First Steam to Broadway

The big news this week is that Foremarke Hall has become the first steam locomotive to arrive at Broadway station under its own steam in the heritage era.  She went there on a gauging run on Friday.

Foremarke Hall at Broadway (photo copyright Jack Boskett)

Foremarke Hall at Broadway (photo copyright Jack Boskett)

Jack is in the happy position of being able to make a living out of photography, if you want to now more about the services he can offer, please follow this link.

Saturday marked the first running day of the new season, with Foremarke Hall rostered to pull the first train:

The view from the footplate at Cheltenham Racecourse (photo courtesy of Andy Beale)

I have received a few more photos of the steam test last Friday showing the work done by the select band of volunteers who battled through the snow

Dinmore Manor's snow covered safety valve bonnet (photo courtesy of Chris Smith)

Winter wonderland in the shed (photo courtesy of Chris Smith)

2807 & Dinmore Manor in steam (photo courtesy of Chris Smith)

Warming up injectors in a snow filled pit (photo courtesy of Chris Smith)

The drive home (photo courtesy of Chris Smith)

Those of you who have been keenly following the progress of 76077 will be pleased to know that the frames and wheel sets have now been ferried off to Loughborough where they will be converted into a rolling chassis by LMS (Locomotive Maintenance Services).  The boiler has remained with us, work won't start on that until the rolling chassis is further advanced.

Waiting patiently

 For some locos, Saturday marked the final day of winter maintenance, with Dinmore Manor finally receiving her new bogie spring hangers.

Spring hangers being fitted (photo courtesy of Keith Smith)

The 2807 group have also been running their winter maintenance programme up to the last minute, and have ticked off the various snags that needed attending to, such as missing split pins and a leaking steam feed to the driver's side injector.  One thing that was on the list was that the inner locking arm of the smoke box door had come adrift from its centre ring and needed welding up.  I happen to know who the culprit is (obviously doesn't know his own strength). 

2807's locking arm, in more bits than it should be.

Name withheld to protect the guilty.

And finally, Dinmore Manor (along with Foremarke Hall and 2807) will be hauling the first public trains to Broadway commencing on Friday 30th March (tickets sold out for the Friday, but later dates in the Easter weekend are still available).  To make sure that she is looking her absolute best, she has been lined out.  

Looking smart

7820

 Dinmore Manor first entered traffic in 1950 in lined black, before converting to unlined black in 1955.  It is appropriate therefore that she retains the early crest on her tender.

Cycling lion

 She even got dragged out into the sun on Saturday:

Dinmore Manor, all lined out and basking in the sun (photo courtesy of Mike Solloway)