The ‘Baby Deltic' project has issued its latest update on a new-build Baby Deltic, English Electric Type 2, Class 23 locomotive.
Last week, the fuel tank was installed, although it may have to come off again at some point – for now it can be considered complete.
The loco is seen below on the turntable at Barrow Hill ready to be shunted outside to position the tank.
To ease its movement around the site, the tank was mounted on a PW trolley and pushed outside.
Once removed from the PW trolley the tank was moved out of the way so that the loco could be shunted outside. The outer end loco bracket, the far end of the tank in this photo, was swung out of the way to allow the tank to be lifted into position vertically. The inner end, hanger brackets, and outer end were then bolted up. In all the whole process took less than an hour.
The final part of the installation will be to fit the two lower rolled edges, which were left off to make installation easier and to reduce the chance of damaging them with the fork lift. This photo makes an interesting comparison with the earlier one from the same position.
The Baby Deltic Project was formed in 2001, and owns the sole-remaining Napier Deltic type T9-29 engine and generator set. This power unit was bought from the National Railway Museum in 2001; refurbishment started in 2007, culminating in a successful engine start in October 2008.
The project then bought a loco and installed the power unit in it, which allowed it greater freedom and considerably eased the process of running-in and testing the power unit. This running-in and testing was completed in 2010. In September 2010, the project announced its intention to create a replica of a Baby Deltic using the test-bed loco as the starting point.
You can find out more on the project over on their website here https://www.babydeltic.co.uk/
I was a second man based at hitchin from 1965 and drove these many times
It will be wonderful to hear the revving-up of these locos – watched them in the late 1950s in various parts of Hertfordshire, photos available to prove it! At Stevenage, Knebworth and Langley Junction of course.