Monday, 31 March 2014
Progress Monday 31st March 2014
Sunday, 30 March 2014
Progress Report Sunday the 30th of March 2014
Dear all,
A rather pleasant warm day saw us pottering around with our passengers and visitors for Mother's Day. Down the yard JCB Purves carried on with the repaint job on the Cromford and High Peak water carrier, and Smiths Industries finished the second gloss coat on the LMSCA Third Open, now quite resplendent. Work also carried on in the EVRA SK. Perkins Colledge
completed a delightful experience of the narrow gauge and will soon be running an express service, almost as fast as a man can walk.
The Passenger Department continued with the joy of stuffing and only a small shedload of this charming task is still to be done. Outside Lynette dealt a blow to the weeds of the west embankment and Anne created a new feature at Duffield, which fine work is illustrated here.
Also outside, and back at base, the entire and utter tarmac supply was
used up filling our range of winter potholes, and you can now sail past
the Booking Hall as smoothly as a ship at sea, possibly the Hesperus.
Meanwhile, the DMU team ripped out more orange Formica and spent the entire day being frustrated by a windscreen wiper.
All the best,
Anton
Friday, 28 March 2014
Progress Report Friday the 28th of March 2014
Dear all,
A more or less pleasant day apart from a fall of heavy dew just before
four o'clock. We entertained both steam and diesel experience guests to very nearly ecstatic reviews and much chuffing around attracted a number of visitors giving the buffet quite a shock.
Down the yard, the LMSCA wittled their way around their Third Open and only a modicum of doors will see this vehicle watertight in a very soon moment.
The Station Foremen attended to a range of Complete Railway Aggregate Products dumped around the museum and brake van display, including enough oily rags to set fire to a small town, preferably not ours, and these have been properly filed in the bin marked "Use This Not The Floor: You Are Not At Home Now".
The Booking Hall, assisted by the said Foremen, spent the day dealing with the second quarter of the AGM mail out and numerous postmen will be spreading the joy of the Annual Report to you all over the next few days.
All the best,
Anton
Supplementary Friday 28th March 2014
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Progress Thursday 26th March 2014
Wednesday, 26 March 2014
Progress Wednesday 26th March 2014
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Progress Tuesday 25th March 2014
Sunday, 23 March 2014
Progress Report Sunday the 23rd of March 2014
Dear all,
A most pleasant and often sunny day with the occasional twinge of hail and the odd shower. We were delightfully busy with the first main event of the season, and I would like to thank everyone for making it such as success, it being a model example of the Air of Publicity.
Down the yard, work continued on the Austerity and the DMU team carried
on with assorted cab fittings to unit 50253, as well as windows and the heartening process of stripping out that foul 1980s orange Formica which is such a festering plague on heritage railcars.
A polite reminder to all staff, this being the beginning of the main
season, that we issue Operational Orders for the enlightenment and thoughtful control of our operations and for the care of our passengers: reading them diligently is your job because should you not know what you are doing we may possibly regard you in the same way as we regard orange Formica.
With kind regards,
Anton
Daily Report Saturday 22 /03/2014
A good start to our homefleet gala as the 3 car and 33035 worked between Wirksworth and Duffield , 55006 and 55012 served the Ravenstor line and Breeze was employed on drive a diesel on platform one and had a staring role on radio Derby .
The 5 inch and model railway looked after the smaller visitors to the railway.
The Pullman buffet was kept busy serving plenty of bacon butties as well as looking after the birthday party.
The Dmu group completed further restoration work on 50253.
The 8f group worked on drilling out the stays on Kathryn as well as helping Oakes enterprises with further work on the Duke.
Anton was kept busy sorting a power supply when the whole of Wirksworth lost its power supply.
All in all another good day with loads of praise for the staff from the passengers.
Many thanks to all who worked hard to make this a special day.
ATB John Evans
Friday, 21 March 2014
Progress Report Friday the 21st of March 2014
Dear all,
A rather chilly kind of day alternating between sunshine and showers saw us entertaining the RAIB as well as assorted visitors. Down the yard the
LMSCA thundered along, and nearby the EVRA CK had its door backs attended to. All the vehicles for use over the coming weekend have been inspected, the usual finishing touches of clean antimaccassars applied, and our signature smell of Lilly of the Valley now pervades many a sparkling compartment.
The station staff, whose inspection regime is very nearly regimental, have been to Ravenstor and cleared the paths ready for its first day of use this season, and around the station at Wirksworth everything which could be polished has been polished. The crossing trespass guards have been replaced and renewed; and as well as repairs to the collapsed south carriage siding footgate, the Station Foremen also frightened the Mess Room floor with a large application of Flash.
