A hot day on site today, and it stayed that way throughout becoming really quite oppressive by the afternoon. A bit too much for me if I’m honest. Still, a good crew was on site, and our new car‑parking facilities were pleasantly full. As it was a Mills Public Open Day, we got the toys out first thing for the guided Railway Works tours, and then took Tinkabell out for another manrider trip along the main line, with a very happy driver enjoying their new toy.
Work then continued on with the final restoration of the Dough wagon chassis, where the very last bits of muck and grease were cleaned off before the red‑oxide undercoating began. In shed 83A, the end panel for wagon B10 had its final clean‑down and it too had its first coat of red‑oxide primer. The other end panel was re-positioned, and the bowed metal angle side framing was successfully straightened using the JCB’s rear bucket and extension arm. It too was moved into 83A, so the cleaning and chipping off loose paint could begin.
The spare dumper truck engine was lifted off the trolley it had been resting on and lowered onto a pallet for a safer arrangement, and it also frees up a very useful flatbed trolley for general workshop use.
The passenger train ran the usual trips today with happy passengers and the Railway Works tours. Elsewhere, the new light fitting in workshop 83B was raised to its proper height, and preparatory work began for the new lighting installation in the storage container.
And finally… the water bowser was nudged by the JCB while maneuvering away from shed 83A, and over it went. No damage done, and it was soon righted again, but it certainly added a final moment of excitement to the already busy day.
All in all, an action‑packed day despite the heat, and a huge thank‑you to everyone on site who toiled so diligently in the conditions.
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