Little and often

So I had to tempt fate by gloating about how I'd managed to blog more often.
Then we hit a really busy period and my feet haven't touched the ground meaning that the blog has been neglected.

So lets catch up on whats been going on at ZG.

Firstly I'm glad to say that we got to the bottom of the errant clutch on 01508. It turned out to be damaged splines on the ex MOD friction plate that meant that it wouldn't travel quite far enough along the shaft. Replacing the plate with another we had in stock has solved the problem and the loco is back in one piece after some 4 year's stripped down. Now all we need are some new brake rigging parts and control cables and we are back in business. It will be nice to have a second working Ruston on site, although the presence of the KOF means that the 07 has been taking it easy of late.
The Kof is a great piece of kit for moving underground stock, something we do a lot of lately. Not only can you see really well from it, but its also quick and easy to start and ready to move almost straight away.
The brakes are the latest item to receive attention and they now do what they are supposed to, having previously been either all on or all off.
The lads have fitted it with a whistle that sounds suprisingly like an underground train. No prizes for guessing where that came from!

Arlington is pressing on with the tracks out back and Bay 2 is now fully connected, with the start being made on Bay 1 on Thursday. The big cranes are both in place and very nice they look too.

There always seems to be something in the paint shop and recently it has been 66s for GBRf. The standard that Arlington manages to get is very impressive, which is probably why they keep winning work.

The LU owned TC is on the shops now, ready for work on its bogies, whilst the inspection saloon looks like a skeleton as the old skin has been removed.

From nowhere, we seem to spend a lot of time doing work for LU these days and long may it continue.

It was sad to see our MP Chris Huhne in the news this week for all the wrong reasons. Whatever my views on his politics, I am in no doubt that he has been a friend to the Works since we've been there and for that reason I wish him well.

I'm trying my hardest to find a home for off lease units over the coming weeks and will have to leave the Works in the capable hands of other people. I'm sure I won't be missed too much and that everything will carry on as normal.
Toilets will still block up, delivery drivers will get lost on site and Eastleigh Panel will still phone up with trains to come on site that we knew nothing about.

There are a number of visits planned for March including a delegation from Russia, that should be fun. I hope we will get to see 73119 back with us as well, if only for a few days.

Meantime I have a job to do in Edinburgh next week, as well as surveying a new site closer to my home.

Nobody ever said it would be easy, this job..........