Good news comes in threes

Saturday morning started off bright and early... and it was just about bright too, no need for a torch to illuminate my way into the yard at Toddington first thing. Unfortunately none of the other cleaners started off bright and early; either I'm using the wrong soap or have said something on here to annoy them. Even Sean, the rostered fireman for the morning was a bit late, apparently he'd managed to sleep through the first of his alarm clocks going off. Never mind, it was looking like a nice start to the day and I set to buffing up 2807 for the day ahead.

The sun rises over the peak of the er... Peak

I set about cleaning her in my preferred order, smoke box first as it may start off hot, but will only get smokier & hotter as the morning progresses, followed by the brass safety valve bonnet (again as it won't get any cooler) then wash over the boiler, then clean the wheels & motion, finishing off with the running plate.  Near the end, Ade (afternoon fireman) and Andy (RSF) appeared with a tray of tea, very welcome indeed.

Andy & Ade with the tea

Cliff was down for a driver training turn and had just finished oiling up the bits of 2807 that needed it.  Apparently it's thirsty work oiling up 2807.

Cliff guarding his cup of tea

I can't remember the last time that one of the locos set off in sunshine... in fact I'm not too sure that I can remember the last time that I saw the sun, so it was a pleasure to watch 2807 set off shed bathed in the morning light. 

A gleaming 2807 setting off

It was at this time that my thoughts drifted towards  getting some breakfast at the Flag & Whistle, however John Cruxon appeared.  Apparently the boiler on Foremarke Hall was only partly filled and needed filling.  I should have asked the question why the boiler was only part filled, but I failed in my role as investigative journalist.... I fear that there would have been no Watergate scandal if I had worked at the Washington Post during Nixon's term in office as President of the USA. I'm guessing that she had just had a boiler washout.  Anyway, regardless of why she was short of water, she wanted shunting over to siding number one and the 5 lengths of fireman's hose run out from the new RO water supply wanted connecting up to her injector overflow pipe to continue from where they had left off filling her up a day or two earlier.

Foregoing breakfast, I joined Foremarke Hall on her shunt over to siding 1

Fireman's hose attached to injector overflow

2807 sets off for Cheltenham as 7903 fills her boiler

No sooner had I got the water in the boiler up to three quarters of the glass and my thoughts had once again turned to getting that much anticipated breakfast, than Tina turned up looking for victims volunteers to crack on with painting the outside of the mess coach.  Once again, thoughts of breakfast were put on hold and I joined in with the team of conscripts volunteers that Tina had rounded up.   Tina had emailed me in advance about trying to get together a working party for painting the mess coach and had promised to wear make-up so that she would allow me to grab a few pictures to put up on the blog.  She renaged on her promise and turned up without make-up.  Chris announced that it was ok to take photos of him though as he was wearing his make-up

Chris filling in the worst of the blemishes on the mess coach

And sanding the filler down when it had dried

Ian gets to work with painting on the primer

Steve Oddy hands back the token as 2807 returns from her first trip up to Cheltenham

Tina without make-up anyway

 At least I took a photo of Tina from this side, she had managed to get a fair amount of grey primer into her hair on the other side... or at least that's what she said it was.  Eventually rain stopped play and we packed up for the day.  The mess coach wasn't quite finished, but at least was progressing in the right direction.

Spot the bit we missed!

Personally I was quite grateful for the rain, it meant that I could finally get some breakfast.... though to be strictly correct, by now it was more of a late lunch.

After breakfast lunch, it was a case of finding things to do that involved staying dry.  Now Richard & Ian haven't quite got the hang of that bit yet and were to be found giving Foremarke Hall a bit of a clean up in the rain:

Richard & Ian hard at work on Foremarke Hall

Three items of good news to finish off with:  Firstly, after a tip off from Ian Carpenter, I took a look in the smoke box of 4270 which is safely tucked away in the nice dry David Page shed to find that it is nearly finished.

4270 smoke box

Since the last time I checked in here, the main steam pipes & super heater elements have been fitted along with final fixing in place of the ejector pipe & the petticoat.  All that remains in here is the oil feed to the cylinders. You can see where that pipe will enter the smoke box just below the one that feeds the regulator towards the top left hand corner of the picture.

The second item of good news came from Paul Richardson.  Apparently he and Chris Irving are now stars of the small screen and will soon be appearing on a tv set near you.  For as much detail as there is at the moment, please click here. Currently believed to be scheduled for May 2nd.  For the benefit of Paul's children if they're reading this, the concensus of opinion around the railway, is that this does make him a celebrity and that you should join his fan club, tidy your rooms, do the washing up and do your home work  (you can pay me later Paul). 
  Once again, in a valiant attempt to keep out of the rain, I joined Dan as he lit a warming fire in Foremarke Hall under the guidance of Sean.  

Dan, building up a warming fire in Foremarke Hall

Dan made only one mistake, if you manage to break a broom whilst sweeping the floor, for heaven's sake try and hide the evidence quick and whatever you do, don't let some fool grab a photo and splash it all over the interweb!

Dan failing abysmally to hide the evidence

Anyway, the third bit of good news, is that Dan is now passed to break brooms light warming fires.  Congratulations Dan.

And finally.... you can stop wearing out your F5 key now Ian Butler