Monday, 31 August 2015
Progress Bank Holiday Monday 31st August 2015
Friday, 28 August 2015
Progress Friday 28th August 2015
A quiet day of pottering around before the Bank Holiday weekend with the shop being restocked of sweets and other worldy goods.
The Station Foreman painted the skirting board in the new Booking Office and some track patrolling was done.
I suppose the main item on the agenda today was entertaining four excited Drive a Diesel Day participants and their guests. They tried their hand on the Bubble followed by the 33, ably guided by John Allsop. Richard backed up the day with the entertaining.
It was a good day as we welcomed three new volunteers to our railway. Hopefully the recent recruitment drive is paying off a bit and we can point them towards the areas where we are short of people. Although it does take a while before they're able to fill the gaps on the rota unfortunately.
Leigh
Thursday, 27 August 2015
Progress Thursday 27th August 2015
The last operating day before the Bank Holiday saw average numbers passing through ably carried by our Bubble. Thanks to the crew for their efforts today.
Whilst the Booking Office worked on preparing this year's Santa offering for launch, the DMU team worked on readying the trains for this weekend. It is important that the interiors are clean and tidy for the customers. One member began painting the guards van in 50253 with a final coat.
Another group attacked L J Breeze, fitting the refurbished starter motor. However, no vroom today for some reason so they've retired to their teas to allow some thinking to take place.
I didn't get chance to take any photographs today but I will mention that we're now down to just a handful of tickets for Tunes and Chips and week on Saturday - www.e-v-r.com/tunes15 .
Leigh
Wednesday, 26 August 2015
Progress Wednesday 26th August 2015
Tuesday, 25 August 2015
Progress Tuesday 25th August 2015
Monday, 24 August 2015
Progress Report Sunday 23rd August 2015
Friday, 21 August 2015
Progress Friday 21st August 2015
A quiet day of progress at the railway which was dull but warm.
Dan serviced the EVRA SK doors whilst paint was scraped off the windows.
It was very much a day of construction. Dave moved the toilet project forward considerably as the urinals and sink are now piped up. Hopefully this facility can reopen next week. The Foremen, with a new chap with them, progressed the new Booking Office fitting skirting and architrave.
A team met for the first Santa meeting of the season with dates and times being decided, including an extra day on Christmas Eve. A photoshoot for the leaflet took place this morning. A positive step forward!
The photo is from yesterday showing an original consist Class 101, although the front vehicle is still in undercoat.
Leigh
Thursday, 20 August 2015
Progress Thursday 20th August 2015
Wednesday, 19 August 2015
Progress Wednesday 19th August 2015
Supplementary Tuesday 18th August 2015
Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Progress Tuesday 18th August 2015
Progress report Sunday 16th August 2015
Sunday, 16 August 2015
Hi All
Thursday, 13 August 2015
Supplementary Thursday 13th August 2015
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
Supplementary Wednesday 12th August 2015
Progress Wednesday 13th August 2015
A lovely hot day saw passenger numbers actually better last Wednesday in the end.
Down the yard, we hosted a testing customer and the PW team started to ballast up the new point.
Dan worked on the EVRA SK brakes whilst the DMU team continued the M Exam on 50253.
The toilet team are flushed with success and I know it is not normally what you would see on a report but the refurbished Gents is starting to look good!
Leigh
Tuesday, 11 August 2015
Progress Tuesday 11th August 2015
Supplementary Tuesday 11th August 2015
Progress Report Sunday 9th August 2015
Monday, 10 August 2015
Supplementary Monday 10th August 2015
Friday, 7 August 2015
Progress Friday 7th August 2015
A peaceful sunny day in the Gem of the Peak with the sound of the tweeting birds only broken by the toilet team cutting tiles. Most of the tiling is now done and the new electric hand drier has been fitted.
The DMU team did a Fuel Point pit stop on 50170 and cleaned it ready for service tomorrow. The EVRA SK had further work done on the vacuum braking system.
Today's photo shows Station Foremen Martin and Stuart repairing a platform trolley...on a trolley! I nearly got a picture of our Infrastructure Manager sitting on a chair having a cup of tea in the Gents before resuming the tiling but I wasn't quick enough!
The rest of the PW gang were fettling the new point work and Rodney mowed the lawn at Duffield.
