The Northampton Type 2 Group has taken advantage of the post-New Year absence of services on the Great Central Railway to carry out essential maintenance on the railway’s diesel locomotives Class 25 No. D5185 and Class 27 No. 27056.

Formed in September 2009, the aim of the group is to keep both locomotives in serviceable condition, especially the Class 25, which has the distinction of being the oldest Class 25 in preservation.

Among the jobs carried out on D5185 was cutting out and removing rotten metal from the body. Especially the cab joining strips and gutters on the number 1 end.

A cupboard in the cab has been restored, including fitting a custom-made new door. A power unit is also being stripped down, for which some parts for its refurbishment have been obtained.

There is a continual need for funds towards the work, with the sale of appropriate merchandise, including mugs, pens, and stickers, being explored. To this end, samples of suitable items have been obtained, and the fundraising items will be offered for sale at a suitable time.

A long-overdue oil change on 27056 was carried out at the end of December. A sample of the waste oil was sent away for analysis to determine its contents, which would give a good indication of the engine’s bearing surfaces and other parts deep inside the engine.

A comparison with previous tests showed that although the oil was life expired, the overall condition of the engine was good. Four filters in the filter canister were also removed and cleaned out, and the sludge was examined, which revealed evidence of thick oil lumps, but there was a complete absence of metal.

Class 27 No. 27056 was one of the stars at last year’s Autumn Diesel Gala at the Great Central Railway