While The Cat's Away

Your humble blogger took a week's holiday and has had to depend on his network of spies to compile the blog this week.  The world of espionage is indeed a hazardous one, but before anybody gets too concerned, they are probably all safe from revenge "Novichok" attacks by foreign governments.... well fairly safe anyway, though there is no harm in their relatives taking out extra life insurance on them I suppose.

My holiday wasn't entirely steam free, as one day was spent on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway playing with what was so nearly one of our gala guests last year.

S&DJR 7F, 53808, plus convenient puddle in Mytholmes Tunnel

We are now just getting into our stride with the 2018 operating season, with the last week seeing the running of a series of race trains to the Cheltenham Gold Cup horse racing event.  Toddington effectively becomes a park and ride terminus for the race goers.  35006 along with Foremarke Hall and Dinmore Manor shared the duties this year.

35006 departs Toddington for Cheltenham Race Course (photo courtesy of Chris Ardy)

  You may remember that this time last year, one of our drivers, Andy, was interviewed live on BBC Radio 2 by Chris Evans.  History has repeated itself, and this time Chris Evans was there in person, along with Olympic cyclist and now horse jockey, Victoria Pendleton.

L-r, Andy, Chris Evans, Victoria Pendleton, Ben (photo courtesy of Luke Hudman)

 

On the platform wearing the blue top, is Chris, the GWSR's volunteer finance director, who was interviewed on Chris Evans' show, you can find a recording of the interview by clicking on this link and scrolling forward 2 hours and 47 minutes.

Just because our locomotives & rolling stock are from a bygone age, doesn't mean that we shouldn't embrace modern technology when it is appropriate.  I'll infer from the fact that you are reading this blog that you agree. One appropriate advance in technology of recent years is low power LED lights of which the first five have now been installed in the David Page shed by Nigel & Peter.  We'll have better lighting and rack up lower electricity bills.

Five up, thirty more to go (photo courtesy of Peter Gutteridge)

 With the running fleet mostly being out earning their keep on the line, there has been little going on by way of maintenance.  2807's group have got to the end of their winter maintenance jobs and have focused on lubricating, cleaning and changing a wrong sized split pin.  There are still the various restoration projects to be worked on of course, and now that Dinmore Manor's winter maintenance has come to an end, the DMLL group have returned their attention to 3850. On Saturday, Matt, Anthony & Sam cracked on with wire brushing & painting the frames. Several people have forwarded photos to me.

Frame stretchers wire brushed & primed (photo courtesy of Sam Perry)

More frame stretchers wire brushed & primed (photo courtesy of Sam Perry)

You will note from the above photo that the old cylinder block is still fitted.  We are hoping that the new one will be cast in the near future, watch this space.

Sam at work (photo courtesy of Matt Hill)

Drag box now in top coat (photo courtesy of Matt Hill)

While much of the outside of the frames is in undercoat (photo courtesy of Matt Hill)

Last, but far from least regarding 3850, is that the boiler from 3845 that will now be used on 3850 has been sent to Ian Riley & Son for refurbishment.

3845's boiler in flight (photo courtesy of Mark Young)

3845's boiler about to depart (photo courtesy of Mark Young)

 As I have seen several people enquiring on various online forums regarding what is to happen to 3845, although it has lost its boiler, it remains very much in the DMLL restoration queue and will be restored in its own right when funds and volunteer resources permit, probably using 3850's old boiler.

And finally, we unfortunately lost another running day due to the unseasonably late snow on Sunday. The following four photos are all courtesy of Nick Carter

Toddington was snowbound once more...

...35006 was once more a block of ice

 The only sensible recourse of action if you can't light up a loco and keep warm by the fire, is to do some work, in this case making sparks fly on Dinmore Manor's old tender (T1761), which needed some old bits of the rotted floor plate removing before new sections can be welded in.

Making sparks fly

Ready for a new floor to be welded in

Here's hoping that there are no more "beasts from the East" to torment us for a while, especially over the Broadway opening weekend.  Keep your fingers crossed!