D5310 is due to travel to the GCR one day next week. The timetable and loco roster for the event is now confirmed via the links below:

Passenger timetable Diesel Gala May 2013 – Saturday 18th May
Passenger timetable Diesel Gala May 2013 – Sunday 19th May

The 26 will be working the late turns on both days, including the evening working on Saturday, where we will double head with our green Type 2 Cousins Class 27 D5401 and Class 25 D7612. This should be fruity to say the least!

As many will remember, D5310′s superb bodywork overhaul was carried out by John Robinson at the GCR in 2005/6, but the locomotive did not work on the line as there was outstanding mechanical restoration to be done. This visit will set that right!

The locomotive clearly remains very popular with enthusiasts and is already well travelled, having visited the Wensleydale and Severn Valley Railways in 2011 and the Keighley & Worth Valley, East Lancs and WCRC open day at Carnforth before the LDG acquired her in 2009.

The Type 2 will return to North Wales in readiness for the summer gala season, where it is expected to take part in both the Classic Transport and 1960′s Weekends.

Although the Spring Diesel Day will unfortunately not now rescheduled, a 4 trip diagram will run with Class 26 D5310 next Saturday, 4th May. Class 37 6940 will then work a similar 4 trip diagram on June 15th.

The timetable is available here: http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/times.php?year=2013&month=May. Day rover tickets are available at £14.

We look forward to seeing some of our usual faithful next Saturday!

The Llangollen Railway unfortunately remains closed until further notice and until such a time as the weather improves.

We deeply regret having to take this very difficult decision at such short notice and are sorry to disappoint everyone. However the risks involved in trying to run the event and staff the railway in these difficult conditions cannot be justified.

We will discuss whether there is the possibility of rescheduling a two train running day for later in the Spring with the Railway’s Management and provide further updates in due course.

Once again, our sincere apologies for the inconvenience and disappointment. We too are all gutted and have had enough of Winter!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2644021

Whilst there are currently no plans to cancel the event, we will have to review how things go. As well as challenges with the locomotives and infrastructure caused by heavy snow, we may also suffer from staff availability, many of whom need to travel signficiant distances to crew locomotives and open signalboxes etc. We hope Saturday should be OK.

You are advised to phone the railway or check either the LR or this website tomorrow for further updates before travelling a long way to visit us.

It is worth reminding everyone that the trains will not be heated, so wrap up very warm please!

D5310 is on the 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00 trains from Llan, working back from Carrog at 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 16:45.

6940 is on the 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00 from Llan, working back from Carrog at 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00.

The timetable is also available to download here: Llangollen Railway Diesel Day 23rd March 2013 PUBLIC

We look forward to seeing the Dee Valley top men (and ladies) on Saturday!

The photo below shows a close up on the repair, complete with new white paint. As good as new, if not better thanks to modern welding equipment!

The locomotive was then started. The Arctic weather of the previous few days saw plenty of cold-start smoke until the power unit warmed through. A heater has been placed in the engine room this week to avoid any frost damage after refilling the coolant system earlier this month.

With a fitness to run exam complete, the locomotive then undertook a successful twilight test run to Glyndyfrdwy with D5310 as insurance, with some obligatory ”great, there’s an engine running, can you just move…” shunting to boot.

D5310 and 6940 are now therefore confirmed for the 23rd March Diesel Day. Well done to all those who have worked very hard to make this possible through another pretty challenging Winter.

Many thanks to Peter Edwards for the gen and photos and to all members of the Group who have pitched in to make this happen.

A final confirmation of the line being open to Carrog will be made in due course.

Next on the list was a power unit oil level check and top-up followed by a thorough examination of the electrical cubicle to ensure all relays and contactors were free to close. Finally both the main generator commutator and brushes were carefully examined. With all well, it was time to put the batteries in, run the oil pump and press engine start. The 1,750hp 12CSVT power unit started at the first attempt.

With air pressure built up, the refurbished bogie brake cylinders were checked for leaks. Whilst all was well with these, a leak was found in the air supply pipe from the compressors just under the A side No.1 end cab door. The corroded pipe has been removed for repair, a fairly minor issue which will be fixed well before the 23rd March running day. The loco took power successfully, indicating the electrical systems were all in order as we thought.

D5310 was also started and used for shunting 6940 down the ramp to Goods Junction, where we start the 37 to avoid cold-start smoke causing a nuisance to local residents.

Thanks are due to the healthy turn out of volunteers who turned up to get the job done and to Pete Edwards for organising the work and taking the photos.We are now seeing such  numbers that two members of the Group were able to tackle some overhanging branches and remove litter from the back of the diesel road, a rather unglamorous but long overdue job.

The timetable for the March 23rd Diesel Day will soon be available. Trains are still expected to run between Llangollen and Glyndyfrdwy only with D5310 and 6940 both now expected to be available. We look forward to seeing you there!