The Lappa Valley Railway has released an update on their diesel and steam locomotives.
Each year, steam locomotives need to have a boiler exam, in which the Lappa Valley are in the process of preparing the fleet.
During the winter, the railway has also undertaken some track replacement, which has seen 45 panels of track relaid.
Here are the stats collected for the steam locomotives in 2018:
RUBY: 70 steamings 1400 miles
ELLIE: 157 steamings 3140 miles
ZEBEDEE: 91 steamings 1820 miles
MUFFIN: 9 steamings 180 miles
Muffin
Muffin returned to service after a boiler overhaul last year and has had a few days to run her in since. Unfortunately, during the steam extravaganza, a look crank weight was found on the driving axle.
It was decided that the issue would be addressed in the Spring, with work beginning in February to repair the crank weight. Once the problem was identified, the crank weight was removed and the team then reassembled the locomotive. So far, the locomotive is all well and good.
Zebedee
Zebedee was a good locomotive in 2018 and there is nothing much else to report on in this update. It is expected that the locomotive will undergo a bottom end overhaul at the end of this season. was a strong performer for 2018 and there is very little to report on the locomotive since my last update. Whilst Zebedee is in the 2019 loco pool, she will primarily be spare locomotive to cover the odd gap here and there.
Ellie
Ellie performed well for the back end of 2018. The locomotive has then been drained and laid up for the winter. Other than a repaint of the back head of the boiler, Ellie has had little work done over the winter.
Ruby
Ruby has been busy hauling trains over the winter, following her return to steam following a massive effort to replace boiler tubes. At the time of writing, Ruby is busy working the passenger trains for the winter weekends.
Arthur
Arthur has performed well throughout the winter maintenance season, hauling works trains up and down the line.
City of Derby
A regular performer of the winter season, City of Derby has now been withdrawn from service for an overhaul. Work will include brand new bogies, a complete rewire, extensive structural strengthening and improvements as well as extensive bodywork repairs and a full repaint. The railway expects to see City of Derby return to service mid May – early June.
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