All the best,
Anton
Thursday, 20 March 2014
Progress Thursday 20th March 2014
Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Progress Wednesday 19th March 2014
Tuesday, 18 March 2014
Progress Tuesday 18th March 2014
To you all at Derbyshire's friendly and successful community railway, I wonder if I might ask you to circulate the following and attached to your members for me please this is a new venture that we are trying to hopefully get it on the rails so to speak
Here attached are the details of my presentation, Steaming to the End the last years of B.R. steam on behalf of the Mickleover Model Railway Group, at Mickleover Royal British Legion, Poppyfields Drive off Western Road Mickleover on Thursday March 27th at 7 - 30 admission is £3 refreshments are available and there is a large free car park. If you know of anyone in the area who you think may be interested to come along please feel free to pass this email on to them or get them to contact me at my email address, mike.dawson713@hotmail.co.uk .
Thanks for reading this,
Regards Mike Dawson
PPS - A little steam from today - http://youtu.be/P5KFyIaankU
PPS - Sport Relief Train Pull tomorrow morning at Wirksworth at around 1000 - all welcome to cheer the Network Rail team on.
Sunday, 16 March 2014
Progress Report Sunday the 16th of March 2014
Dear all,
The vast improvement in the weather, of almost two weeks of consecutive sunshine, has seen the pulse of the railway quicken, and the new season is about to be upon us. The passenger service had a modestly successful day, as did the buffet, with many visitors looking around, and with a surprising number of them "on holiday".
The place was a hive of activity with work going on in the Mk1 SK; with
extensive painting of the Austerity, not only of frames and wheels but of many other parts. Close by, Purves Jenkins Enterprises also got some paint very close to the CHPR water carrier before turning their attention to tidying the car park, ready for next week's Home Fleet Weekend. The Duty Conscript also did some car park clearance, and this being the start of the season, a polite reminder that things abandoned in the car park will be removed, burnt, scrapped, sawn up into very small pieces by boy scouts or eaten.
A considerable amount of gardening took place, we entertained the guerilla gardeners, the station embankment got a good weeding and the platform 1 flowerbeds also received attention. Final items of detritus left over from the removal of the former south platform foot crossing were disposed of and the carriage watering pipe duly buried. The south end of the station is now back to its rightful condition.
The Training Room roof received a second coat of bitumen paint in order to deal with its inscrutable leak, and the balance of the paint was used to prep an assortment of potholes in station approach which will shortly be receiving a multi-million pound order of tarmac.
In the station, the £30 international phone rewiring project undertaken
by the UK division of NASA was completed, and all our phones can now ring off the hook while we look at them in amazement. The DMU Team
occupied themselves with bulbs, and the cab of unit 50253 is now replete
with things that light up, flash and which you can plug your iPad into, a well known feature of 1950s DMUs. Close by C.Lings and Village Green
repaired the roof of Iris and went on to recover a number of vital and
strange parts known to many of us as "pre-used".
Will the person who has the Training Room key in their pants please return it.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 15 March 2014
Daily report Saturday 15th March 2014
A sunny but cool day here on Derbyshires friendly railway as the 122 Bubble car shuttled our passengers between Wirksworth and Duffield many of which where on holiday in the surrounding area and were looked after by John,Richard and Vince.
Wirksworth was a hive of activity as fire and first aid refresher practical shunting and customer service training took place during the day.
The DMU group completed further work on 50253 and cleaned the three car unit ready for next week Home Fleet Gala the 33035 swapped places with 31414 and the pit being serviced for its starring role in next Saturdays line up.
Peter ran a course on the narrow gauge.
The 8f group drilled out more stays on the fire box of Katheryn and assisted Oakes enterprises with the Duke.
The LMSCA completed further work on the third open as its restoration moves steadly forward.
My thanks go out to Eric,John,Julie and Michael for looking after Fred one of our regular passengers after his slight accident today as it shows regular training pays off.
All in all a productive day.
ATB John Evans
Friday, 14 March 2014
Progress Report Friday the 14th of March 2014 [1 Attachment]
Dear all,
A generally pleasant dry day here in the Peak District, we were happy to receive several guests for their Driver Experiences of our diesel railcar. This tootled down to Duffield both in the morning and in the afternoon. At Duffield various painting was being undertaken, and back at base the LMSCA were working on their various carriages with the main focus being on the renewal of the moquette in the SK, with a complete set of new red seats in each compartment on the way.
In the process of getting ready for the new season and next week's train
pull, the Station Staff have been tidying up round Wash Green Bridge and have removed a large amount of various tat which had accumulated there.
This part of the railway is now pristine once more and the grass has been mown round the Workshop. For those of you not familiar with this quality building I attach a photo of it, in its newly tarted up state, complete with a couple of temporary borrowed flower pots. I am told the flower pots contain a number of rare Petunias as well as some even rarer Euphoniums, which we have watered diligently.
All the best,
Anton
Thursday, 13 March 2014
Progress Thursday 13th March 2014
Wednesday, 12 March 2014
Progress Wednesday 12th March 2014
Tuesday, 11 March 2014
Progress Tuesday 11th March 2014
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Progress Report Sunday the 9th of March 2014
Dear all,
A very lovely warm spring day here in the Peak District. This naturally
brought out the paint pots and the 14th coat was applied to various
parts of the Third Open. A restart was made to painting the Cromford and
High Peak Water carrier and nearby the application of bitumen paint to
the roof of the Training Room eventually identified the probable source
of a repetitive leak problem: typically nowhere near the leak itself.
