Tag the Tank Appeal

We need to raise funds to hire specialist services to professionally clean the fuel tank removed from 50049 Defiance so that it can be refitted to 50031. Hood kindly donated its fuel tank to Defiance to keep it running. Specialist cleaning and repair of the fuel tank from Defiance comes at a cost and it’s currently estimated at around £5000. To enable this work, we are launching our “Tag the Tank” appeal. With your help, we’ll be able refit a clean and refurbished tank to 50031, and for a donation of £50 or more, you’ll get your name professionally applied to the side of the tank. Any donation will be put to good use and all names will be listed on our “Tag the Tank” hall of fame housed on our website, and displayed in one cab of 50031. All contributors will also receive a certificate celebrating their contribution.

 

It was in 2022 that the fuel tank was removed from 50049 Defiance, during work to resolve fuel starvation issues suffered by the locomotive, and it was discovered that the suction pipe within the tank had loosened and dropped into fuel residues that had accumulated in the bottom of the tank. This was preventing correct fuel uptake and causing Defiance’s low power issues.  The accumulation of the “gunk” is simply due years of storage of diesel in all weathers.

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The work to clean the tank and bring it back to a usable condition needs to be undertaken by specialists to ensure that the appropriate regulations are complied with. Our hard-working volunteers will re-install the tank within our Kidderminster facility as part of the on-going repairs to Hood.