All Dressed Up & No Place to Go

As mentioned last week, 2807 which should have been running on the Santas over the weekend has had a lubrication issue, no oil arriving at the valves, and the valve's piston rings had become gummed up and were stuck in their channels thereby preventing a proper seal from forming.  Bruce, Geoff, John, Stuart & Mark leaped into action on Saturday, removing both piston valves and going a long way down the road of freeing up the piston rings.  Meanwhile John H has stripped and cleaned the W valve and the feed pipes have been blown through.  The hydrostatic lubricator is known to have been working, so hopefully the lack of lubrication will have been sorted.

One of 2807's valves on the valve bench (photo courtesy of Mark Harding)

Bruce & John freeing up one of the rings (photo courtesy of Mark Harding)

Meanwhile, the Santa season had kicked off, with Dinmore Manor and Foremarke Hall (deputising for 2807).

Dinmore Manor was in steam, but no tinsel (photo courtesy of Matthew Harris)

 The Santa timetables are great fun, with plenty of breaks in excess of an hour whilst small children go to see the chap in the red suit...  plenty of time make full use of the GWSR's finest mobile BBQ's.

It's what the shovel's for (photo courtesy of Matthew Harris)

 Dinmore Manor's crew even sent in a selfie

And not a tie between them (photo courtesy of Matthew Harris)

Curiously, Foremarke Hall (the deputising loco) had been adorned with some tinsel, whereas Dinmore Manor hadn't.

Foremarke Hall on the ash pit at the end of the day (photo courtesy of Graham Radband)

Moving on to Sunday, yours truly had a firing turn on Dinmore Manor, with Steve (driver) and Angela (cleaner).  For the Santa's, we have prep crews every running day who turn up at 04:45 and bring two locos into steam. I didn't have to sign in until a much more civilised 08:00. 

Dinmore Manor waiting to be coaled up in the morning

 Before anybody says a word, I hadn't touched the shovel at this point.

One of the nice features of the Santa turns is that the crews get free cups of tea and mince pies.

Very welcome indeed

The Santas inevitably mean that we end up with lots of young people visiting us, some of them extremely young.  One of the youngest managed to lose a knitted woollen boot on the platform at Cheltenham, causing Steve to have to call out to try and reunite it with its owner.

I think somebody claimed it in the end

Small children are not the only visitors we had to Cheltenham, there was also a large bee around as well, possibly a queen looking for a new home?

It was placed carefully in the garden in the hope that it would survive there

There's much more to firing than just shovelling coal you know!

Angela had a go at using the shovel, but she's doing it all wrong...

...first you need to clean the shovel with the pep pipe...

...add the bacon...

...and heat on the mobile BBQ

Why stop at bacon, you can do sausages too.

That's better!

Angela did fine too, when it came to shovelling the black stuff... and I don't mean that the sausages had been cremated by that.

Many of our volunteers double up as elves or Santa etc over the festive season, and I know that some of them are a little sensitive about being caught on camera, David H in his elf outfit did his best Usain Bolt impression as soon as produced my camera.  Yes, I did get a photo of him sprinting into the distance, but I won't embarrass him by putting it here.  Others of course are only too happy to be seen getting into the Christmas spirit, such as Alistair who was foolish enough to say that he hadn't seen me get my camera out all day.  The answer of course is that most people are wise to the fact that they'll end up on here if they're not careful, so I have had to become a little devious when it comes to taking photos.

Alistair with festive hat attachment

Second sitting for sausages & bacon...

...and of course tea & mince pies

For the Santa season, it seems that there is to be no evening disposal, the prep crews in the morning will empty the ash pans.  All we had to do was top Dinmore Manor up with coal and water, then tuck her up in bed in the David Page shed.

Steve coaling up Dinmore Manor

Inside the shed, 2807 was to be found, adorned with tinsel, but with her piston valves still removed.  Regretfully, as of Wednesday, she still wasn't back together, so unless something happens in the very near future, it will be Foremarke Hall standing in for her again at the weekend.

All dressed up and no place to go

Here's hoping that she gets sorted out soon. 

I know that a number of the people who read this blog are in far flung locations and for whom being actively involved in the railway is not a practical option.  Never mind, here are three excellent opportunities to help the railway and some of it's locomotives, without having to leave the comfort of your armchair.  Of course people who live a lot closer and do actively volunteer are equally welcome to join in as well.

First, An opportunity to obtain an exclusive print from a Nicolas Trudgian original “3850 at Dawlish” – limited numbers available by donation towards paying for the current overhaul of the loco – but please be aware it will cost us at least £4.00 in postage/packaging to send in the UK. Your chance to help get this wonderful Great Western loco back into steam and own a rare print. Payments can be made by going to the the Dinmore Manor payments and donations page, making a donation and then emailing dmll7820@btinternet.com with details of who you are and where you would like it sending.

3850 print

Secondly, last year 2874 benefited to the tune of £1,000 from the Ecclesiastical Insurance Christmas giveaway.  They are doing it again, please click on this link and nominate "The 2874 Trust", quoting charity number 1166258.  Simples!

And finally, the GWSR is one of the ten nominees for the Steam Railway Magazine award at the Heritage Railway Association in February.  Whilst the other nominees are all extremely worthy, I'm sure that you'll agree that the Broadway extension should win.  Just point your web browser at this link and vote for number six.