UPDATE OCTOBER 2024
Good progress is being made on the cooler group welding and fabrication works. The main seam welding is now fully complete on B side with all new repair sections and the lower sump fabrication in place. Remaining work on that side will now mainly consist of transplanting the various brakets from the removed metalwork onto the inner and lower faces of the new metal. Along with this, passages for the coolant feed pipes and drain pipes need to be made.


Above: The cooler group with B side sump fully boxed in.

Other efforts have been focussed on cleaning and preparing some of the surfaces in and around the auxiliary room in preparation for paint, before the air tanks and machines are ready to be reinstalled.


Above (L to R): Work in progress on the sump fabrication, and the auxiliary room cab end bulkhead in primer.

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2024
The last few weeks have seen a turning point in the works to restore 47401's cooler group. After months of dismantling and stripping back, we have now started to weld the first bits of new metal in. The lower segment of the troughs which sit underneath the radiators has been replaced with brand new fabricated sections. Much care and attention has been paid to the measurement and alignment of these new segments. B side is now nearing completion and attention will soon be turning to A side.

We are indebted to our friends at Donfabs and Consilla Ltd. of Shardlow and Twiggs of Matlock for their support in this project.


Above (L to R): The first repair section prepped and ready for positioning, and two of the new sections tacked in situ awaiting seam welds.


Above: The first two repair sections and new end panel fully seam welded.

2024 PROGRESS UPDATE

Things have been rather quiet on the website so far this year as our small group of volunteers have been busy carrying out some major work on 47401.


Above: 47401 with cooler group removed.

Hidden corrosion in the locomotive's radiator headers was found to be the cause of some severe coolant loss, so the decision was taken to pull the locomotive from service and get to work removing the headers for repair. This involved removing the cooler group/auxiliary room roof which itself will recieve attention as it has been suffering from corrosion around its drainage channels.


Above: Lift in progress.

The opportunity has also been taken to carry out preemptive overhauls of selected machines whilst the auxiliary room is so accessible. Alongside this, the many air recievers within the locomotive are due for inspection and maintenance. As many of the larger tanks are situated in the auxiliary room, the removal of the cooler group has also enabled this to take place at the same time.


Above (L to R): Auxiliary room from above with roof section removed, and the last air tank to be extracted.


Above (L to R): The offending radiator headers, and the stripped down cooler group.

We are now in a position where everything that needed to be removed from the locomotive has been, and the overhaul of the various components is beginning. Much work still lies ahead, but once complete this work will mean that '401 will be back stronger than before and ready for years to come. Watch this space for further updates.