Sunday, 30 September 2012
Progress Report Sunday the 30th of September 2012
A modest day of seasonal weather here in the far flung Peak. Our Diesel
Weekend attracted people from all over the country once again, proved by
the Marketing Department, which had dragged itself out of the 45th floor
hot tub today to do some market research, before returning to the 45th
floor to collate the results and whip the servants this evening. For the
rest of us, the day passed pleasantly, and we pottered around down the
valley and thundered slowly up the hill, picking up passengers and
surprising random sheep at footpath five.
Unlike last week, whose main theme had been wood, this week the main
theme down the yard was paint. The Duty Conscript, assisted by the Under
Duty Conscript, carried on painting the station fence and primed a
selection of new scotches. The LMS brake van received paint to its
interior, as indeed did the brake compartment of railcar M55006 to its
ceiling, as well as primer to its north end front. Other parts of the
DMU team carried on the mammoth task of tidying the stores and
discovering things we never suspected we had, or at least never
suspected we had half a dozen of them.
Thanks to all concerned for this weekend's efforts.
All the best,
Anton
Friday, 28 September 2012
Progress Friday 28th September 2012
Thursday, 27 September 2012
Progress Thursday 27th September 2012
Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Progress Wednesday 26th September 2012
Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Progress Tuesday 25th September 2012
Monday, 24 September 2012
Progress Monday 24th September 2012
Further tasks included coaling No3 as a late finish on Friday meant this wasn't too popular at the time.
In addition to this a full 6 monthly inspection of Gorsey Bank and Idridgehay level crossing was carried out as well as lubricating the hindges and oiling the locks.
The booking office and buffet had limited visitors mainly due to the bad
weather.
MKT.
Sunday, 23 September 2012
Progress Report Sunday the 23rd of September 2012
Well, a rather cold and ultimately wet day conspired to keep us on the
quiet side, but we pottered around happily with passengers coming and
going as far afield as West London and Aberystwyth. While the weather
remained dry some gardening took place and a start was made by the Duty
Conscript on painting the station frontage fence. This theme continued
with repairs to the platform 1 south end fence and with a generous
donation of wood and planking, which has rendered our wood store
resplendent, resplendent I say, in useful material,. No doubt this will
bring considerable joy to the heart of the Station Foreman, who does
like a nice bit of wood.
Down the yard, Electric Train Heating work proceed on the Royal Saloon
and we look forward to the many warm parts this will bring in the chilly
British winter. The DMU team, a team of two halves, worked respectively
on the panelling of the Bubble Car guards van, and on sorting the
stores. Indeed six man-days of work now enable us to enter the first
foot or so of the stores and we look forward to being able to get
further in as sorting progresses. Stores also formed a curious part of
the activity of the class 20 group who were collecting some things left
behind when the locomotive moved to Washwood Heath for its engine
change, including a horn cover which fell off outside the Wirksworth
Sweetie Shop.
Finally, after finding that the Booking Hall hoover was failing to
perform, an intensive and wide-ranging investigation with a large
screwdriver found the suction pipe to be blocked by a piece of coal the
size of a golf ball. Will staff please note that the hoover is intended
for the Booking Hall carpet and is not intended to suck large items off
the footplate.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 22 September 2012
Progress Report 22nd September 2012
A warm and sunny day down at Derbyshire's favourite branch line brought out good numbers of visitors to our railway. Starting at Duffield we had a number of passengers travelling on through tickets from as far as Leicester. At Wirksworth we welcomed a day with the driver guest from Warwick. The miniature railway was open and continues to attract younger visitors. Down the training room three courses were delivered:- First Aid, Personal Track Safety and an Induction course which was very well attended. A warm welcome to our new volunteers and hope they have a long and happy association with the railway.
Down the yard the DMU quick fix fitters successfully rectified a fault with Breeze's battery wiring as well as undertaking an annual inspection of the centre car. The restoration team focussed their skills upon the Guard's van panels and trim of the bubble car and a small band raided Aunty Wainwright's coach for spare doors and found a surprising assortment of said objects, photo attached.
All the best,
Tom
Friday, 21 September 2012
Progress Friday 21st September 2012
Thursday, 20 September 2012
Progress Thursday 20th September 2012
Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Progress Wednesday 19th September 2012
Martin
Tuesday, 18 September 2012
Progress Tuesday 18th September 2012
Monday, 17 September 2012
Progress Monday the 17th of September 2012
VCT were down to 2 subjects but still managed 1 fire working between Jebbs lane and Barnsley lane. Mike Billings has been out with the flail in the same area and managed about a 1/3 of a mile.
Weed kill team were lost with no weeds so joined the P way team for the day.
