Of diagnostics and key switches

23rd February 2025

It doesn't seem as though we have made any progress this week - though to be fair, I'm writing this in part on Saturday night as I will be otherwise occupied in my usual time slot.

Matt had asked to do something in the workshops on Tuesday, so I left him to it but in return he gave me a hand to get the empty oxygen bottles into the van so that I could run in to Matlock first thing Wednesday and get them changed. That gave him something to work with on Wednesday, when he was in continuing to reduce the former EE with component recovery.

Thursday Jordan and a friend were in continuing to prep and prime the container which if all goes to plan, will be relocated 'ere long in place of two derelict van bodies (the proposals went before the Peak Rail Board on Friday) so must look more presentable as it will be visible above the fence line at Station House. Certainly all the graffiti and diagrammatic representation of male genitalia have disappeared though as yet most of the progress is on the rear (footpath side) as it stands at present. They should be back next week and I'm looking forward to seeing top coat (green, I believe) to appear.

Another engine management unit (ECU) for the small minilok arrived on Thursday but I had to go to Sheffield Friday morning and by the time I had got back and had some lunch the weather, which had been quite blustery, turned to rain so I allocated it number 1 task on Saturday. Incdentally Peak Rail had train services on Wednesday and Thursday which seemed quite well loaded considering the weather, and the night-time running event last Saturday (15th) has proven to be a considerable 'hit' with overall takings for the day into 5 figures. Work begins this next week to install a new turnout to provide access into the new bay platform at Rowsley - how different to the 'old management' style on the railway.

Anyway, Saturday morning I headed down, installed the 'new' ECU, added some batteries, turned on the switches and sure enough, up comes the Fault light indication. Last time this came on and simply stayed on continuously. Today though, after trying to crank the engine, it started flashing which at least proves that the ECU is alive and kicking but not a lot else. There then followed a 20 minute phone call with the Deutz agent and the more time I spend on it the more I find myself thinking that either he, or someone from the Deutz empire, may have to come in and sort this but with it being 'old technology' the number of personnel familiar with it is dwindling.

Getting nowhere I packed away, headed back to the Country Pile for lunch and returned armed with my little notebook PC and set up in the cab of the W H Davis loco to try and load the program into the relay unit. Last time it had refused to establish the connection but when I checked I found that the interface cable was turning up on COM 14 whereas I was sure I had read it last time as COM 4. Yes, I am probably due a visit to the high street opticians... With the correct COM number configuered the relay unit accepted the program but switching to 'monitor' revealed I had one program line incorrect so had to amend and reload it. (Actually, although I could see this on the screen of my notebook, the appropriate warning message was also showing on the front of the relay unit: basic helpful diagnostics).

With that rectified, turning the keyswitch to the second position should have given me a quick crank on the starter but although all the states changed on screen nothing happened at the starter. Whether this was a wiring, contactor or starter fault I didn't know as it would take two to run it down. A week or so ago I finished connecting the alternator on the loco but the alternator warning light wouldn't come on. I checked the wiring, had the bulb out and checked that was OK and still nothing. Saturday though as soon as I turned on the batteries up comes the warning light just as it should. There are times I think locos can be just plain obstinate.

Sunday: Tony S arrived and agreed to turn the keyswitches while I investigated. The Barclay had no power at the contactor nor at the connection box. It was supposed to be fed by cable number 13 in the multicore - but it turned out this was coiled up in the spares at the cab end. Once terminated where it should have been the starter cranked. With blustery, wet weather I refitted the batteries to the small minilok and observed the fuel rack while Tony cranked it on the keyswitch. The rack stayed motionless.

Tony wanted to take a look over the Baguley railcar that arrived some months ago from Chasewater. Allegedly it never ran at Chasewater and we already knew that its battery cables had been cut through in several places. Eventually, after Andrew had arrived (to prep his car for its MoT tomorrow), we had a battery hooked up with temporary leads. Checking through found various wiper motors and lights functioned, though turning the keyswitch at one desk sent the ammeter into serious discharge. There's a short circuit there somewhere! Eventually from the other end I turned that keyswitch and the engine cranked - actually it nearly ran but that wasn't the plan.

That was it for the day, but we'll take that forward in due course and get it to go. Anyway, short write-up, not many pictures, try to do better next week. See ya then.