| Work on 'minor' parts commenced in 2005 starting with a number of pressure gauges which were cleaned, calibrated & repainted prior to refitting.
Progress has also been made in the fabrication of a new set of marker discs after borrowing a set of original drawings from those kind SRPS Diesel Group chaps at Bo'ness. The bodywork overhaul commenced at Rothley in February 2006 and it is anticipated this will take until late summer to complete. Not shown on the photos is the replacement of the drainage channels in the engine room and some of the electrical trunking which was also badly corroded. Along with the bodysides and cabs, the no.2 cab floor is to be replaced and several other "special" parts will be going back on the loco - check back at a later date to find out which ones! Several droplight doors have been acquired for replacing the panelled ones on at the moment. These will enable 26010 to look as it did when it was built. Thanks to Ken Joy & Anthony Philp for help tracking these down. By mid-April all the rotten parts of the bodysides had been replaced and work had commenced on replacing the cab fronts & sides. Around 150 bolts have been replaced on the all the roof sections, about 60 of which required re-drilling & tapping. The new engine room door has been fabricated & fitted, next up for fabrication is the new pair of radiator grilles. During the third week in May one of the "special" parts was reinstated on 26010 - for the first time since removal in the early 1970s a set of nose-end gangway doors was fitted to no.1 end. It is quite possible that this is the first time such a task has been undertaken in preservation, certainly on a class 26. Apertures are all ready in the doors for fitment of marker lamps & discs, all of which are already fabricated to original drawings. By mid-June work had started on no.2 end whilst materials were still awaiting delivery to complete no.1 end, most notably the new brass headlamp parts. A further droplight door and spare panelled door was collected from Northampton & Lamport Railway and delivered to Rothley. Bufferbeam hoses have been refurbished and spare (brand new) turbo parts have been acquired - see the parts page. New vac hoses have been acquired, thanks to West Coast Railway Co. at Carnforth for the assistance and the re-banding of them. By mid-July the work on no.2 end was well underway with the majority of the framework in place. The brass parts for the headlamps have arrived and a number have been assembled (and look great!). Once all the no.2 end framework is on attention will turn back to no.1 end completion, with all panelling and lamps, discs etc being refitted. Towards the end of July the framework at no.2 end has been completed and work restarted at no.1 end. This involved the welding in place of a vertical strut in the centre of the nose end gangway to allow the doors to lock. Three of the marker lamps have been riveted into place and the drivers & secondman's sides front panelling has been installed. On these panels the refurbished tail lamps have been welded back in place together with the lamp brackets at the sides, these parts being the only original parts on the lower half of the cab to have been refitted! Next up comes the fitting of no.2 end to the same point followed by filling, sanding, full rub down, repainting and fitting of the train reporting discs. No.1 end had all but received a coat of red oxide by the second week in August, the new look frontage standing out proudly even in this colour! The cab side windows have both been fully sealed & replaced. At no.2 end work continues on preparing the cab, although the gangway doors have been installed and just the cab front panels were required to be fitted. Work also continues on preparing the handrail recesses with brand new handrails to be fitted once the loco has been painted. It had been intended to re-chrome the originals but this would have been at a prohibitive cost so a decision has been made to use new polished stainless steel handrails instead, giving a very similar look. Whilst all this work takes place at Rothley further small items have been removed from the locomotive for refurbishment elsewhere. The last week in September saw the locomotive looking almost ready for undercoat. The whole loco had been red oxided, filled and machine sanded smooth, and it meant it was just the hard task of hand sanding smooth that was left - a difficult job. After it is all smoothed off it will have the remaining aluminium moulding fitted around the cab windows and will receive its undercoat. To all intents & purposes it looks like a class 26 once again. Once the undercoat had been applied in the first week or so of October it was down to the business of glossing the loco. The main paint used is Deep Bronze Green, as originally carried. This is topped off with a light grey roof, off-white cab surrounds and a small yellow warning panel. As of the 16th October 26010 looked very much the part as D5310, lacking only the final off-white banding that runs all the way round the loco and the discs on the front ends. The following day the discs were attached at number one end and it was quite apparent we were drawing to a close with the bodywork restoration. By the last week in October the aluminium moulding had been riveted in place, surrounding the windows and doors on both cabs. After some painful research by John Robinson the original moulding profile was tracked down - comparing this with a "similar" moulding showed subtle differences and the loco looks far better with the correct type in place. On 27th October number 1 end bogie was glossed black, after the previous day's preparation. With a bit of luck both the underfame & other bogie will receive the same attention next