Of springs and things

26th August 2013

There were a couple of things I neglected to mention in last week's blog. The first is that I am now on the Minor Railways Extended Trunk Dialling system and can be reached on 056 2026 – Andrew will be on shortly, but first I must drill a hole through the wall to get a further phone wire through!

Of wanderings and doings

24th June 2012

The narrow gauge theme started by the Amberley visit continued this week. On Wednesday night Steph and I met Andrew at Butterley for their annual n.g. open night. (We met for the simple reason that he was on his return journey from Eastleigh.) These open nights have a similar theme - two or three runs the length of the GVLR with resident 0-4-2T "Joan", then the area around Butterley is de-marked into sections and a loco is set on each and visitors are free to have a go.

Of Amberley and "Jack"

18th June 2012

After various discussions and tribulations, the decision was taken that the troublesome transmission in D2128 will have to come out, but rather than send it away and wait for it to return, or simply drop in the other transmission and hope that that one will perform OK, it would make much more sense to have it test run and checked over by our friendly experts. The second powershift had already been "dug out" from the back of Rowsley yard and this was transported away later in the week. It bears the former loco number from whence it came, so we know that this unit came from MoD loco 876.

Of Sentinels and such

12th December 2010

"George" hiding behind the snowdrifts.

The snow had cleared enough that the move of “George” was back on, and we had notified the Elsecar secretary accordingly. So when I rolled up on Monday morning to find no EHR personnel on site and the loading area still obstructed by snow, I was a little concerned.

Bank Holiday Rambles

30th August 2010

Andrew has this thing about the last weekends of the month being unproductive, so now seldom schedules major activities for them. As he is also spending some time with his girlfriend, it ended up that Saturday of the Bank Holiday weekend was “free”, but Mrs B had scheduled the Friday and Saturday to be “clear the office, replace the carpet and put it all back in tidily” days.

All I wanted was a quiet birthday

17th October 2010

Monday: All I really wanted was a quiet birthday, a chance to wallow in self-pity about another year having gone by without becoming a millionaire, featured in a TV documentary, recognised by the Heritage Railway Association (did I ever tell you that my skills have nothing relevant to railway preservation, according to the HRA?) and so on.

Of wiring and welding

17th April 2011

So, did anyone miss me, I wonder? (Don’t all shout “No!” at once). There was no “Weekend Rails” last weekend because, although Andrew had a (rather unsuccessfull) day on his own at Rowsley, your truly was to be found at the Leander Club at Henley-on-Thames Saturday night on one of those “family occasions” that necessitated swapping overalls for a Dinner Suit.

Of this and that

30th May 2011

This (long) weekend was the Last Weekend of the Month. There is a danger in all this that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, that in some way we expect that it will be a wash-out, plan less to do for fear of it going wrong, see every minor problem as a major disaster and come out of it with our convictions reinforced.

Of Telford & Tata

January 2011

So, this is what 2011 looks like. Ah well, just the same as 2010 to me. During the week, I put a new page up on Andrew’s website, offering “souvenirs” from D9500. For what true Heritage Diesel fan’s home is complete without a genuine, certified piston or half-bearing shell, the latter even offered on polished wood plinth with engraved label?  What a shame he didn’t think of it before Christmas….

Of plans and Planets

13th February 2011

There is a view that a blog is nothing more than a diary that exists on the ‘web, but there is one important difference. You can pour your heart out on paper, insult anyone you choose, outline your aspirations, all in the knowledge that only you – and perhaps your spouse – are ever likely to read it in your lifetime. The blog is a different matter, and there have been “things going on” which I could not report until all parties had agreed. Too soon would have screwed it all up.