Preservation Report - Summer 2011

This page will be updated regularly to inform about progress on current projects. If you like what you read, and feel that you can lend a hand, please contact us.

We are currently working hard to get our units ready for the Emudays on 17th and 18th September 2011. View the special website for further details, www.emudays.co.uk. Help is needed to clean and prepare our units. Vacancies exist at all skill levels, beginners especially welcome!

4Cor coach 11161 (owned by the Southern Electric Group) still needs work to get it respectable, albeit not in museum condition, please contact the Southern Electric Group (on our links page) to help.  

With the arrival of some nice weather recently, the opportunity was taken to restart the renovation of the front end of 68001. Commencing in mid 2005, firstly with the fitting of the whistle (seen above the driver's window) and removal of the two tone warning horns the next job consisted of preparation for painting. A common problem with this stock is the corrosion which manifests itself on the front end behind the lower steps and pipe ducket brackets. Many years of working trains to the docks at Folkestone and Dover; storage near to sea air, coupled with 90MPH driving rain when at speed, contributes to water getting between the front body panel and the back of the bolted on fittings. This then corrodes and forces out the two parts, also forming holes in the front end sheeting. We therefore undertook the removal of the front steps, pipe ducket plates and lamp irons in July of 2005. These were then restored with much needle gunning, welding and painting to original condition. A start was also made to repairing the bottom edge of the front end. Typically, the weather then decided to change for the worse and other tasks succeeded in pulling our attention away from this task which included work on 5759 and the then new arrivals 7105 and 68002. It was mainly due to work involved in getting 68002 working again, preparing the Cep for service and 09025's arrival in late 2005 which saw the renovation of 68001's front end being put on hold for some time. The day came though in March 2008 when we were presented with some more fine weather and it was decided to restart '001's long overdue front end. With all the previously completed work undertaken, it wasn't long before we were able to give the front end a coat of undercoat and its first green topcoat. With this completed, all the steps and other parts were then refitted. With some deterioration of and corrosion forming on the headstock this was also cleaned down and painted in early May. By June, the job was completed.

68002's repaint into NSE livery is progressing well with one side now completed. With other jobs currently in progress, it is hoped that work on this MLV will still continue, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

Much work has recently been carried out on 68008. Inside the unit, our priority has been focused on the renovation and rebuilding of the electrical equipment cupboard in the No.1 end cab. When this MLV arrived, much of the equipment in these cupboards had been removed, probably being used to keep the then remaining Cep units in service on the South Western division. A lot of the missing equipment has been acquired but due to the condition of the cupboard, a repaint was necessary before the missing parts could be replaced. A start on refitting the missing parts will be carried out shortly. Another important task which nears completion is the replacement of missing air components in the No.1 end cab in the form of the windscreen wiper motors and pipework and horn control valve and pipework. Once completed it is planned to carry out a full air test of the MLV in readiness for its maiden run on the EMU weekend on 20th/21st August. Repainting of the No.1 end cab and Guard's van areas is progressing well and this MLV is really starting to look more like it should do. The exterior of this MLV is also progressing well. Some more underframe trussing has been cleaned down and painted and steady progress in being made on the bodywork.

The CEP unrefurbishment still continues with the old Guard's van position taking shape. All seats, ceiling panels, batons and fixtures have now been removed from this area and internal partition repositioning has started. Planning is also underway with a view to restoring the nose end gangways to the original design. This will involve the removal of the heavy metal shroud and conversion to canvas bellows.

Work carried out on 5759 includes much underframe renovation work with our efforts turned to repainting the bogies.







There is plenty more going on at the EKR, so see you at Shepherdswell. See the EKR timetable for running days.

N.B. EPB membership does not give automatic entitlement to concessionary travel on any train on the East Kent Railway.