Dave Newby gave the buffet his further attentions and visitors to said emporium were reasonable given the time if year.
MKT.
Sunday, 16 September 2012
Progress Report Sunday the 16th of September 2012
A day of middling weather, sometimes warm and sometimes cold, but at
least dry. The passenger service poddled up and down it in usual quiet
way, with the highlights being a returning group of students to
Birmingham University, of which more in a moment, and a party of
ramblers to Duffield.
The students, known to their friends as the Pan Pacific P-way Gang, have
been relaying part of the north end of the yard near Cemetery Lane
Bridge, as a training exercise, and in so far as this part of the yard
has hardly been touched in our stewardship, it has been most rewarding
for all concerned.
Around the rest of the yard the main emphasis of the day seemed to be
tidying up. The Duty Conscript set to with a shovel and a wheelbarrow
and cleared the Dust Dock of a huge amount of weeds and tat which had
accumulated, and the Dock is now back to its fairly presentable self,
after some miscellaneous fence repairs, and the removal of oddly
accumulated rubbish by a passing resident of Sutton on the Hill.
The DMU team were also very busy tidying things up, but stopped
occasionally to engage in the national Jaffa Cake eating contest, which
today was held in our Mess Room. The winner appears to be Jack Marshall
who said he would like to be awarded something large and woody.
Finally and separately from today's joy of running trains, a courteous
reminder to Guards to adhere to the timetable at intermediate stations.
All the best,
Anton
Friday, 14 September 2012
Progress Thursday the 13th of September
Neil hosted one of our shareholders from America today running a train for him to Duffield which resulted in our coffers expanding somewhat and Neil may like to expand on the days outing.
VCT again in action at Hazelwood with the down side of the first straight South of the Station now cleared to the ground - about 1/2 mile.
Mike Evans was in attendance putting more effort into the bubble car roof with the rest of the DMU group spending the rest of the afternoon fueling and shunting the stock for this weekends operation inti position to avoid conflict with the pending relaying work in the North yard.
MKT.
Wednesday, 12 September 2012
Progress Report 12th September 2012
Today started with the PWT travelling to Shottle to pick up some piping to enable them to progress their drainage work in the yard. The lone carriage cleaner tackled Iris then spent most of the day deep cleaning the General Manager's office. Our filing fairy was in attendance and has completed an up to date matrix of training records. Dave N continued his work on the Pulman Buffet's electrical supply.
This afternoon we welcomed a group of Managers from East Midlands Trains who were on a team day out. They enjoyed a buffet lunch before taking the opportunity to take the controls of the Class 33 and Iris as well as visiting the model railway or travelling on the narrow gauge. Finally, five guards attended a course at Duffield Station on guarding loco hauled trains and run round procedures.
Tom
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Progress Report Tuesday the 11th of September 2012
A delightful day of pootling around our cheerful little railway. We had
the most successful Tuesday of any this year, with no less than three
groups visiting us, as well as passengers from a wide range of places on
the National Network. Around the station repair work and tidying up took
place along the Dust Dock fence and also in the weighbridge, together
with some much needed cleaning after the weekend's merriment, plus
changing of DMU seat cushions and antimaccassars to keep the interior of
our operational units looking presentable.
Down the yard the LMSCA had nearly finished the north end structure of
their Brake Third Open, and were in the process of making a larger
window reveal to add an additional seating bay. The DMU team succeeded
in identifying and rectifying a fault with the gear box of Iris, and she
now moves with considerable agility, given that both engines are in
agreement.
The steam team tended to the needs of No 3, which is operational and
ready for traffic, and also moved Henry Ellison from its long resident
place in the shed to the Museum Siding, where it will be made ready for
its trial steaming shortly, a work of considerable endeavour and a
credit to all concerned.
This evening the Marketing Department descended from the heady heights
of the 45th floor of Wyvern Towers (the one with the sauna, jacuzzi and
the weekly toga party) to make a presentation to the fourth group of the
day and to despatch them by the miracle of the 150 brake horse power
diesel engine to Shottle, to enjoy the delights of the Railway Inn and
to return from thence in the late evening, watching the sun set over the
valley.
All the best,
Anton
Monday, 10 September 2012
Addendum to Progress 10th Sep
Nearly forgot, a stalwart member of PWT Tony Watt spent the day cleaning
up fishbolts for this weekends relay in a get up that can only be described as a fish mongers green plastic apron and orange overalls covered from head to foot in a kind of oily , parrafiny, greasy sort of gunge. The sacrifices made to save the company a bob or two know no bounds.
MKT.
