D335 returns to ELR following repairs

 

Class 40 D335 has returned home to the East Lancashire Railway following repairs at Barrow Hill.

It arrived home on Sunday after work on the underside of the locomotive’s body and attention to both of its bogies costing nearly £30,000.

D335 at Ramsbottom (photo: Aaron Roberts' Railway Photography)

The Whistler will now receive a series of lighter repairs that can be carried out at the ELR, but the loco’s owners the Class Forty Preservation Society require both money and man-hours to complete this work and repairs on sister loco 40145.

The heavy maintenance work, carried out by Harry Needle Railroad Company, was described as “marvellous” by the CFPS.

It cost the society £29,318 but there is still a lot of work to be done on the locomotive, with a repair list of 45 items.

Attention on the financial front now turns to the “daunting task” of undertaking repairs to 40145 which sufferered a flashover while working a rail tour in September 2010.

CFPS members who can help out with the repair work on D335 are asked to email engineering@cfps.co.uk

 

Top 10 loco start-ups: No. 2 40145 cold start at Castlecroft

I never had the privilige to see a Class 40 in action in their BR days, and it’s videos like this that make it seem more the pity. Based at the East Lancashire Railway, from where the loco takes it name, 40145 is seen here starting up in cold conditions at Castlecroft. The starters fire for a full two minutes before the 2,000hp English Electric power unit bursts into life. Carry on watching and you’ll be rewarded with the sight of a flames shooting out of the top of the loco.

40145 is mainline registered but unfortunately has been out of service since September 2010 when it suffered a flashover while working a railtour near Grantham. The main generator is in need of expensive repair and the Class 40 Preservation Society is in need of donations to get the Type 4 back into working order and back on the mainline.

For more information about40145 and its classmate D335 see the CFPS website.