Progress Tuesday 28th February 2012

Dear all

 

Another bumper Tuesday with the delight of welcoming a return customer who had a demonstration day of their surveying equipment to representatives from Network Rail. Happily this work will continue tomorrow.

 

The LMSCA continued with the work to refloor the BTK 27001 and tested new securing bolts that will fix the floor to the underframe. These tests were deemed satisfactory and three panels have now been laid. The DST conducted a steam test with contractors on No3 which was declared successful with no leaks allowing for a visit of the boiler inspector to sign the loco off for the coming year's demands. The rest of the team continued their endeavours with Henry Ellison and Cathryn.

 

The VCT had a large turnout of eight members allowing for a probable record five fire day some quarter of a mile south of Old Lane bridge.The PWT changed a further 25 or 26 sleepers, depending on who was counting, south of Ken Rowlands crossing and Mike the Flail gave the Up (east) side a haircut between Gorsey Bank and 40 Steps concentrating on the sight lines around the footpath crossing.

 

The Buffet Car and Bubble Car received further attention as each project inches towards completion. Equally the DTT made steady progress at Duffield and a degree of housekeeping was achieved with litter picking and Mess Room painting.

 

The Buffet Car project benefited from the attention of Geoff Adams who hauled away the surplus timber and skipped any surplus metal. Angela held a meeting with her seasonal catering team who were suitably enthused by the developments and were able to visualise the end product.

 

The Booking Hall achieved the inevitable admin tasks and thoughts are turning to how we might create a booking facility at Duffield. Negotiations intensified with the imminent arrival of a large yellow machine next Monday. The Filing Fairy intensified her pressure on errant paperwork and those responsible for delivering it - you have been warned!

 

Martin

 

PS - There will be a memorial service for Fred Morton at St. Katherine's Church, Rowsley at 1200 on Thursday 8th March, following an earlier private cremation.

 

 

Progress Report Sunday the 26th of February 2012

Dear all,

A very pleasant sunny early Spring day in Wirksworth, with quite a large
number of casual visitors to keep the Booking Hall entertained, or more
specifically to get in the way of the annual pre-season painting and ask
questions while you are up a ladder. However, about 3/4 of the Booking
Hall is completed, having used several kilos of filler before the
application of primer and two top coats, in an attempt to preserve this
fine portable building for posterity. The embankment gardens also
received attention, as did the bookshop. Outside, several choice winter
potholes were filled in Station Approach so as not to damage the
suspension of the station bike.

The yard this week deposited itself into platform 1, with railcar 51505,
which had emerged briefly from the DMU team's closet, complete with a
new ceiling, correct period lights and other restored features, parked
in the platform: Its seats are being extracted to be re-covered in
original moquette, a process which will take several weeks. In so far as
the seats have never been out of this unit since it was called into
preservation, at least 30 years of under-seat grime emerged together
with a selection of small coinage, a variety of heritage tickets, a
small bush and a choice piece of felt. Most of today was therefore spent
grinding 30 year old chewing gum from the heater ducts and applying CIF
cleaner to parts never before seen by humans. In the cab a suspiciously
wobbly drivers chair had its seat bottom replaced and the wobbly bottom
has been consigned to the great wobbly bottom repository in the sky,
which has been franchised by the government to ASDA.

All the best,
Anton

Progress Saturday 25th February 2012

Dear all,

A busy day with many many volunteers on site. A Drive a Diesel guest was entertained on his surprise experience, having lunch in the Training Room.

The DMU team split in half with some returning 51360 to traffic and some moving onto Phase 2 of the restoration of 51505. 51188 was put on the pit ready to receive attention to a leaking flywheel and a 2-car was constructed ready for the first day of the season next Saturday. Work also continued of the bubble.

The LMSCA worked on the floor in the Brake Third coach.

No3 was steamed to check all is good for the season and work continued on the LMS brake van. The 8F group were in attendance.

The Passenger Dept painted the buildings to lift their appearance for the new season.

Not a bad day for progress but spirits severely dampened by the sad news of Fred Morton's passing.

Mike Evans

Fred Morton

Dear all

 

It is with great sadness I have to report the death of Fred Morton this morning. He had been battling with cancer for some time but maintained his interest and affection for our affairs.

 

A man with a tremendous knowledge of steam and diesel locos together with diesel multiple units and I know he enjoyed his driving turns with us.