Progress Monday 10th September 2012
Back to standard weather today with a mid day charter keeping the PWT
in the yard at Wirksworth. However much was achieved with the level crossing near the shed extended Southwards, a new drain run excavated alongside the single slip to prevent the switches flooding and then freezing into a solid block of ice this winter, fishbolts freed off on this weekends relay on 2 road, all chairs and screws moved to site for said relay, a start made on the carriage road extension and the ground frames at Duffield adjusted to rectify non compliance after last weeks inspection.
Weed execution team pulled up weeds on the incline and then spent some time winterising there vehicle - anti freeze etc.
Buffet was busy with stock deliveries and customers.
Lots of shunting to free up Ellison the steamer in order to extract from the shed on Tues and making up the coaching stock for Wed charters.
VCT were busy at Hazelwood in spite of their efforts being slightly curtailed due to train operations still managed 2 fires.
A lone personage(Rodney) spent the day at Duffield repairing the mower and cutting the grass.
Another busy Monday
MKT.
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Saturday, 8 September 2012
Progress Report Saturday 8th September 2012
Friday, 7 September 2012
Progress Friday 6th September 2012
Thursday, 6 September 2012
Supplemental Progress Thursday 6th September 2012
Progress Thursday 6th September 2012
Progress Thursday 6th September 2012
Wednesday, 5 September 2012
Progress Wednesday 5th September 2012
Tuesday, 4 September 2012
Progress Tuesday 4th September 2012
Progress Monday 3rd September 2012.
Other PWT jobs include refurbishing the bolts needed to install the aforementioned switch, a little light shunting to recover empty wagons from the car park and lubrication, inspection and FPL check on the ground frames at Wirksworth.
VCT had a positive day at Idridgehay and Jebbs Lane with two fires and much flailing with the Komatsu between Idridgehay and bridge 11.
Bob the builder a.k.a. Dave Newby was busy fitting door frames and doors to the interior stock rooms in the station buffet to prevent stock going walkabout.
Weed kill gang carried out a final cull of weeds from Wirksworth to Callow Park cutting and have now used up this years allocation of weedkiller.
Buffet had a few visitors in the morning to swell the coffers a tad and a positive day was had by all.
MKT.
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Progress Report Sunday the 2nd of September 2012
Well, a very wonderful, peaceful day here in the centre of the known
universe (Peak District Division). The weather was pleasant to a high
degree and we pottered around running trains, fixing things, generating
happiness and being exceptionally complimented on the loveliness of our
Railway by our passengers. The till couldn't quite be heard ringing in
the parlour of the Malt Shovel, but it tinkled merrily as far as the
Alport turn-off: quite a creditable outcome for a routine Sunday.
At the south end of the line, the weed infestation was being addressed
with particular zeal by the Station Foreman at Duffield, and his
compatriot at Wirksworth was addressing a broken bench with equal
dedication. In the yard at Wirksworth a loud buzzing noise indicated the
application of the power chisel to the interior rust and flaking paint
of the second class compartment of railcar W51073 (the 119), and outside
on the shed road, our top quality fitters were running up the
reconditioned engine which had been put into the class 117 power car.
The class 31 received interior cleaning and the smell of Pine Fresh
wafted over the down sidings. The LMS brake van, oft quoted in these
annals on a Sunday, is now receiving its gloss top coat and should
probably win an award for its exhaustive and careful restoration.
For those of you interested in a little one-off excitement, the Oaks
Foraging Team will be returning (with due permissions) to Denby on
Saturday the 8th of September for the recovery of concrete crank benches
and the remaining rodding stools. Assembly is 9 am at Wirksworth and 10
am at Denby.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 1 September 2012
Progress Report Saturday 1st September 2012
A busy day at Derbyshire's favourite branch line. Starting at Duffield, the station team were engaged in cultivating the lawn in between their normal passenger related duties. Our train services ran up and down the valley with fair passenger numbers on all trains. Interestingly we are now welcoming regular passengers on our 10.20 Wirksworth to Duffield service each Saturday who are travelling to Derby to shop. Also on the 11.10 Duffield to Wirksworth service we welcomed passengers from Nottingham and Long Eaton travelling with through tickets from East Midlands trains.
The Wirksworth yard was a hive of activity with the DMU team installing a new engine in 51360 as well as attending to the task of preparing the class 119 in readiness to fix the seats into place.The LMSCA have finished the emulsioning of 162. Work continues on the LMS brake van with more planing and chiseling.
The narrow gauge, miniature and model railways were all open to visitors today and we played host to a group of photographers from Ocean Hampton who were revisiting the line, cameras in hand, following their private charter last year.
A most enjoyable day.
All the best,
Tom