Monday, 31 May 2010
Progress Bank Holiday Monday 31st May 2010
Sunday, 30 May 2010
Progress Sunday 30th May
Sunshine on a Bank Holiday Sunday at last. To our considerable
satisfaction the till could be heard ringing even from the parlour of
the Malt Shovel and trains were pleasantly well loaded for the first
time this year. The Day with a Driver stayed for every minute of the day.
In other work, the Class 31 received attention, work proceeded at
Duffield and Stokes Paint and Scrubbers addressed the Idridgehay running
in board, amongst other things.
Thanks to all concerned.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Progress Sat 29th May 2010
Mike Evans
Friday, 28 May 2010
Progress Friday 28th May 2010
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Progress Thursday 27th May 2010
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Progress Wednesday 26th May 2010
Tuesday, 25 May 2010
Progress Tuesday 25th May 2010
Monday, 24 May 2010
Progress Monday 24th May 2010
Sunday, 23 May 2010
Progress Sunday 23rd May 2010
Another heroic day of heat exhaustion, especially at Duffield which is
nearer the equator, where the rail temperature reached 38 degrees. The
Sunday P-Way gang laboured to cope with sunburn while removing two G
clamps, greasing 4 sets of fish plates and changing11 sleepers, and in
order to prove their boundless enthusiasm, went on to drop a further 60
sleepers. They will be hosed down shortly.
At Wirksworth the passengers sweltered along at a leisurely 25 mph, with
sales of ice cream going through the roof. The SK carriage ("Pimp my
ride") received cosmetic light bulbs and repairs to its worst armrests
to complete the work to the interior. It is not true that we have fitted
a boomer in the toilet, blue lights to the chassis and a chrome spoiler,
so we can run down the line with the windows open playing bonga bonga
music and mooning to people in Hazelwood.
Meanwhile at Wirksworth Traction Maintenance Depot ("Shed"), the
engineers, in a frenzy of activity, repaired the chugger in the Bubble
Car; fitted new batteries in the 108 and started it (to their
considerable joy); replaced the exhaust of LJ Breeze and washed it (LJ
Breeze, not the exhaust) and adjusted the brakes on the class 117 before
ransacking the cold drink fridge. In the midst of all this the steam
team filled, oiled and polished Ferrybridge No3 and cleared us out of
mineral water.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 22 May 2010
Progress Sat 22nd May 2010
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Friday, 21 May 2010
Progress Friday 21st May 2010
Thursday, 20 May 2010
Progress Thursday 20th May 2010
Wirksworth Carnival 2010 Visitor Information
Our own operating timetable can be viewed at http://www.e-v-r.com/carnival10.htm
Please note the dates of the carnival as they were printed erroneously in the local Community Fayre publication.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
Progress, Wednesday 19th May
Per way had another excellent day and replaced the remaining 18 sleepers of the previous delivery. This has taken the team north of Holloway Road crossing (F2). They also managed to grease 8 pairs of fishplates, as well as loading a wagon full of scrap sleepers. The young team were there again today and were a little slower than yesterday due to various aches and pains from yesterday.
DRE completed the drilling of the rails for the new test obstacle on the Hannages, the assembly now requires its final packing and levelling (with shims)
The Model railway types were busy in their den adding to the set for our junior visitors.
Tomorrow sees ballast fettling and snagging in the Holloway Road area, as well as discharging the old sleepers to the compost heap. The train will depart from Duffield at midday to return to Wirksworth. It will need to overtake the VCT and the flail en route.
Phil
Tuesday, 18 May 2010
Progress, Tuesday 18th May
Martin made a welcome return, after being stuck under a cloud - actually in Venice and delayed by a day due to volcanic ash.
The strength of the per way team at Duffield was doubled by a gang of lads from Intraining, a scheme to get people into work. I must say that our team were very appreciative of the extra help, they will be here tomorrow and Thursday. The new super gang managed 30 sleepers, equalling the highest total this year. They also started to recover scrap material.
The VCT continued around MP 134.25, and have made a great opening around Bluebell Wood south.
The drilling of the new check/bridge rails on the Hannages started but was delayed due to the magdrill suffering from prolonged downtime. A replacement drill eventually arrived - work will continue tomorrow.