Painting also spread as far as the frames of the Austerity.
A leisurely day of passengers was improved by a party from Willersley
Castle, who declared themselves to be very happy with their day at our
railway. Down the line at Duffield the Station Foreman discovered that a
spike sticking out in the car park was attached to an entire sleeper and
the Foreman and the Underforeman proceeded to dig it out.
Station work also took place at Wirksworth with JCB Purves having a
morning litter picking then painting and an afternoon tidying up the
Cess Path from the south end of platform 1, which had acquired far too
many random and junk items for the satisfaction of the Stationmaster,
whose dim view of junk around the station is world famous. The back
office received a good seeing to from the family Cooke, and is now a
fine shade of magnolia. This endeavour was followed with an inspection
by Stokes Telecoms Refurbishments and Parts and there will shortly be a
multi-million pound re-cabling of the back office telephone.
In the yard, the DMU team spread itself around unit 50253 with Bramson
Enterprises scraping and painting the handbrake, and with the cab desk
being progressed as well as the door frames. Today's Mess Room dish was
mainly trifle.
All the best,
Anton.
Saturday, 8 March 2014
Daily Report Saturday 8th March 2014
Another cold and drizzly day on Derbyshires Friendly railway but even this failed to deter our hardened passengers from traveling behind 55006 which ran the daily Wirksworth -Duffield service with the help of Lewis , Richard and Andrew.
Down the yard Graham , Ollie and Lewis assisted with vital checks on 31414 in its preparation for the up and coming Home fleet gala which will be held on the 22nd and 23ed of March .
Leigh and Jake worked in the cab of 50253 as it progresses slowly to being ready for the multiple memories w/end.in Sept.
The 8f group were busy drilling more of Kathryns copper stays out as part of her essential repairs..
Oakes enterprises were to be found preparing the Austerity tank loco the Duke for the refitting of her springs and eventually its wheels.
The Lmca were busy working on the windows of the third openup in the shed.
All in all another good day as we start our new season here in Wirksworth.
ATB John Evans
Friday, 7 March 2014
Progress Report Friday the 7th of March 2014
Dear all,
A rather pleasant and almost spring day here in Wirksworth. The main
theme of the day appears to have been the application of paint, the Third Open having reached its 13th coat of paint; the station back office having received its first coat of paint in 14 years, and the SK receiving an application of seating compartment varnish, down the yard.
The station resounded to the sound of planning, and more problem solving towards the irritatingly leaky Training Room roof. Iris received cleaner's attention and a great deal of measuring took place amongst the yard point work ready for a booked event next week.
All the best,
Anton
Thursday, 6 March 2014
Progress Thursday 6th March 2014
Wednesday, 5 March 2014
Progress Wednesday 5th March 2014
Tuesday, 4 March 2014
Progress Tuesday 4th March 2014
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Progress Report Sunday the 2nd of March 2014
Dear all,
A pleasant start but a rather damp afternoon saw us plugging away at
various tasks. The passenger service tootled up and down in its usual quiet way for this time of year and the Booking Hall staff ploughed through some inevitable administration and a large quantity of statistics.
Down the yard the Third Open was sanded. For those of you wondering at the repetition of sanding and painting, the Third Open is a historic
vehicle and is being painted in a historic way, it will need about 15 coats of paint and varnish in the end.
Nearby the DMU team spread itself around and the restoration of unit
50253 continued with work on the destination box and the cab. Unit 51188 received and completed its "C" exam and was also addressed with a mop.
LJ Breeze was greased in parts and the oil was changed in the final of three final drives.
JCB Purves carried on with the filling of a trench and the removing of various stones so that the mower can run round the workshop when the grass starts to grow again.
Will Booking Hall staff please note that the Museum and Brake Van
display are open on and from this week every day except Mondays. The Talking Tunnel has temporarily expired but will no doubt be talking again once the work on the car park embankment is done.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Daily report Saturday 1st march 2014
Another cold frosty morning greeted the visitors to Derbyshires friendly railway as 55006 shuttled between Wirksworth and Duffield crewed by Eric and the 2 Richards .
By dinner the sun was out and more walkers and visitors were to be found in the pullman buffet.
Down the yard the Dmu group were to be refurbishing the 101 as well as replacing the oil on Breeze.
Oaks enterprises and the 8f group were busy working on the Duke and sorting out a power supple for the 8fs coach.
We hosted another induction day and pts course for our new volunteers in the training room as well as transferring the office down to the old operations office.
Evra and Wyvern rail held a joint meeting in the Red Lion to look at all aspects of Operational requirements for this season.
A steady start to march and my thanks go out to all .
ATB John Evans