Monday, 30 December 2013
Progress Monday 30th December 2013
A mostly wet and breezy day which saw the usual Monday slumber awoken early by the arrival of Allelys to collect the Class 108 E50599 and Class 101 E51505. These vehicles have gone to the Bluebell Railway on loan for a few months to operate winter services there. Not only is it the first time a DMU has operated on the Bluebell (remembering that the Bluebell has been operating as a heritage concern for the whole length of time these vehicles have been built) but it will also be the first time these two vehicles have operated as a pair because they face the same way with us.
After this excitement, some small shed improvements were undertaken and some painting took place in the guards van of 50253.
Leigh
Sunday, 29 December 2013
Progress Report Sunday the 29th of December 2013
Dear all,
A rather pleasant sunny winters day saw the Austerity Team scraping their chassis and painting their parts. In the shed, the Tarp Tuggers were also busy painting, welding, stocktaking (!) and measuring glass in relation to unit 50253, as well as making last minute improvements to the two units going to the Bluebell. This was shortly followed by the
antimaccassars being checked to make sure little greasy fingered tykes hadn't been in to muck up our pristine presentation.
Back at the station the New Year ritual of changing the timetables took place which also involved cleaning the running in boards. This was followed by sweeping the forecourt, which is also part of a process to record our assorted potholes, with a view to dealing with them once the weather warms up.
All the best,
Anton
Friday, 27 December 2013
Progress Report Friday the 27th of December 2013
Dear all,
It was slightly breezy round our parts today, as it often is in December, although this seemed to be major news to the media, presumably who all live in Surrey and to whom wind is probably something the cat has. Meanwhile, the Christmas hangover continued and so we tidied up as quietly as possible.
Down the yard, the tidying up included the Tool Van and at the station the wheelie bin had been miraculously emptied by the skip fairies and so we filled it again.
The Higham Charter rumbled its way down the line, pausing only for a very short moment to allow a senior magistrate to address a tree with the loppers, but the line in general was gratifyingly tree free, a testament to the work being done to keep our wood nice and presentable.
All the best,
Anton
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
Bah Humbug progress Christmas eve 2013.
Plenty of people around the railway today from LMSCA and the steam team. However, since they decamped long before we returned we haven't the slightest idea what they were doing today- though I suspect more of the usual.
P Way trundled off to Shottle with the Komatsu and the land rover with tools since no breeze driver was forthcoming. This allowed us a useful check on the line for fallen trees etc.
Land was levelled out on the down side of the loop to form a stock ground for all the unused copings laid around the site and said copings were duly removed to their long term resting place. The turned out rail in the up side track was replaced along with all the missing fish bolts on the up side of the loop. A rail has been removed at the south end of the down side loop for protection so we can use this side for the works train during further works. Points at each end of the loop have been normalised, clipped, scotched and the switch blades secured with fishplates in the time honoured manner for out of use points pending their connection to ground frames in the near future. This means that from today up and down trains will travel through Shottle station on the up side track and although the platform wall is now complete the platform surface remains to be done so trains will not stop here just yet,.A lot of work completed by a gang of four.
Did you know that days off during Christmas holidays since the dinosaurs vanished has been approx 130 million days which equates world wide to approx 390 trillion trillion man days of wasted labour. And people moan there just isn't enough time to do anything- well I know the cure for that! Bah Humbug.
Cheers MKT.
Season's Greetings
Sunday, 22 December 2013
Progress Report Sunday the 22nd of December 2013
Dear all,
Well, the final day of Santa Trains saw us entertaining children and adults alike throughout the day: we have had tremendous feedback and, with one or two tweaks, we seem to have a winning formula. Many thanks to everyone involved in securing such a successful outcome.
In the background, the Tarp Tuggers, sorry the DMU Team, stormed along with wiring and Formica stripping in unit 50253, as well as undertaking some much needed yard tidying jobs. At Duffield, the Station Foreman also carried on the theme of tidying up.
I convey, from this cheerful corner of the inglenook fireplace at the Whore and Trumpet (A Marston's House), which is strangely full of elves, reindeer and Santa's Christmas Wheelbarrow, and where my feet are even now being embrocated in a bucket, the warmest good wishes to you all for the Festive Season. May Santa empty his sack in your sock and may your
Yule Log be seen burning brightly in the night from far distant and remote places.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 21 December 2013
Progress Report Saturday 21st December 2013
Dear All,
The penultimate Santa trains were our main focus today with three packed services to the North Pole.
Down the yard the LMSCA and DMU teams worked on their respective projects.
Compliments of the Season
Tom
Thursday, 19 December 2013
Progress Thursday 19th December 2013
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Progress Wednesday 18th December 2013
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Progress Tuesday 17th December 2013
Train Twinning
Sunday, 15 December 2013
Progress Report Sunday the 15th of December 2013
Dear all,
The main activity of the day was once again Santa, and all things
considered we did remarkably well with busy trains and happy small people. My thanks once again to all involved.
