It was a thoroughly wet day on site, with rain falling steadily from arrival until home time. While the ground certainly needed it, having it all arrive at once seemed a little excessive. With only a small team of four volunteers present, attention focused on a handful of indoor tasks within 83A.
Work continued on the roof panels for Shed 83D, with a second row of rivets added to the panels already assembled. This should help ensure swift progress once the time comes to erect the structure.
Attention also turned to the Wickham trolley, where the steel base plates for the flashing beacons were drilled and fitted to the roof. The red and white marker lights were then installed on both ends of the vehicle, bringing another visible stage of the restoration to completion and moving the project ever closer to the finish line.
Meanwhile, Hunslet No. 15 received a thorough cleaning while it remained on the hoists. The frames and upper panels were degreased and cleaned, making use of the easy access provided by the raised position. As the layers of dirt and grime disappeared, an amusing discovery emerged: the locomotive appears to be almost entirely yellow. Areas long assumed to be black turned out merely to be different shades of yellow hidden beneath years of dirt, with no fewer than five distinct shades of yellow (ok, not quite 50) identified across various panels and after running repairs. By the end of the day, the locomotive looked considerably tidier and was almost ready for the next phase of sanding and paint removal.
With the weather showing no sign of improving and the planned work largely completed, the decision was made to finish early during the afternoon. Despite the rain and the reduced attendance, a pleasing amount of progress was achieved across several projects. Another productive day, proving that even the wettest conditions need not stop the railway moving forward.
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