47401 PROJECT
Preservation News (2019)


CLASS 47 DATA FILE PART 9B - D1807-D1841
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The latest volume in our Class 47 Data File series is now available covering D1807-D1841 (47326-47355 & 47187-47191) and featuring the full history of each loco including livery details, modifications, allocations, withdrawal and disposal plus three photos of each locomotive.

With Part 9B we have introduced more colour photographic material, hence the increased price (also being a larger book than most most previous volumes. The end result is well worth the extra expenditure and probably our best volume yet!

We need to sell 160 copies of this to break even, so we can then crack on with Part 10 (D1842-D1861) without these books becoming drain on the 47401 Project's finances f they don't sell quickly enough. So if you are thinking of buying one please consider doing so as soon as possible!

Details of how to order Part 9B are on our sales page here.

Our previous Data File shop page using this site's shopping cart facility was a little cumbersome and not very user friendly to either buyer or seller, so we have now launched a new ordering page linked to Paypal's own shopping cart system with more flexible combined postage rules. Give it a try and let us know if there are any issues.


VOLUNTEER'S DIARY SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2019
To give an update on work carried out towards the end of the year, we present below extracts from our regular volunteer's Facebook updates as follows:-

22/09/19
After yet another long hard weekend 401's tidy up is almost complete. The platform side body has seen several coats of filler, undercoat and gloss to bring it back up to scratch, the nameplate has been painted and the letters polished plus various bits of pipework under the body have been picked out in their correct colours. Also done as a one off the bogie axle box covers are being done yellow and the wheels are having white tyres. These embellishments are only temporary and will revert to the correct black once the big day is over.

11/10/19
Today has seen the start of the renovation of number one end cab on 401.

19/10/19
With 401 being in use this weekend it was time to revisit 417's boiler room bulkhead and prime what was cleaned a couple of months ago.

16/11/19
Today we have started to tackle the jobs that have made themselves known to us during the running season. One of the bufferbeam air res pipes has had a slight leak and was the last of them requiring replacement with a new pipe, all the others having been done some years previously. As usual this didn't come out without a fight and sheared off leaving part off it stuck in the valve. Other work attended to was repairs to an air leak on number 2 bogie and more progress with number 1 cab refurb and some cleaning up on the power unit.

15/12/19
Work carried out over the last few weekends has seen the new main res pipe and valve painted and fitted with just the hose left to fit. Now we are under cover again work has now been focused on the roof sections with a start being made on what remains of the gutter. So far the old gutter has been removed and some of the rotten metal cut out. Finally a bit more old paint stripped in number one end cab.


47401 COMPLETES BEST EVER RUNNING SEASON!
The annual fireworks display at Butterley provided a final day's running for 401 this year, working the first two service trains of the day and then top and tailing the fireworks shuttles during the evening, ferrying people from Butterley to Swanwick then back again after the display.

We have run a total of 36 days in 2019, or approximately one day in every six between early April and 2nd November! A great achievement by all concerned, and far in excess of anything in the loco's preservation career prior to this year.


AUTUMN 2019 RUNNING DAYS

401 is expected to be running services at Midland Railway-Butterley on Sat/Sun October 19th & 20th (four trips each day), and then November 2nd (Fireworks Night  shuttles).

VICTORIAN TRAIN WEEKEND

401 will be running Sun/Mon August 25th/26th with the Mk1 rake (with the Victorian coaches steam hauled).

AUGUST RUNNING - UPDATE

401 completed its 24th, 25th and 26th running days of the year without incident on August 2nd/3rd/9th.

There is a change to the  previously advised booked workings this coming weekend. 401 will NOT now be running on Friday 16th but should still be running Sat/Sun 17th/18th complete with new set of brake blocks.


AUGUST 3rd EXTRA DAY!

401 completed four round trips on the 2nd, and out again tomorrow (3rd) vice steam.

AUGUST RUNNING

Possible/probable running days in August 2019 are Friday 2nd, Friday 9th, Friday 16th, Saturday 17th, Sunday 18th, Friday 23rd, Sunday 25th, Monday 26th and Friday 30th. These are subject to availaibility of loco and crew plus any changes of plan by MRB. We will try to confirm individual dates nearer the time on this site, you can also check MRB's website or Facebook page for service plans.

RUNNING DAYS 20th/21st/27th/28th July 2019
Another four days booked running have been completed in July, and in addition 401 donated its services to a local Ripley charity event on 10th July, making 23 running days for the year to date.

In between running days the cab refurb on 401 has been completed and 417's boiler room refurb/repaint continues. Lots of pictures now uploaded to the respective gallery pages! 401 is also due to be stopped for replacement brake blocks.