Down the yard the Austerity Team, which is not a government department devoted to tanking the economy back to 1948, continued with their parts,
as well as baking gently in their brake van.
In the shed the DMU team continued with their efforts in the form of giving the guards van of 50253 its first gloss coat of paint and restoring some of its Formica. By way of celebration the DMU team are at this very moment having a conflagration at a certain Chinese restaurant.
Sorry, a collation at a certain Chinese restaurant.
All the best,
Anton
Saturday, 14 December 2013
Progress Report Saturday 14th December 2013
Dear All,
The main focus today was the second weekend of our Santa Trains. All services to the North Pole were fully booked and thank you to everyone who, despite a very tight schedule, helped ensure all trains departed on time. Our new catering arrangements for the Santa Trains is proving exceptionally popular with our visitors and I attached a photograph of a very festive decorated T.S.O.
Compliments of the Season,
Tom
Friday, 13 December 2013
Progress Report Friday the 13th of December 2013
Dear all,
A day of leisurely preparation for the weekend's Santa trains, around the station, in the vehicles and in the buffet.
The Booking Hall's administrative powers were put into gear stuffing the annual Christmas Greeting to Shareholders, and this will be hitting your doormats in a very soon moment.
Down the yard the Head of DMUs attended to his charges and the LMSCA attended to the Third Open, which received more spray paint and became increasingly watertight.
The Station Foremen spent the morning on the monthly inspection and then fixed various things which had fallen off due to rot and over-excitement.
All the best,
Anton
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Progress Thursday 12th December 2013
Progress The day between Monday and Wednesday
Deserved praise for the VCT
Hi Martin
I have received an email from one of the parents who uses the path over the railway line in Duffield. They have asked me to express their thanks for the work you have done to widen the gates and posts.
I would also like to pass on my thanks and to let you know that I appreciate all the work you have done over the last 5 years to improve access on paths over the railway line.
Best wishes
Martin Coleman
Rights of Way Inspector
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Progress Wednesday 11th December 2013
Sunday, 8 December 2013
Progress Report Sunday the 8th of December 2013
Dear all,
A pleasant winter day, largely dry and sunny, saw teams working on both
the LMS Brake Van and Railcar 50253. However the main theme of the day
was of course Santa and we spread a great deal of happiness around
especially amongst a large number of small people. We received
compliments and commendations too numerous to mention but I would like
to thank our cadets in particular for their contribution today (a giant
economy pack of hand gel will be available shortly) also the fitters in
dealing with the day's engineering challenge and the train crew in
dealing with the Santa experience as well as the surprise embankment
experience.
All the best,
Anton.
Daily report Saturday 7th December
Friday, 6 December 2013
Progress Report Friday the 6th of December 2013
Dear all,
A slightly chilly day saw the LMSCA welding the roof of the Third Open in the balmy confines of the shed, however the welder expired, technically the welding machine as opposed to the welder himself, and this saw the hoped for culmination of a finished roof missed by a short hair.
Down the line, the windy woodland bowsaw gang (which makes it sound like the Trumpton Fire Brigade had a secret criminal life) endeavoured to clear the line of newly blown tree parts.
For the rest of us, the morning began by manning the National Confused Customer Helpline, followed by an afternoon of the European Tinsel Challenge.
I am most grateful for all the assistance given towards Santa
preparation, from bookings to presents, from electrics to decorations, and thank everyone involved, in whatever capacity. While I don't know about anyone else, I propose to be face down in a wheelbarrow outside the Whore and Trumpet (A Marston's House) for some time to come.
All the best,
Anton
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Progress Thursday 5th December 2013
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Supplementary Progress Wednesday 4th December 2013
Progress 4th December 2013
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Progress Tuesday 3rd December 2013
Monday, 2 December 2013
Santa Specials Booking for This Weekend
Sunday, 1 December 2013
Progress Report Sunday the 1st of December 2013
Dear all,
A delightfully sunny winter day here in the Gem of the Peak, which brought a multitude of Santa's Little Helpers who beavered away in the Present Preparation Emporium, while the dwarves blew out the fuses on several sets of Christmas lights. The tree arrived at an astonishingly convenient time (compared to when it usually arrives) and this was put up in a very soon moment before being decked out in Yuletide Celebrants (No elves were inebriated during this process).
Meanwhile, down the yard, the Tarp Tuggers (the shed seems to have acquired a tarpaulin for bad weather operations) proceeded with the grinding and welding of unit 56223 as well as fitting the carriage connection bellows and painting the guard's van interior.
Nearby, the Austerity continued to receive attention to its wheels and now four out of six have been painted and the fifth was getting a jolly good scrape.
Various visitors attended these proceedings including friends from Germany and from Holland, who were given an in-depth experience in LJ Breeze courtesy of its personal assistants, who later shunted the LMS nut roasting van into platform 3.
From their lofty heights, the Guerilla Gardeners surveyed our endeavours, handed out chocolate cake, consulted about their hedge, demonstrated a curious sewage problem and began working their way down part of the embankment, which will see an eventual improvement to the hoary old view from our platform.
All the best,
Anton