Always check the background

Summer came… and, as of writing, summer seems to have disappeared again. Oh well, it makes managing steam engines slightly more bearable; coal dust and sun cream do not mix well!

Anyone in more than one department will agree that sometimes managing your roster inevitably ends up either with some clashes, or some weekends that don’t feel like weekends as you work both days. Last weekend (the sunny one) was one of those for me, starting off with my second day out on the footplate, this time on 7903. Day one had been spent trying out the shovel, this time I was labouring up and down on coupling duty.

It is safe to say having everything you’re working with around shoulder height makes things slightly more difficult. It will be denied, but, when watching from the safety of the platform, the coupling process seems a lot easier when you have a height advantage! I had worried previously whether or not coupling would be something I’d be able to do. However, down at Cheltenham Racecourse, “thunk” and it went over - what a relief! 1 down, about 6 more to go.

Safe to say I did not stay that clean

As has been for the last couple of weeks, 35006 was on the other train, and spent the weekend on train 1. All of our engines look good in the sun, and the cleaners have been doing a good job keeping them shiny and photogenic. Who could resist?

Can you spot the rogue photobomber?

It seems our esteemed former blog writer has been missing recording the antics and experiences of the department, as when he spied me taking this shot, he decided it needed something extra in the background. Unfortunately, he also still has overall control of this blog, as well as a significant amount of say in progression within the department, so any ‘obvious’ attempts at retribution are fruitless…

It’s so good to see people on the platforms again

Sunshine brings heat, and heat brings dry kindling in the trackbed, particularly down at Cheltenham. I stepped out of the brake carriage, and, upon greeting the station master, was met with the smell of bonfire. My usual query as to whether the engine crew wanted tea (or ice cream) whilst filling the tender this time began with “chaps, I know it could be a bit tenuous between guards and crew in the old days, but that didn’t mean you had to try and set me on fire!” Meanwhile, the stationmaster was extinguishing a very well placed, thankfully small, trackbed fire dancing merrily away directly under the guard’s compartment. Only slightly disconcerting!

In the shed, things carry on as normal. The 2807 group had a victory this past week as they added a component back onto their loco, rather than removing one. In a Covid world of delays and setbacks, this is a very welcome victory.

Tucked in amongst the steam engines in the David Page Shed are two ongoing overhaul projects. One is a Class 26 diesel, as the Diesel dept needed some more space to work than was available, and the other is a wagon, currently displaced from its usual home in Winchcombe and being cosmetically restored. Newly qualified guard Alex has done a write up on the C&W blog and I expect will be updating on its progress on there, but to whet your appetite…

I understand from Alex’s write up that this is a 5 1/2 plank GWR open wagon

Alex, I will leave further information provision to you and the C&W blog team! I personally am more interested in the boiler and smokebox peeking out behind but all signs are pointing in the right direction for future planning.

That’s all for this week, however I shall leave you with the highly amusing (to me anyway) background on one of the computers in the new loco office that greeted me on Saturday. Alas, the current version of Windows means they randomly rotate so I doubt it will be a permanent fixture, but it made me giggle all the same.

Hello there!

Bryony