July brought a mix of cool mornings, humid afternoons and the occasional downpour, but the team made steady progress throughout. Early in the month, pointwork issues were resolved after a loose blade on a tiebar was found to be catching wagon flanges. Work also continued on improving the Railway Yard as a visitor destination, with agreement finally reached on the scope of funded works. Shed 83E became the main focus, with its side cladding completed, the roof assembled from roller shutter slats and corrugated sheets, and later extended using gazebo frames and tarpaulins. By mid‑month, the structure was large enough to shelter several long wagons, a milestone captured in the diary: “Then we put two wagons into the new space – and stood back to admire!”
Alongside this, the stores Portakabin received fresh coats of paint, a new locking cover was fitted to the fuel tank, and the JCB benefited from a new tank installation and ignition switch repair. The Wickham trolley’s brake system saw further progress, and preparation began for repainting the Mars boiler. Yard organisation improved significantly as materials were moved into storage, scrap was cleared, and a new external cage was installed for gas cylinders.
Shed 83D preparation also advanced, with frame members sorted and laid out ready for drilling and assembly. Lineside clearance runs were carried out using the ballast wagon, improving visibility for passenger operations, and fouling point markers were fabricated from scrap rail, welded with spikes and installed across the yard.
Passenger operations were busy throughout July. School groups, Mills Open Days and Kids’ Activity Days brought steady footfall, with over 360 passengers carried across the month. The busiest day saw 114 passengers carried and another 18 on the two man-rider specials, alongside a visit from a Epping Ongar Railway who enjoyed footplate rides and special trips along the line. Regular trainee driving turns continued, and the passenger train was kept in good order despite the heat.
Even on the hottest days, volunteers pressed on, assembling gazebo frames, extending covered storage, clearing vegetation, reorganising the workshop for a new welding bay, and relocating heavy materials around the site. The month closed with another successful activity day, more passenger trains, and further progress on cleaning and preparing rolling stock for future work.
Overall, July was a productive and energetic month, marked by major advances in covered storage, steady improvements to infrastructure, and a strong programme of public operations. The Railway continued to grow in capability and readiness, driven by a committed team who delivered impressive results in every kind of weather.
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