week. The following week, the first week of November, the bogie at number 2 end was cleaned off and repainted, with both battery boxes receiving attention and the underslung air receivers and pipework. A full bodywork rub down was applied followed by a second coat of gloss all round, plus a third coat for the yellow panels to give a deep colour. By the middle of November the off-white banding had been completed and numbering applied together with British Railways lion & wheel crests to the bodysides. The bufferbeams had also received attention as well as the fire boxes and the warning panels had their multi-working blue stars applied. Final lining out & varnishing was complete by the third week in November so attention turned to the completion of other small jobs, such as the finishing touches to the small cast signs that run along the underframe length, cleaning and painting inside & outside both battery boxes, lining the axle boxes, bufferbeam & fittings and inside both nose end gangways. Windows to be fitted the final Monday (27th) in November, ready for the move north to Bo'ness which will take place this week (29-30th November). All work is being carried out by John Robinson with the Great Central Railway receiving a percentage of costs for use of facilities. Thanks to John for the use of a selection of photos during restoration. Please note that the shed at Rothley is not open to the public. |
Finally inside a shed - possibly for the first time in preservation. |
First restoration tasks have commenced by replacing the lower 6 inches from the bodysides where water collects and forms rust. As can be seen by this photograph the cabs certainly require the same treatment. |
A full view of the loco as it undergoes much needed attention |
Driver's side, no.1 end, with the radiator grille removed - both grilles are to be replaced with brand new stainless steel ones |
An overall view of the work taking place, just one week into the restoration |
One of the engine room doors - this one will be replaced with a brand new one due to severe corrosion |
Along the lower edge some of the new steelwork welded in place... |
...and patches still requiring new steel |
The whole length of the bodysides, both sides, will receive this attention to ensure a rust-free future for years to come |
Above the engine room door further cutting & patching has taken place at the cantrail. Here the bodyside had been pushed out almost an inch by the rust behind it! |
Moved onto the centre road to allow a carriage to receive attention over the pit, 26010's restoration continues in the Rothley shed. |
Leaning up against the nose end is the new steel for the replacement engine room door. |
Meanwhile the other (no.2) end basks in the sunshine. |
Now quite visible with a coat of primer, the new sections of steel along the upper and lower bodyside. |
Cutting out rotten steel from one of the engine room doors. |
Another view of the loco in the centre road. |
Now at Rothley awaiting refurbishment and fitting, 4 droplight doors recently acquired. |
One of the two brand new fire protection pull handle boxes. |
With the engine room door open a view of the 6LDA engine inside 26010. |
The brand new engine room door resplendent in primer. |
Looking along the roof towards no.2 end. Around 150 bolts were replaced on the roof, with around 60 requiring drilling out & re-tapping! |
Looking towards no.1 end, one of the new cab side sheets on view. |
A good part of the Northamptonshire countryside gathered in the horn compartment at no.2 end. |
Along the roof from no.2 end. |
Opposite side to the one with the new engine room door, this one not being quite so bad and only requiring the bottom half replacing. |
Expert coachbuilder John Robinson continues welding the new framework on no.1 end... |
...and takes a rest to reflect on what lies ahead! |
The centre panel removed gives a view of the fixtures & fittings located behind. Note the small gauge framing used here. |
No.1 end drivers side gets new framework, a lot more substantial than previous. |
No.1 end secondman's side showing rotten framework & cable trunking |
Another view of the severely corroded sections |
New framework installed, the new corner pillar easily seen to the left of the image |
New cable trunking to replace the rotten one and new sections of framework welded in place |
Old cab door locks looking rather forlorn - hopefully to be repaired or replaced. |
Nose end gangway doors - possibly the first time a class 26 has had these reinstated. |
One of the cab doors recently acquired - stripped back to the frame and receiving attention. |
Taken on top of the roof, the completed radiator fan resplendent in a new coat of paint, the brand new meshing looking much better than the old, buckled one and the spinner running true & free. |
Into the engine room - the small fibreglass roof panel has been removed for cleaning & repainting allowing access to the engine room from above. The edges of the frame have been cleaned & repainted and are to receive new rubber inserts to ensure a watertight seal once the roof section is replaced. |
No.2 end secondman's side with panels removed |
Part of the rotten corner pillar |
The framing is to be replaced in the same way as no.1 end |
No.1 end gangway doors in the open position... |
...and in the closed position |
One of the brand new stainless radiator grilles... |
...and the other radiator grille |
No.1 end secondman's side droplight cab door now fitted |
No.1 end tail light now refitted ready for new panelling |
Lamp irons and rails in undercoat and a first glimpse of warning yellow |
No.1 end showing the new side panel and gangway doors |
No.2 end with a seriously corroded floor |
Close up of the corrosion with new trunking in place |
