At 5305 Locomotive Association we don’t have a motto*, but we do have an aim – to maintain the locomotives in our care “as near perfection as humanly possible”. This phrase was first used to tease the chairman about his perfectionism, but it was done with respect and is actually a very good description of our maintenance and overhaul policy. It could also be translated as ‘“good enough” is not good enough’, or “it’s right, or in the scrap bin”.


A good example of this is that ever since she entered traffic, 70013’s left big end has been monitored by the team because it wasn’t the same temperature as the other side – it’s not hot, not even warm, but it is regularly a degree or so above the rest of the motion – this isn’t a problem. We could take the attitude, “if it ain’t broke...” but Tom isn’t like that, he has intended to strip the rod off the engine and inspect it ever since it didn’t settle down at running in. So, this week, while the engine is being prepared for her trip to Keighley for their gala, the team have had the rod down and inspected the bearing (nothing wrong) and scraped it to give it a touch more ease. Another job ticked off the list of tasks.

Cleaning the Brit before she leaves wasn’t on the job list, because it’s not maintenance exactly, but we all know that it’s needed. So Tone the Clean (aka Gleamo) was a welcome sight on Sunday. He is well known and respected at Loughborough for the way that he turns engines out – this is a very good example of his work: Thanks Tony.

Still on the subject of 70013, I mentioned a while ago that the restoration of the Brit had resulted in the HRA awarding the “John Coiley” award to the project – well this weekend the framed certificate arrived at Loughborough – the award was made to the two organisations of the restoration partnership which are officially members of HRA (ie the GCR and the NRM) but I want to share the news with readers of 5305la’s website because 5305 la were part of the restoration partnership and many of our volunteers put in time and effort on the project.

Lamiel wasn’t in traffic this weekend, so the team were continuing to work through the list of jobs. One of the recent jobs was to repair the injector pipes which had worn thin in the past where two pipes had chafed against one another – this has been done and the pipes re-fitted. The annealing of the pipes makes them look rather scruffy, but we will soon deal with that using polish and elbow-grease.

The support coach continues to progress – all four sliding doors are now in place and the team are beginning to think about the appliances etc for the kitchen area.

D123 had an unexpected outing on Sunday, when one of the other diesels developed a problem up the line. In the end the Peak didn’t need to go to the rescue because the Standard 2 went instead, but having started the peak up, Tom and Hugh parked her on the pit ready for a Fitness to Run exam because she is due to work in the near future on a testing job for the GCR.

*Actually, there is an unofficial motto, or at least a well used saying but it’s not fit for publication – what did you expect? 5305la is a group of loco engineers!