|
|---|
This collection covers the extensive restoration of 26043 at the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway by the Cotswold Mainline Diesel Group, from its arrival in 1994 to the present.
The loco is now nearing the end of its restoration but there are some large expenditures to be made, eg. batteries, paint and air tank certification, costing thousands of pounds. If you can spare anything from 5 pounds/month and thereby help get 26043 back in service, please contact us at: cotswold_mainline@yahoo.co.uk
The most recent pictures and reports are for CMDG members only, until they are published in the CMDG newsletter. To join the CMDG and so get the latest information, and help the restoration of 26043 and 45149, email us at the above address.
If you would like to help us - no previous experience necessary - contact us either by email, leaving a message via this site, or just turn up at Toddington on a Saturday and ask for us. Working days are scheduled for every other Saturday but additional workings sometimes occur mid-week, Sundays or the middle Saturdays. |
|
|
|
|---|
For enquiries about 26043 or 45149, contact: cotswold_mainline@yahoo.co.uk
26043 was built by the Birmingham Railway & Carriage Works in Smethwick, entered service with British Rail in October 1959 as number D5343, and was allocated to Haymarket depot. It saw use in many areas until the whole class of 46 locomotives gravitated to Scotland, where they were mainly used on secondary passenger services between Glasgow and Inverness and various freight workings.
The loco weighs 75 tons and the Sulzer in-line 6 cylinder 6LDA28B power unit develops 1160hp. It's top speed was 75mph. In January 1974, it was renumbered under the TOPS (Total Operations Processing System) scheme to 26043. The loco was last overhauled in May 1985, which included extensive rewiring, and removal of the steam-heat boiler, effectively making it a freight-only machine. It finished its days allocated to Inverness in the Civil Engineer's pool and was withdrawn on January 18th 1993, after sustaining a traction motor earth fault while employed on snowplough duties.
Initially stored at Perth, it was taken to MC Metals in Glasgow, where the cabs were heavily stripped to check for the presence of asbestos insulation. The loco was purchased from BR in late 1993, and arrived at Toddington in April 1994.
|
|
|---|
| Hits (today): | 0 |
| Hits (this week): | 1 |
| Hits (this month): | 1 |
| Hits (this year): | 2701 |
| Hits (all-time): | 6494 |
| Collections: | 16 |
|
|
For enquiries about 26043 or 45149, contact: ![](http://images4.fotopic.net/?iid=yrmpv6&outx=420&quality=70")