Leigh
Thursday, 6 August 2015
Progress Thursday 6th August 2015
A day which started off minging turned into a beautifully sunny and warm afternoon. The passenger service, once again hauled by 33103, was quite busy all day. We welcomed a new volunteer to the Third Man role too which was nice.
Down the yard, work continued on the braking system of the EVRA SK to ensure that the vacuum cylinders are good and the rigging is set up right.
The DMU Team connected up the recon engine on 50170 and it now runs lovely. Another one off the board!
In fact, today's photo shows the aforementioned engine on the vehicle.
Leigh
Wednesday, 5 August 2015
Progress Wednesday 5th August 2015
Not quite as intense as yesterday but not too bad, with numbers being boosted by a visiting group from the Gloucestershire and Warwickshire Railway Carriage and Wagon Department. The service was operated once again by "Swordfish" to the delight of passengers.
Work continued on the toilet refresh project with one wall now tiled.
The PW team made great strides again with the new point and the DMU team began the task of connecting up the newly hung engine on 50170.
I hadn't a photo from today so here's a photo of the view out of the window.
Leigh
Supplementary Wednesday 5th August 2015
Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Progress 4th July 2015
Supplementary Tuesday 4th August 2015
Sunday, 2 August 2015
Progress Report Sunday 2nd August 2015
Hi,
Today was one of those days when we all agreed first thing that it was going to be really quiet in view of the wide range of events and attractions happening in the locality. Someone was clearly listening in the signal box in the sky because from that point on the tills began to ring a pace and we closed proceedings with significant passenger loadings on our steam and diesel service throughout the day. What ever it is we do at our railway to attract visitors we clearly continue to do really rather well.
In the engineerium the DMU team concentrated their efforts on the restoration of unit 50253 which has not seen active service for around six years this being painfully evident when the oil filters were removed. She is being given what is referred to as an M exam which is simply described as…everything. Our engineers identified a timing issue with one of the engines meaning fuel was being injected too early, the engine would run but as you might imagine not very well. Once this and several other faults had been rectified, in a playful moment engineer Ben was heard to say "very soon when I press this button this DMU will run" ..except he was interrupted half way through by…the DMU running! These guys really don't realize how good they are. Work was also progressed on the vestibule and headcode box and we look forward welcoming this new addition to our fleet in the foreseeable future.
The Wirksworth booking hall received some executive focus with two of our directors staffing it for the day and we thank Neil and Martin for stepping in at short notice. It was noted this afternoon that a party from Duffield had used our service to spend a weekend in Wirksworth and were returning home complete with luggage…all part of the service. The catering department were extremely busy as always and the gift shop reported brisk business later in the day.
A small group of young photographers and subjects in period dress and props were assisted at Wirksworth with their work. They seemed to be trying to frame the scene of a romantic farewell from the 1960's and your RO could be seen welling up with the emotion of the scene.
At our southern terminus we met a fascinating new visitor who had worked with and on Iris when she was in active service. He was in fact at Derby works when she was assigned a contract to the film the entire UK network. He explained in some detail the layout of the vehicle at the time complete with generators, seating areas and desks and had several stories of her antics such as being snow bound for several days, the history of the vehicle never ceases to fascinate and we hope we returns soon with more memories.
We welcomed Curt as a new volunteer to our ranks who underwent initial training and assessment which went extremely well and we look forward to him joining our team as a regular visitor in the future. This also allowed us to demonstrate the new induction process where John had already prepared inductions pack and joining documentation to complete. This really is a huge step forward in welcoming new staff to our railway.
On that note, as we approach the high summer months the number of visitors goes up at approximately the same rate as the number of volunteers goes down because by definition, everyone is on vacation. For those of you who use social media you will see we are starting a campaign to advertise for new volunteers and would appeal to you to consider recommending friends or family who may be interested in giving some of their time to our enterprise. Equally please continue to check the rota and volunteer your time over our busiest period for those roles for which you are qualified, as I type this is the evening summer sunshine June is already making plans for Santa specials…it will be here very quickly.
Finally, we welcomed engineer Jack back to the fold after a period away…fortunately John didn't spot him otherwise he may have been inducted….
I leave you with pictures of todays requested traction in the form of railcar Iris and No3 Brian Harrison and also 50253 being returned to service…
Many thanks to everyone involved in another successful day...
Regards
P