Through the arched window firebox

Sunday was your humble scribes first attempt at an assessed bringing of a locomotive into steam.   The chosen victim engine was Foremarke Hall which was going to be the service train for the day.  Aside from a few damp rather than oily rags that weren't too keen on being burnt, it all seemed to go ok.  Many thanks to Paul Richardson for watching and ticking the appropriate boxes on the assessment sheet.  Paul was keen to show the world in general that he had ensured that the yard at Winchcombe had been kept tidy and also that he was now passed out on 0-1-0T wheel barrows.

Paul Richardson with 0-1-0T wheel barrow

John Cruxon was also keen that I should point out on this blog, the nice shiny new brick arch in the firebox of Foremarke Hall.  Many thanks to the 'Wednesday gang' who had assisted in its construction.

Foremarke Hall's new brick arch

The weather on Sunday was still, cold and clear, absolutely perfect for lineside photographers, several of whom approached the drivers (John Cruxon & George Forrest) to provide a little more 'chuff' at various points long the line.

A grice of lineside photographers waiting at Gotherington

I'm not entirely sure what the collective noun is for lineside photographers, but a 'grice' will do as well as anything else. There again, perhaps a 'hi-viz' of lineside photographers might be more appropriate.

Other observations from the day included the fact that the hose attached to the water tower at Cheltenham Race Course station has sprung a bit of a leak.  It's best not to be standing underneath it when the water is switched on.

Leaking water tower hose

Ian Butler had been meant to be on a driver training turn, but decided to have turn on the shovel instead as his firing reassessment is due soon.  Here he is putting the fear of God into the coal, it'll think twice before clinkering up on the grate now.

 Yet another gratuitous sunset shot at Gotherington just to pad the page out:

Sunset at Gotherington

Finally, for reasons that eluded me, but probably made sense to someone, disposal took place at Toddington rather than Winchcombe.  A team of people including Andy Webber had installed a new pair of hosepipe reels along with hoses with on/off attachments alongside the pits during the day at Toddington.  Here is Foremarke Hall gently simmering away during disposal with one of the new hoses prominently in view.