Maintenance Update (buckle, bootscrapers, supporters')

Tuesday 9th
2807 back in service.  Rails buckled in the heat, close to Hailes Abbey.  Luckily crew spotted it & took it steady.  Ops notice posted:


The hot weather has caused a small track buckle to appear at a joint approximately 50 yards north of the Winchcombe Down Distant Signal. (On the curve between Hailes Bridge and New Farmer’s Bridge.)

Early this morning the buckle was straightened out using the tele-handler but given the extended period of warm weather it has been decided to put a temporary speed restrictions of 10mph over the area of the buckle until further notice.

The temporary speed restriction is marked out with yellow speed boards.

All drivers are to obey this restriction and keep a good lookout ahead when approaching this area. If there is any sign of deflection in the track then drivers must stop and examine the line before proceeding and must also report their findings to the signalman when they leave the section.

Drivers should also keep a good lookout on all other areas of the line during this exceptionally warm weather.


Weds 10th
Bruce valiantly painted more rail chairs.  I could only spend a short while there because it was granddaughter's school sports day.  Carol B came to collect her boot scraper - she rang me Tuesday to say she didn't like the ones in the F&W or at Winchcombe.  Today she explained that she wants one that says "GKN" as manufacturer (because she used to go past their factory in days of yore); and not one saying "BR" because of what's happened over nationalisation and de-nationalisation.  So, I found her a GWR + GKN.  The lengths I go to for customers!

2807 passed the school playing field twice during sports day - seems to be going well.

Saturday 13th - Supporters' Day.
Well, my thermometer said 30 deg on the way to Toddington, and it said 30 deg on the way back!  It must have been warm on the footplate.  Very many thanks to Stuart for organising the day, and to the helpers - both on the train (David, Sue, Fred and others) and on the stall (Gil, Richard, Dixie, and more).

2807 ran beautifully, (tempted to say "of course").  After being out of service for June (basically, being delayed during boiler wash-out), it is good to see her running again.

Fred has just placed an order for miles of timber to start replacing the sides of the siphon van.  I was talking to Ian Chilton about a box van that he's working on at Toddington.  The wooden sides rotted in exactly the same way as our siphon - bottom up!  So, even when 2807 is happily chuffing up & down, we still have things to do: the siphon, and boot scrapers!

TTFN

Roger