Formarke to the Fore

I have noticed recently that the heads of two departments, Nigel Black (Permanent Way) and Andy Protherough (Lineside Drainage) have stood down from their roles.  The contributions of both have benefited the GWSR immeasurably over the years and I would like to say thank you to both of them and their respective teams for the incredibly hard work that they have put in, in all weathers.  The benefit of the work of the Permanent Way team is instantly obvious to even the most casual observer, without track, laid & maintained to a high standard, we simply can't run our trains.  The Lineside Drainage team's contribution is perhaps more easily overlooked in its importance, but for those of you who can remember the landslips at Chicken Curve and Gotherington Loop, both of which greatly restricted our ability to run trains, it is their hard work that will hopefully prevent the like of those events recurring.  The work of the Permanent Way dept continues to appear on Nigel Black's Flickr page, however the Lineside Drainage team's now has a new home and can be found by clicking here. 

My midweek correspondent has provided evidence of the recently returned 4270 being given some TLC, firstly the brick arch has been replaced:

The mortal remains of 4270's brick arch

The new kit of parts for 4270's brick arch

Where it will be fitted

Not all of the handrails were fitted back to 4270 when she first entered traffic in preservation, some years ago now. That anomaly has now been corrected

Original hand rail finally re-fitted

One fitted on the back of the bunker, one more to go...

...and a freshen up of paint on the running plate

We have two lamps to install in the yard, one was restored by Tim and is currently waiting installation by the parachute tank in the yard, the second to go near the points for roads 8 and 9 is currently being stripped of old paint.

Second lamp being readied for use

A hole for one of the lamps being dug by Tim & Nigel

All of the above photos are courtesy of Peter Gutteridge

More recent photos show the second lamp in primer (photo courtesy of John Cruxon)

4270 has also been the subject of some inter-departmental co-operation, with Alex, of the C&W department coming along to hand paint the lettering on 4270's water tanks, the previous transfers having faded badly since they were first applied.

Alex at work (photo courtesy of Mike Solloway)

To celebrate having successfully negotiated my way through yet another circumnavigation of the sun, I was dragged away (not exactly kicking and screaming) for a long weekend in the Lake District, but before I went, there was a photo charter on Friday with Foremarke Hall on the maroon rake of carriages.  Although she has been running for several years on her current boiler ticket, this was the first occasion that we have managed to run a photo charter with her.  For once, quite unlike a few other charters that I have attended lately, we were blessed with some rarely seen yellow object in the sky to provide illumination.  We don't know what it was, but we were all glad to see it.

Thanks first of all to the crew on the day:

Ben was the driver...

...and Andy shovelled the coal.

The incoming editor of the Cornishman magazine turned up to gather material for publication.

He even has his name on his hi-viz.

Thank you to Martin Creese (30742 charters) for organising the day, and in particular to Eleanor who very kindly managed the linesde safety aspect of the day, leaving me free to  point my camera at the star of the show, Foremarke Hall.  Thank you too to Saul (Guard), Tony (Signalman) and Neil (Duty Operations Officer) on the day.

On Chicken Curve

Chicken Curve again...

...and Chicken Curve yet again

Jack brought along Sam, as a model for the event:

Sam waits at Hayles Abbey halt for Foremarke Hall...

...which ungraciously failed to stop

Never mind, if you miss the train you can always read a book and enjoy a picnic instead

Picnic at Didbrook

Pan shot at Didbrook

Didbrook once more

Jack brought along a selection of headboards as well

Dixton cutting

Dixton cutting again

Dixton cutting yet again

Leaving Greet tunnel

Approaching Winchcombe

Silhouette near Stanway