STOP PRESS! RUNNING DAY 22nd June 2019
As it says above, four round trips starting 11:00 from Butterley, which all being well will be our 18th running day of the year (having also played a supporting role in last week's Type 5 Fest which provided our 16th and 17th operating days).

RUNNING DAYS - 18th/19th May 2019
401 has been scrambled at short notice once again to work services this weekend, standard Timetable "A" applies, departs Butterley 11:00, 12:25, 14:00, 15:20.

In between running days, our top man with the paintbrush has been cracking on with the No. 2 end cab spruce up and some photos are on the Picture Gallery page. The other work done of late has been the removal, repair and re-fitting of a couple
of air pipes.

 
CHARTER DUTY - 4th May 2019
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66753 and 66719 worked "The Amber Valley Venturer", running as 1Z69 London Victoria - Butterley and 1Z70 return. 47401 was called upon to pilot the train from Codnor Park Junction to Swanwick Junction, and hauled roughly the equivalent of load 19 up the bank with minimal assistance. The train was also piloted back to Codnor Park Junction from Butterley by 47401.

RUNNING DAYS - 4th/5th/6th May 2019
Our b
usy start to the operating year continues this forthcoming bank holiday weekend, with more running days pencilled in. It is Vintage Train weekend at the MRB, featuring the Victorian era stock being steam hauled, and the usual Mark 1 stock diesel hauled.

RUNNING DAYS - 27th/28th April 2019
47401 will be back out on regular Timetable "A" services this weekend:-
Trains depart
from Butterley at: 11.00am, 12.25pm, 2.00pm & 3.20pm.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
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Back on shed on Monday evening after four days of glorious hot weather and
Sulzer power! We believe this is the first time in preservation that 401 has operated over four consecutive days, so a big thank you to those who gave up their Easter bank holiday weekend to crew the loco and keep services running!


EASTER RUNNING DAYS - 19th/20th/21st/22nd April 2019
47401 will be out again all four days over Easter weekend. We are currently the only loco that can get off shed due to track issues. Friday, Saturday will be one train running, all with 47401, departures from Butterley at 11:00, 12:25,14:00, 15:20. Sunday and Monday are planned to be two train running with the Class 108 DMU on the other service, departures from Butterley at 11:00, 11:40, 12:20, 13:00, 14:00, 14:40, 15:20. We will try to advise as early as possible if the situation changes at all.

APRIL 2019 UPDATE & RUNNING DAYS 13th/14th APRIL
47401 should be out again this weekend, as this year's hired in steam loco is not
yet ready.
Same diagram as last weekend:-
Trains depart from Butterley at: 11.00am, 12.25pm, 2.00pm & 3.20pm.
Trains return from Swanwick Junction at: 11.45am, 1.15pm, 2.45pm & 4.00pm.

While 401 was out working services the previous weekend, the rest of the team has been giving a bit of attention to 417's boiler room. The boiler room has seen some corrosion reappear on the roof so we set about dealing with it and by the end of the weekend had patch primed most of the affected areas. Photos in the 47417 Gallery Page as usual.


RUNNING DAYS 6th/7th APRIL
Info just received (22:30hrs Friday 5th), 47401 will be out both days this weekend!
Trains depart from Butterley at: 11.00am, 12.25pm, 2.00pm & 3.20pm.
Trains return from Swanwick Junction at: 11.45am, 1.15pm, 2.45pm & 4.00pm.

MARCH 2019 UPDATE

Welcome to the first update of 2019! We will be attempting to add more regular site updates this year (yes we know we have said that before!)

Recent weekends have seen the team assisting with relaying and reconnecting the track into the diesel shed. This will allow access to Number 1 road by larger locomotives (previously only accessible by Class 20s) and will give greater flexibility all round when allocating undercover stabling.

While most of our working members have been occupied with track work there has also been work done on sprucing up one of 401's cab interiors (some pictures on our gallery page). Since the previous update on the roof work, 401 also saw the replacement of a faulty fan motor, overhaul of the radiator shutters and the removal of a compressor motor,
all fitted in between running days!

417 has seen some further general tidying up, however it is now sadly around
seven years since any major task was completed on it and the project has unfortunately run out of momentum as a result of financial constraints and lack of volunteer time, plus the need to prioritise keeping 401 in traffic to pay our annual MRB storage charge.

Spares donor 761 has had some unwanted internal components sold off which has brought in some much needed cash, and a recent appeal to the Project's membership also increased our monthly income, so a big thank you to all who supported that appeal.


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