Both regular readers will have followed the trials and tribulations of the two parallel Hudswell Clarke restoration jobs at Apedale with something close to disinterest. You will therefore be pleased to hear that both jobs are now close to completion. The last major job on the diesel - D558 - was to rebuild the front coupling block which had suffered rather badly in the gentle care of the stone quarry where the loco operated. A new block has been fabricated and has now been trialled on the loco. All looks good, just need to source a couple of huge bolts, and then there's a few minor cosmetic jobs left (on the optimistic assumption that the radiator leak has cured).On the external combustion front, HC1238 has had a lot of tinkering and fiddling going on to resolve some teething issues, but there did seem to be some success today. This led to the loco being transferred to the Operational section of the Loco Availability board in a brief, but somehow tear-jerking, ceremony. All being well, the loco will now be used to operate the Santa Trains, which means the crew are hoping for a winter more like those in Ghana than those we sometimes see down t'Valley. As ever, get in touch here.
