Maintenance Update (gun, invaded, challenge, weeds)

Wednesday 29th
The Steam Loco Dept has bought a new needle gun … so we just had to try it out! In fairness, we had been debating about ours, as it does struggle to do the job (and it was cheap!).

You can see how much bigger theirs is, and also it is insulated such that using it is vibration-free. I have to say, it does have a bit of a kick in it when it starts up! It certainly does a good job. See how it demolished the rust on the 1957 rail chair. I’ve left the pile of rust so you can see. And notice the shine on the metal. Hardly need to wire-brush it afterwards (doing Bruce out of a job!).

Bruce, John G and I were invaded by the siphon team at lunchtime. They just came, used our facilities and then buzzed off again!

L-to-R: John G, Bruce, Bill, Ray and Fred’s foot

News from Fred about the siphon van
Fred, Bill, Ray and Gil were all working on the Siphon, once more. It sounds as though they have practically finished the electrics, but not yet installed the LED lights.

They had a bit of a challenge on one metal bracket on the corner of one door: two bolts refused to behave.

Saturday 2nd
Rob, John T, Bruce and I struggled in the cold and damp! John began with some gardening. He’d brought a couple of hellebores for our nature corner. He also tidied up some dead stems. It’s beginning to look like a garden … including what John called weeds! OK, they are weeds, but only when you don’t want them in your flower bed. They’ll have yellow flowers next spring. Every bit of colour helps!

John got to try out the new departmental needle gun. Rob missed out, as he was off to watch a rugby match in the afternoon. We were rained off after lunch, anyway.

Brian has received info from Llan to say that 2807 is scheduled to be in service.  December: 2 & 3, 9 & 10, 16 & 17, 22-24 and 30 & 31.  Reids are booked to collect her on January 8th to return to Todders.

See what a grey sky it was today! No one was still working inside our siphon van by 3 pm.

Roger