D9016 / 55016 Gordon

Hours? Surely if they go they go? Do you think the power units in the DPS locos are in hours?

Sawdust.

 

Actually they are, and one in D9009, is over 9000 hours, and way over its rebuild limit.

Remember none of the units were rebuilt prior to preservation, and the only one done, in D9016, never had its liners re-chromed, due to the extortionate costs involved.

It is a ticking time bomb, as they run out of spares, and anything offered for sale has decent hours on it already.

That came from Martin Walker.

 

I don't think "if it goes, it goes" holds up for emergency equipment. All big industrial stuff is serviced on running hours basis, and "as new" the UK Turbostar fleets were serviced on an hours run basis (as we found some units were running 20 hours a day, and only 10 of those were with the unit moving!). TOCs were able to change these hours to miles given service diagrams are quite predictable.

If a DPS power unit expired, the net result is (besides a big repair bill) is a train stops. If the Super Pumper failed, the result was a building burned and people could die so its not unreasonable that someone (possibly manufacturer or supplier) saw fit to put a limit on running hours, at which point overhaul would be required. It's been a long time since I read the book about that system and it could actually be pump hours that eventually led to it being withdrawn. Needless to say the system operated faultlessly for 17 years and attended something like 2,200 fires. Newer, and smaller technology replaced the system.

 

Even if they could be rebuilt, I don't think you'd get much of a warranty on them given the age of components and the fact they're already way over hours for rebuild. And yes I do think you'd want a warranty given the likely cost and complexity of a Deltic rebuild!

 

According to Martin, they have enough triangles, phasing cases, etc... to continue, the limiting factor is pistons, they fail with catastrophic effect.

As no way is known to manufacture them, from memory the piston crown seperates from the main body.

 

There were a few (Volvo I think?) engines that I came across during my apprenticeship which had 2-part pistons to cope with the differential expansion rates of piston skirts and crowns. It was also supposed to lower the mass of the piston which is kinder to the engine. Probably not feasible on something like a Deltic engine which seem to be fragile (in rail use) and too rare to be trialling new things on.

 

IIRC The German built Ford V4 petrol engine that SAAB fitted in the 95/96 models had such pistons. Allowed the piston crown to expand.

 

Sorry to post this, but comment made by Martin on FB, regarding any news on Gordon and 55022

Short answer Ian is no there isn't, or certainly not any good news, stillwaiting for crane to get fixed at Grosmont and 16 will very soon be homeless again. Think it's time for me to say goodbye, just hope that there is someone prepared to pay more than the scrapman. It's not about money, it's about not having a proper base and the unreliabilty of people. It's become far too much for one man to handle it, pretty much all on his own.

Think it'd be the whole lot, 2 locos, warehouse full of parts alll as a package ideally, crikey there's about 25 grand in big end bearings and piston rings for starters!! One thing for sure is it may have to be sooner rather than later.

 

Thanks - in an albeit heavy-hearted way - for posting that, @guycarr360 .

Sooner or later, reality has to come into play and I think Martin's done so well to keep them going this far.

 

Will try and pick some of the other snippets up later on and post.

 

Thanks for that, will keep an eye out for it. I don't 'do' FB or Twitter so it's helpful (to me anyway) to have someone who can pass on news, good or bad.

 

You might not "do" FB or twitter but there is lots of public information on those sites which you can find without needing to login or needing other forum members to relay it on to you.

 

I take it that the problem of getting a satisfactory service life from pistons was never really solved. For more on this and other Deltic problems see 'The Napier Way' by B. R. Boyle, ISBN-1870519-57-4. Possibly available from The Napier Trust.

 

Its a closed FB group, open by invitation only, so its not in the public domain....

 

Oh. I've not been around for a few days and this is bad news. Let's hope The DPS can mount a rescue, I can't see anybody else being interested.
Now is not a time to 'crow' or feel smug about anything but can I refer members to posts #1 to #4 on this topic. I got told to calm down,

 

Although it is very easy and quick to join. I think it is 'private' only to filter out the 'my name is Yolanda and i look to meet a British man' type scams

 

I wonder if Mr Hosking would be interested in adding to the ECML veterans part of his fleet (60019, 60532) by saving the next generation of Front Line ECML motive power after steam? I can't think of anyone else with the kind of funds needed or the resources (Crewe works). It would be a good business plan if he established a Deltic maintenance/overhaul facility to keep these superb loco's in action in the future if others are really starting to struggle.

 

Another poster who is very keen to spend other people's money.

 

http://www.railmagazine.com/news/network/deltics-up-for-sale

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk