It’s been a long, protracted wait but D6948 (of which the Group are custodians) was finally lifted on 24th August after the arrival of the lifting eyelets that we have borrowed from our good friends up at Bo’ness. The lift was required to conduct a number of underframe repairs, including the replacement of an air pipe that had sprung a leak, and to refresh/clean areas of the bogies.
Work has started in earnest to remove the offending piece of pipe ready for a new piece to be constructed by a couple of members of the GWSR’s Steam Department and, with the bogies wheeled out from under the loco, the traction motor brush boxes have been removed for cleaning and brush replacement. The traction motors will also receive a clean out and inspection coupled with the replacement of the dampers and bellows.
