In between the very popular Easter Egg Hunt steam trains, the Moseley Railway Trust volunteers have been progressing various other projects during the long weekend. The big Ruston “Vulcan” has been receiving significant TLC; the intent is that this loco will become a regular passenger hauler on the railway, joining the existing duo of air braked diesels. It was fitted with an air system when it was at the Abbey Light Railway, but further work has been needed to update the system and bring it into line with the system used at Apedale.
HIbberd 2514 is type “1939”, and is fitted with a two-cylinder National diesel engine, type 2D. After spells at various Midlands brickworks, it spent most of its life at a works at Blaby, near Leicester (the photo shows it there in 1972). After many years at Leighton Buzzard, it came to Apedale in August 2022. It is understood it was last run in the 1980s. Being basically complete, it was identified as a candidate for a fast-track restoration. After a few struggles, it has now been successfully started and run. It’s still very smoky, and one of the cylinders occasionally opts not to play nicely, but it’s a big step in the right direction.
Not everything done by the Trust volunteers is skilled engineering – there are opportunities to all manner of useful and productive tasks. If you’d like to find out more about volunteering at Apedale, next Saturday is our New Member’s Day – all details at https://avlr.org.uk/event/new-members-day
