A different train of thought .

[Chuffer]

Yeah cancelled at the last minute due to not enough attendees to make it viable for them. To be fair, I couldn't make the first course in the year last year, so went on the later one. I guess interested people went to the earlier course. So this year I booked the earlier course in the hope I get to do it.

Silver course, driving half the line, and firing on the way back. Loved it last time. Yes I know its all child's play for you, but us mere mortals love pretending we're choo-choo drivers and playing with the big toys.

Not child`s play at all Captain . Just BIG Boy`s Toys !!!

 

[Chuffer]

Another day spent with the BIG TOYS yesterday ( Friday ) on what was Day 2 of the Great Central Railways for day Winter Gala that is always a popular event with railway enthusiasts . Each day has an intensive passenger train service as well as regular demonstration freight trains operating between Loughborough and Leicester on the UK`s only preserved main line railway . The 5305 Locomotive Association I am a member of always has its pop up shop open at special events throughout the year selling donated railway books , videos , models and all manner of memorabilia to raise funds for the ongoing maintenance of the steam loco we own plus one we are custodians of along with two heritage diesel locos . As our shop was not short of volunteers to man it , I spend the day in the Loco Workshops continuing with the painting of components off No. 30777 `Sir Lamiel ` I reported on last weekend . The various parts of the brake gear assembly are now sporting either their first or second coat of black undercoat and having completed that it was time to clamber onto the cab of the stripped down loco to black undercoat the previously red oxide primer painted cab side tool box cum seat podiums and the cab doors . So things are finally progressing from bright orange to black as they should be . It was a rare opportunity to work for a few hours in almost splendid isolation in the massive 3 road ( tracks ) workshop as it normally jam packed with locos either serviceable and stored or undergoing overhaul . With every serviceable steam loco in action as well the three visiting locos , once they were all ` Off Shed` and hauling trains the full time paid engineering staff to the opportunity have a mega shunting session and haul every loco or rolling chassis out into the sidings nearer the station ready to rearrange them all in order of priority of future tasks . This will mean we can finally our long awaited turn to get ` Sir Lamiel`s ` tender on the four 25 tonne lifting jacks to remove one of its 4 wheeled bogies for overhaul and repaint .
Having arrived on site at the height of the early morning activities `On Shed ` with all the locos raising steam and being coaled and watered , it certainly was very atmospheric with clouds of steam and smoke mingling with the cold damp air of a gloomy January morning !

 

[Chuffer]

Today was a proud day for us members of the 5305 Locomotive Trust of which I am a working member . We are trustees of the National Railways Museum`s Type 3 Diesel Electric Locomotive D6535 that was built in 1960 at Eastleigh Locomotive Works for British Railways and operated on Waterloo to Bournemouth expresses as well Waterloo to Salisbury and Exeter services . Under the British Rail modernisation scheme in the 1980`s and computorised TOPS numbering system for all rolling stock it then designated Class 33 number 33116 . It was the last of its class in revenue earning service for British Rail and after withdrawal was ear marked for preservation . We are only a small group of 140 members nationwide with only about half a dozen of us regular hands on volunteers . This has meant a considerable input by the Great Central Railways engineering department staff to get her finished in time which we still need to pay for !
But a last gasp effort by all of us got the two year refurbishment completed in time for the planned Sulzer Diesel Day today on the Great Central Heritage Railway were all the days trains were hauled by Sulzer Diesel Powered locos . A photo line up was posed in the morning of the three different types of Sulzers including the big beast D123 which our trust actually owns .
In the 1980and early 90`s number 33116 was in much demand to haul enthusiast railtours , mostly organised by Hertfordshire Rail Tours touring company and was named `Hertfordshire Rail Tours ` in their honour . Today was a re dedication of of that naming with one original name plate and one newly cast one we have raised money to have made . Invited guests from the National Railway at York and staff from the ex Hertfordshire Railway Rail Tours now trading as UK Rail Tours attended the naming ceremony will all the usual speeches and applause .
33116 rolled into Platform 2 at Loughborough Central Station right on time looking splendid with its new blue livery and deep varnished top coat gleeming in the hot sun . With the ceremonials complete she then hauled the 12.00 am departure from Loughborough to Leicester North Station and return without fault .