All Change Please

The weekend started with the news that 3850 is no longer born aloft by the accommodation bogies that frankly ill suited her, but is now on a set of frame stands.  I understand that Mike & Seb put in some sterling work with the lifting jacks, incrementally raising each end until the stands could be put in place.  There is one more pair of stands to be inserted followed by some shimming in order to get the frames accurately levelled.  After that plenty of measurements have to be taken (measure twice, cut once) before the old cylinder block can be removed.

Look mum, no wheels....

...though a set of chocks have been left in place anyway.

 The tender that will next run behind 3850 was receiving some TLC on Saturday, with a number of people being involved in wire brushing off paint on various pipes & fittings that will need to be painted before they can be refitted.

Ken, wire brushing some of the vacuum brake pipe work

Martin wire brushing the brake adjusters

Once again, more work took place on Sunday, with Matthew Harris kindly providing the next two photos of 3850's fireman's side running plate which has been wire brushed and primed.

Wire brushed...

...and  neatly primed.

Saturday night saw the running of a photo charter with 7820, Dinmore Manor and 6023, King Edward II, (the last of our gala visitors to remain on site) double heading on the chocolate and cream rake.  I had originally anticipated being the GWSR's representative on the line side, making sure that all ran safely and smoothly... basically being the responsible adult. I think that I'm correct in saying that in the lead up to the event, both the driver and fireman of Dinmore Manor had to stand down and replacements found.   Then, very shortly beforehand, the other fireman had to cancel.  Yours truly stepped up to the plate... OK, footplate to wield the shovel on 6023 (it's a tough job, but somebody has got to do it) which left a vacancy for somebody else to fill covering my original job.  Eleanor very kindly agreed to stand in, and everybody agreed that she would be far better suited to being a responsible adult than me.

In the end, in spite of a lacklustre weather forecast, the sun shone at all the right times and an excellent collection of photos was taken by all... well OK, not quite all, there wasn't much that I could do from the footplate.

Leading Dinmore Manor up to Winchcombe for the first shoot of the evening

 To be honest, I had consigned the evening down to being us being dragged about all evening by Dinmore Manor, with just a bit of chuff on during the runs past to make it look good for the photographers.  I had forgotten that every run past requires a set back, and that we would be doing that quite a lot.  Once that particular penny had dropped, I needed to revive the fire a bit. 

Chris, operating 6023's big red handle

The view from 6023's footplate as we left Greet tunnel

One cheeky chap blagged a footplate ride on 6023 for the last mile or two up to Broadway, recording the sound as he went.  In conversation later, it transpired that he is a vicar and was intending to work the charter into his sermon the following day.  I'm curious as to how that went. 

Did he wear hi-viz along with his dog collar in the pulpit though

As already mentioned, my opportunity to take photos was extremely limited, an appeal for photos from the attendees has turned up the following:

Departing Greet Tunnel, photo courtesy of Simon Mulligan

Sunset & Steam, photo courtesy of Simon Mulligan

6023 at Toddington, photo courtesy of Simon Mulligan

At Greet Tunnel, photo courtesy of Mark Kemp

Sunset and steam, photo courtesy of Mark Kemp

At Toddington, photo courtesy of Mark Kemp

The next three are all by Jack Boskett

Sun setting on Dinmore Manor and King Edward II

Post sunset at Toddington

Fully dark at Toddington

I particularly like that last photo, as Keith (guard) was stood motionless for ages whilst his picture was taken.  Chris & I, lurking in the cab did our best to put him off of course.  Meanwhile at the other end of the train, Dinmore Manor's crew were happily cooking bacon and sausages on the shovel.  Fortunately our request for sausage & bacon sarnies to be sent up to our end of the train didn't fall on deaf ears.