No3 had more attention to little niggles and continued to be made ready.
The Carriage group continued work on the Stanier coaches, whilst slowly roasting themselves. The Multiple Unit in Platform 1 had further cleaning carried out.
We also welcomed back a team from Sperry Rail International, who brought some people to be trained on some of their equipment - it was nice to see them back.
Tomorrow sees the new improved per way team at Duffield, and they will lay the remaining sleepers to take us to Holloway Road foot crossing.
The Works train will return to Wirksworth on Thursday around lunchtime ready to be restocked.
Phil
Monday, 17 May 2010
Progress, Monday 17th May
A nice sunny day brought several groups to Wirksworth so that visitors
could have a look around.
Amongst that we had staff from Thales around to survey the removal of various bits from the Underground testing site.We had a further 4 bookings for Group DAD, the postponement of tomorrow's 1530 test due to the customer not being quite ready, this to be replaced by another
customer testing equipment in the yard, whilst another customer has arranged a prelim visit on Friday - the Admin side has been busy!
Some routine cleaning and servicing on the class 20.
Tomorrow sees a big leap forward at Duffield with sleeper changing. This week should see the gangs passing the Holloway Road crossing!
Phil
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Progress Report Sunday the 16th of May 2010
Firstly an apology: Mr Stuart Smith had provided me with a note of an
important operational matter to be conveyed in the course of this
report, which I had carefully lodged in my trouser pocket. Upon my
return to the Chateau Shone I inadvertently conveyed my trousers to the
washing machine without first extricating the said note, which is now
unfortunately in flagrante delicto with my smalls, doing the rounds as
it were. I am sure Mr Smith will present his note to you all personally
after I have reported for the usual interview.
Meanwhile at Duffield, the Sunday P-way team changed 11 sleepers
assisted by the Iceni Explorer Venture Scouts, who were reported to be
tired but happy, as scouts often are. Back at Wirksworth, a sunshiny day
brought out a goodly number of the populace to sample our railway, as
well as a Day with Driver and his guests from the vicinity of Ilkeston.
In the Mess Room the biscuit du jour was the Butter Puff. Those of you
intimately familiar with our Mess Room will know that the Company, in a
show of considerable largess (I quote the General Manager) provides tea,
coffee and sugar, and we the volunteers provide milk, biscuits and
occasionally cake for the mutual refreshment and enjoyment of the
workers, the tea break being a major element of the days doings, indeed
in some cases, the entire element in the days doings. Regrettably, after
a unanimous vote, the Butter Puff has not made it to the list of
approved biscuits (digestives, custard creams, chocolate hob-nobs) on
account of it tasting like the end of a mop.
These trials and tribulations to one side, various manly work took place
in the yard, with the ceiling of the Met Cam centre car receiving
careful priming by Mr Gration and his close personal friend; also the
class 108 exterior was scrubbed with a conscript, after which it was
then scrubbed properly with the Passenger Manager, and although this
vehicle (late of the East Anglian Railway Museum) cannot be described as
pristine, it is receiving a considerable amount of cleaning both
interior and exterior, and had its buffers washed by Rob and its steps
painted by Matt to make it look a bit better.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 15 May 2010
Progress Report Saturday the 15th of May 2010
A pleasant steady sort of day. The passenger service bobbled cheerfully
up and down and the Day with a Driver went home delighted, having first
explained the considerable difficulties of driving up from Norfolk on
the A17, a road very sadly beset by tractors and pig lorries.
Meanwhile several carriages were shunted into platform 1 and a multitude
of the great and the good gathered round to give them some much needed
TLC. The SK had is brakes and vacuum tested and was then cleaned inside
as well as being cleaned outside (for the second time in two weeks). It
now smells strangely of Lily of the Valley. Next to it the gleaming
green Met Cam centre car received further work to its ceilings and a
great deal of chamfering and sanding took place. Next to that the class
108 was washed by the Duty Conscript and further cleaning took place on
the interior, after which the flowers were watered.
