D32 Runs again

[brakecylinder]

Hunslet locomotive D32 Huskisson ran last Saturday for the first time in over 10 years at Haworth.
It was built in 1944 for the Mersey Docks and Harbour board and was their first and only diesel for 10 years. It has had very severe problems inherited from its previous ownership with its axle boxes and the horns which has necessitated building the frames back to true with weld and hand finishing back to true. New tyres, new axleboxes etc were needed as well.
The siderods needed a similar level of work and they were fitted last Thursday in a rainstorm.
This locomotive is of special interest because it was built in war conditions and is very similar to the two built for the LMS in 1932 and basicly was the forrunner of the BR 05 class. The latter could not have the traditional round windows because of the BR spec of a larger fuel tank.
D32 possibly holds the distinction of being the 1st preserved diesel to make a main line journey in January 1971 from Liverpool to Keighley via Newton Heath, Wakefield, Normanton and Leeds. It took two days and towed a brakevan with it.
Hopefully it will feature in the Worth Valleys diesel gala in 2014.
At the moment painting and other repairs are ongoing.