A hot, dry and brilliantly sunny day at the railway and a good number of the faithful were there, and we got a number of tasks achieved before it was time to run trains.
The morning began with a burst of activity. The fire‑alarm call‑point standard was relocated to its new home outside ARS2, while fresh publicity posters were added into the carriages. A donations box and supporting “fund raising” posters, to help cover future costs of restoring more wagons, were set up in the entrance to museum shed 83C, giving the place a more welcoming, purposeful feel.
Up on Gnome Hill bank, the loose soil that had slumped down the cutting and piled up against the outside edge of the running rail was finally cleared away. It had risen so high that locomotive bufferbeams were starting to plough through it, but by lunchtime the rail edge was clean, tidy and properly dressed again. Hopefully the deer that run along there won’t kick any more down.
Work continued steadily across the Railway Works Yard. The timber lighting battens in the new container grew another section. The Dough wagon chassis endured another round of descaling. New roofing sheets for 83D were moved safely indoors, and plans were drawn up for how best to fix them — only to discover the screws were the wrong type, bringing progress to a reluctant halt until the correct fixings can be sourced.
The ex-Dough wagon wheelsets then decided to put up a fight in the workshop. What should have been a half‑hour job per axle turned into a stubborn, drawn‑out battle to fit additional gauge‑spacing shims. Even with extra hands, the assemblies resisted every attempt to persuade them apart. Slow going, but progress nonetheless.
Elsewhere in the yard, the sea mine gained its new mock horns and now looks strikingly impressive — a real visual anchor for the area.
All of this took place against the backdrop of the Mills’ 1940s weekend, which brought a steady stream of visitors. Four busy trains ran throughout the day, including guided tours of ARS2 — now finally complete. The feedback was warm, enthusiastic and genuine. People loved the ride, the atmosphere, the stories, the sense of stepping into something cared for.
A long, hot day, full of small victories and steady progress. And in the end, the smiles from visitors made it all worthwhile.
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