the running season.

Work has seen new brake blocks fitted and a braking system grease around. Cooling element swap due to found leakages, underframe and motor exam, engine timing and a new set of batteries fitted. Level checks will see this work done and the 08 returned to traffic.

No. 08495 is currently working at and around Pickering.

In the main works back at Grosmont M.P.D. D2207, which ran a hot axle box, meant we had to stop the loco to investigate, we lifted the loco using our onsite jacks and removed the axle and axle boxes. The axle’s journal was found to have picked up material from the crown leading to the overheating and a damaged Armstrong Oiler pad. Both the axle and the boxes will go away to a contractor for machining and fettling. Whilst the loco is laid up the team have performed engine checks. Part of this was a routine sump oil sample which found excessive fuel dilution in the lubricant, to rectify this we have changed the oil and sent the pumps away for overhaul. They found scored bores in both pumps which required attention and lead to the source of the leak. Once the shunter's axle is back with us the shunter will be lowered back down after rebuild and the engine commissioned for traffic return. New gear box seals have been sourced in the mean time as 2nd gear was having trouble engaging, these we have had made and this has cured the gear selecting issues.

No. 08556 is in the works requiring a bit more long term work including some body repairs. The exhaust silencer was life expired so a new one has been sourced. New paint has begun to be applied after the body work had been repaired and new material welded in, this includes the bodyside engine room doors. The engine requires work which will see the heads, pistons and liners removed for a top-end engine rebuild; then the timing, fuel pumps and injectors can be sorted. In my time on the railway, from apprentice to now, this is the only shunter that hasn't received this work, so it has done well.

Shed pet No. 12139, except for routine work, performs its duties well almost daily.

Nick Simpson, MPD Manager.

Read the Previous Entry and as ever, if you are looking to join #TeamShed and help them in their work, please consider submitting a Volunteer Expression of Interest to start your volunteer journey at the NYMR.