The day unfolded under intense heat, shaping the rhythm of work and the choices made on site. With the children’s Activity Day trains sensibly cancelled as its 35degrees plus, a small but determined team pushed ahead across several areas of activity, turning the extreme weather into an unexpected opportunity for progress.
Work began with moving the triplets (the Ruston and the twin Hunslets) out of the workshop before attention shifted to a practical but unrelated task: repairing a garden gazebo frame. Once that was secure, focus returned to the railway projects. The replica powder wagon received its final red topcoat, marking a satisfying milestone, before the team sought shade inside shed 83A. There, fresh layers of paint transformed the Dough wagon with final white undercoat on the main body, pale blue‑grey on the previously prepared end, and later a further coat across the remaining panels. Alongside the painting, new roof panels were prepared with carefully marked and drilled screw holes.
After lunch, attention turned to the new Wickham trolley, where the chassis was treated with red oxide to protect the bare metal. Meanwhile, in the main workshop, structural work progressed on wagon B10. One of its end panels was lifted into position, aligned, and secured with newly fabricated support frames. Once bolted up, the assembly proved impressively rigid, clearing the way for tackling the opposite end later in the week.
Essential workshop tasks continued in the background, rounding out a day that proved far more productive than expected given the small team and the relentless heat. Even the drive home offered no relief, with the thermometer stubbornly holding above 35°C despite every window open.
A day nicely contributing to the ongoing momentum of the railway’s various restoration projects.
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