OEC kindly dropped Paula back to us this morning sporting a few enhancements. The headlamp bulbs have been uprated, a shovel has been mounted on (Rachel’s!) wing, the seat heating has been replaced and the tail-lift hydraulics are in place. So we are all set for the rest of the winter. However the tail-lift isn’t yet on. The solenoids’ blurb had professed that they could push 20kg, but Paul (OEC) found that their movement could be stopped just by one’s finger! Another headache for him as he has to think of a new solution. He thinks that going up is OK as the platform could lift the pins through a gate type latch (makes sense). The problems are around releasing them again (in such a manner that I can operate the release from being on the platform) and releasing the hinge. At least Paul has a break over Christmas to think about it and I’m sure he’ll have a Eureka moment.
So it won’t be in for the driver training at Eastnor and the WMT course – but OEC are sure it will all be done by the end of January.
In the meantime we hope that you all have a great Christmas break….