 

He will be greatly missed.

 

Martin

Progress Friday 24th February 2012

Dear all

 

Our main event today was to host the RAIB on a training day which was ably hosted by Mick T. The Buffet Car project moved forward with some of the plumbing now installed and preparation for the vehicle's movement tomorrow that will allow installation of the underfloor pipework to be manufactured and installed.

 

The Second Open has had its final coat of Umber and will be released into the world a week on Monday where we hope to enable our two ex Gatwick Express vehicles to be marshalled into a "set" that can travel as well as support our catering ambitions. This involves physically turning them on the back of a customer's vehicle scheduled to be delivered then.

 

The Class 33 team were out in force and seem to have resolve a variety of faults ready for its staring role in March.

 

The Booking Hall received visitors and continued exterior painting as the weather was remarkably kind to us today.

 

Martin

 

 

Thursday 23rd February 2012

Dear all

 

Another day that stretched, or sweated, all our resources.Yesterday's road/rail customer satisfied the Vehicle Acceptance Body that their machine could do all that was necessary on the Tyne and Wear Metro and their representatives were on site to see all was well. Our second customer of the day was new to us but, inevitably, contained a familiar face. All the activity centred on the Incline and they declared they had a most productive day. Eric looked after Customer 1 and Mick T looked after Customer 2 and I am most grateful for this. Customer 2 was lead by a native of Barnsley and there was something of a Barnsley fest as our Mick hails from that Town.

 

John completed the cream on the Second Open and the bogies and solebar were transformed by the application of gloss black. The unpleasant part of this was the removal of the products of the track discharge toilet. The jumper cables also had their first coat of orange and the overall standard of finish is quite spectacular given our primitive conditions.

 

The Buffet Car project continued with materials being sourced and a sink unit changed. The PWT were banished for the day to the area around Ken Rowlands crossing and achieved 10 sleeper changes and the replacement of a cracked fishplate. I also failed to report yesterday that further cleansing of the Shottle site warmed the bodies of those participating.

 

The VCT were also unimpeded today and made further inroads to the lineside vegetation south of Old Lane bridge. The dmu team resolved the defective handbrake on 51360, fitted a new desk piece into the vehicle and renewed the brake blocks on the north end bogie. The Bubble Car project also benefited from another piece of steel let into the roof area.

 

The DTT worked solidly through the week with a cut of the adjacent concrete plinth to allow one of the new doors to open satisfactorily, completion of most of the internal boarding has been done and the linings around the doors resolved. The unsung team of two are working wonders on this building and it is anticipated that tiling will start next week.

 

The Booking Hall continued to keep the forward bookings up to date and Anton, brought out by the warm sunshine, continued with the painting of the exterior of the station buildings.

 

Many compliments have been received about the new webcam pictures and there is still an opportunity to see more of these little wonders by following the PayPal link on the web site. Remember it is not only the acquisition of more cameras but the application of the dedicated twosome that ensure they are hauled up poles and work for your pleasure.

 

Martin

Progress Wednesday 22nd February 2012

Dear all

 

This is the second attempt as the power keeps going on and off, it's like living in the third world, after visiting the Malt Shovel for a post endeavour reviver where the Scottish product is gravity fed thank goodness.

 

However, onwards and upwards before my ramblings are destroyed again. Two customers today, the first accomplishing vibration and noise testing on a road/rail vehicle for the Tyne and Wear Metro and the second demonstrating a new trolley under the watchful eye of London Underground. The team of Mick Thomas, Lewis and Eric Boultbee looked after these welcome visitors very well and Eric's first experience of MTT was certainly an eye opener.

 

The PWT were banished to Shottle and achieve some 26 sleepers drilled, plated and spiked for the lop project in the most miserable of conditions.

 

John is on the last lap with the Second Open with completion expected next week to allow the First Open to be processed through March. The Buffet Car renovation benefited from some extra pairs of hands as the completion date of mid March rushes towards us.

 

The Lone Carriage Cleaner tackled the interior windows and trim of the two car set with some advice and guidance about aligning the screws. She coped with this without batting an eyelid - this woman is a saint!

 

The Booking Hall and reluctant computer boffin achieved great progress with the restoration of the first web cam to be replaced. The end result is now visible on line - unless the power cuts have switched it off again.

 

A very good day.

 

Martin