In the yard the class 117 received attention to its heaters, these will
no doubt still be required in High Summer. The LMSCA continued their
noble work on the LMS TO (Tourist Open Carriage) and various items of
scrap, donated by our very dear colleagues at Mrs Miggin's, were
despatched to the skip. During this process some buffers and assorted
DMU parts were transmitted by the miracle of forklift truck from the car
park. The Duty Conscript (clearly bonkers) wanted to undertake some
further more masculine manual work, watering the flowers having brought
out his feminine side, so he was given a voluminous bag of Complete
Railway Aggregate Product to dispose of, which he achieved in very short
order indeed.
Notwithstanding all this hoary-handed effort, the afternoon proved
rather quiet on the passenger front. We understand this was due to some
footballing, a sport second only to Dwile Flonking and Shopping for
Ladies Lingerie in the national consciousness.
All the best,
Mike Evans via Anton
Friday, 14 May 2010
Progress, Friday 14th May 2010
A nice quiet day and a chance to catch up on routine work.
The IMT once again went to the 'Racing Straight' and shovel packed
some of the dipped joints, this is normal maintenance work.
The DMU squad have treated Iris, who is now back in service, there was
also routine repairs and upkeep to other vehicles, and a start made on
renewing the brake blocks on the SK coach
Phil
Thursday, 13 May 2010
Progress, Thursday 13th May
After another icy start this morning, things started to warm up. A
team of welders managed to weld the lengths of rail in the 6' on the
Hannages, ready for a customer so we now have a 100m test rail for
cwr testing.
The Per way gang are now well north of the footbridge at Duffield, and
managed to get 22 sleepers changed, the ground conditions being better
than yesterday.
The Flail worked from Holloway road to close to mp 134 and thrashed
back the vegetation on the downside. The VCT carried out more fencing
work north of Postern Lodge and have now completed the section as far
as the river bridge. They also examined a section of fence that a local
farmer rang me up about at 9pm the other evening - I nearly rang him
back at 3am to check the location!
Back at Wirksworth more work by the carriage dept, and further work on
the new Bridge rails, as well as DMU cleaning.
The per way gang re-convene at Duffield at 0900 on Sunday.
Phil
Sunday, 9 May 2010
Progress Sunday the 9th of May 2010
A slightly warmer start saw the recently reformed Sunday P-Way gang
going at it like hammer and tongs at Duffield with 26 sleepers changed
and several others quite surprised. At this rate we will soon be at the
back of Rupert's House. Anyway a hugely successful track day accompanied
by some high level pruning on Holloway Road.
At Wirksworth the fence along the Baileycroft Dock was repaired and
paint applied to the grey brakevan. A little further north, the Duty
Conscript, accompanied by a couple of our own volunteers, finished
laying pipes in the down Cemetary Lane headshunt drain and this now only
needs stoning up before work carries on around the buffer stop.
The newly arrived Met Cam centre car was brought into the platform for
cleaning and is now pristine on the outside, shining greenly in the
sunlight. Work continued on the inside and chassis including painting
and nut tightening, both favourite activities of the DMU team.
The passenger service plodded happily around and the Day with a Driver
went back to Holland very cheerfully. That's Holland the country, not
Holland on Sea. You can't say we're not international here.
ATB, Anton
Saturday, 8 May 2010
Progress Saturday 8th May 2010
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Friday, 7 May 2010
Progress Friday 7th May 2010
Thursday, 6 May 2010
Progress Thursday 6th May 2010
Monday, 3 May 2010
New Stock List Available for Download
Sunday, 2 May 2010
Progress Report Sunday 2nd of May 2010
The day in which the UK economy was saved from Greek catastrophe by a
sudden increase in the sale of thermal underwear. The passenger service
didn't so much throb as potter. However, we persevered and spread
assorted happiness at least as far as Hanley.
Various drains received attention, including a further third of the
incline drain and two tube lengths (about 10 metres) of the down
Cemetary Lane headshunt drain.
The recently arrived Mark 1 SK carriage was entirely hand washed by new
volunteer Martin and a great deal of green mould removed from its
exterior parts. Some tree attention took place on the line south of
Idridgehay and the Duffield staff paid a visit. An amount of trouser
splitting took place, and a Safe Trouser Working Methodology is now
being sought for the derailer.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Progress Saturday 1st May 2010
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