The rust at this end was particularly bad. The new trunking end visible here. |
A whole new floor section was required to be welded in place... |
...along with a new section of step... |
...so that it's now safe to tread in this cab again! |
New framework at no.2 end, secondman's side |
New framework at no.2 end, secondman's side |
Brand spanking new lamp cases, half of the new total. Everything on these, apart from the bullseyes and conduit boxes, has been constructed entirely from scratch to the original design... |
...and a bit of flash to test the bullseyes! |
No.1 end secondman's side now complete, minus handrails, new ones yet to be fitted, and window replacement |
Inside no.1 end looking towards the driver's door. |
JR welds more of the new framework in place at No.2 end driver's side |
JR welds more of the new framework in place at No.2 end driver's side |
Another view of the completed framework and floor at no.2 end, secondman's side ... spot the copper pipework that needs replacing! |
One of the new marker lights in place |
With doors open the loco looks similar to how it would have done when the original gangway doors were fitted. The pipework and receiver inside are to be left in-situ for the time being. The centre vertical strut will allow the doors to lock from the inside. |
How the front end should look. The first photo of a completed no.1 end. Just requiring a small amount of filling, sanding, discs to be fitted and repainted. |
Another shot of no.1 end. Great to see 26010 coming back together and hard to imagine that the whole lower half of this end is brand new. |
A simple gangway door locking mechanism has been designed, the two metal "flaps" hang from bolts.. |
...and will bolt to the other door, keeping both firmly shut |
The mechanism bolts behind this removal pillar |
No.2 end coming along nicely with gangway doors already installed |
A bit of sunshine to see no.2 end new doors, framework & cab side sheet ... |
... and with doors closed |
The main reason for the replacement of the marker light boxes. This would have had to be done whatever livery the loco is to go back in as there's almost as many holes as metal! |
One of the replacements in no.2 nose doors. The holes above and below are for housing the disc catch mechanisms. |
John Robinson gets to work on the no.2 end cab handrail recesses. |
No.1 end resplendent in a coat of red oxide. |
As droplight doors have been added, new striker plates have had to be manufactured for the cab door latches, seen here welded into position |
No.2 end driver side with new steel welded in place of the virtually non-existent roof sections... |
...and the same end but this time the secondman's side. Note that the sliding windows have been replaced rather than opting to refit the original type droplight windows. |
New sections of steel on the outside. |
No.2 end almost complete. |
No.1 end cab and the bodysides being filled ready for the repaint |
Primed and filled no.1 end |
New horn grilles have been made for both ends |
No.1 end looking like it's ready for undercoat |
The bodysides have received the same treatment |
The droplight cab doors have also been patched, primed & smoothed down, locks have been refitted and they now operate perfectly |
A view of no.1 end from above |
The holes for the second set of sandboxes have been re-tapped ready for the 'boxes to be fitted |
Originally D5310 had 2 sets of sandboxes fitted but in the 1970s a set was removed from the trailing end of the bogies. A set has been acquired for refitting as the holes in the bogies are still there. |
The first shot of 26010 as D5310, taken by John Robinson on 16th October 2006 |
Number 1 end gleaming |
Brand new vacuum dummy hangers have been fabricated for both ends to the original design |
A shot of the side, and one of the new radiator grilles shows off the deep bronze green |
A fully fitted and working disc & catch assembly |
Number 1 end with fully working discs in the closed position ... |
... and in the open position. Photo taken by John Robinson 17th October 2006 |
No.1 bogie glossed black, 27th October. |
Drivers side of No.1 bogie. Bufferbeams are still in red oxide. |
Having been rubbed down no.1 end awaits masking prior to the final gloss finish. |
The underslung air reservoirs, pipework & battery boxes have been rubbed down and, in places, primed. |
JR effects a weld repair to a battery box handle |
With the main shed doors opened for the first time in several weeks (at just the right time of day!) D5310 basks in the sunshine, awaiting masking after rubbing down |
JR masks up no.2 end in preparation for the final glossing |
No.2 end bogie part way through painting. |
With most of the bogie painted a good idea of the soon-to-be finished product can be appreciated |
Almost finished painting no.2 bogie |
No,2 end rubbed down, masked and awaiting painting |
D5310 had a visitor today at Rothley in the form of 37255 with the p-way train, providing a bit of a photo opportunity whilst the shed doors were open |
One of the two Fire-Pull handles complete with original labelling. Note that the box is green and handle white, as originally carried. Just requiring glass and cover frame installing. |
For the first time in around 40 years a British Railways crest on the side. |
No explanation required! |
The off-white banding can easily be seen running right down the length of the bodyside. The cab front grab handles having also been replaced. |
Viewed from above, only the bufferbeam, buffers and fittings now requiring attention, plus varnishing on the whole loco. |
Almost finished, the last six photos all taken by John Robinson on 14th November 2006. |
New guard irons |
JR applies the finishing touches to the bodyside cast signs... |
...and inside the nose ends |
