Sunday 30 June 2013

Maintenance Update

Weds
John M & John T were needling & brushing rail chairs as I arrived. I got on with painting the lettering on those that I had painted earlier in the week. Bruce arrived and joined in. It was all hands to the boot scrapers - much to my appreciation!

There was nothing to do on the loco. We appear to have given up trying to unblock the 4 remaining tubes. Geof appeared, briefly, and I believe he is trying to acquire something to help with tube clearing. However, Carpo was extremely reluctant to apply the compressed air or water jet. As I might have mentioned before, whatever goes into a blocked tube tends to come back out again - use your imagination!

By end of play, the chaps had prepared 16 chairs - all cleaned and with painted bottoms. We had also tidied up the stock of rail chairs to make it easier to chose appropriate ones - I even found an SR one!

Just as I was leaving Ken Harber showed up with a friend, Bill. Ken used to be part of the team in the days when Star Wars Part IV was being filmed. I took Ken & Bill to see 2807 in the shed. Bill was suitably impressed, clearly having had his ear bent on numerous occasions by Ken!

Thurs
I fitted brushes to 10 in readiness for restocking for the weekend. It rained.

Fri
Fitted new shaft to pickaxe - P-Way needed one to dig up the shed floor looking for rail chairs. Not for me, I hasten to add, they are about to pull up the track on roads 8 & 9 in order to concrete the floor. The sleepers and chairs are buried under ballast!

Sat.
I called in at Winchcombe to re-stock the cafe. They had sold 3 boot scrapers. Then I popped in to C&W to collect some wedges (that Eddie makes for us), and finally picked up 6 rail chairs to take to Todders.

David was first to arrive at Todd. Discovering that there was nothing to do on the loco, he began cleaning rail chairs! I spotted that the F&W had sold 3, so took 3 more down to them, and then I set to, painting the ones from Wednesday.




After lunch, David took a look at two wheels that have been donated to the railway. They would fit the two trolleys (one of which has an under-sized solid tyre on one wheel, and the other has an under-sized wheel on one corner). He found some steel plate, cut it to size and took it home (along with one of the wheels) to make a centre part that fits on the trolley axle.

We called it a day, at 2.15. On the way out, I noticed that the F&W had already sold half of the boot scrapers (again!). So, after having a clean up & cuppa at home, I cycled back to Todders, and took the last two completed boot scrapers into the F&W. We've now got a good number in the production line, so I should be able to build up some stock by next weekend!



Next steamings of 2807 are scheduled for Sunday 7th July and onwards during that week. It's our Supporters' Special on the following Sunday.

Diesel fans might be interested to know that the "Peak" (45.149) will undertake a proving test run from Todders to Cheltenham on Tuesday, after normal services - departing Todd approx 6 pm.

TTFN

Roger

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