It was a cool day on site, with a fresh breeze and occasional sunny spells, but most importantly it remained dry throughout. Attendance was reduced due to various commitments and the seasonal cold bug, so efforts were concentrated on progressing a handful of key projects.
The day began with refuelling most of the locomotives to ensure they were ready for the following week’s activities, before they were moved out of Workshop 83B to allow further restoration work on Tinkabell. Progress continues to be made on the locomotive’s frames and bodywork, with each session bringing it a little closer to completion.
Attention then turned to the Wickham trolley and the Dough wagon. The Wickham was placed back on the rails and moved into the yard for an official photograph, while the Dough wagon was brought out of Museum Shed 83C for a long-awaited completion photo. It was a satisfying moment to see both projects looking so close to finished after many months of work.
Work on wagon B10’s roof also continued. Initial experiments with thin floorboarding showed that it was still too stiff to curve effectively, but an alternative stock of shiplap boarding proved much more suitable. In true railway fashion, however, the wagon refused to cooperate completely, with one of the roof side rails fighting back and suddenly splitting away from the metal framework. The newly fitted boards had to be removed, the damaged timber replaced, and the roof reassembled before progress could continue. Despite the setback, around a fifth of the roof was completed by the end of the day, and work should proceed more quickly from here.
A an emergency trip out to Waltham Abbey was made to source the correct length wood screws required for the roof project, ensuring work can continue without delay.
There was time for a little enjoyment as well as hard work. With the Wickham now looking particularly smart, it was impossible to resist taking it out for a proving run along the line. The trial went well and provided a welcome opportunity to enjoy the results of the restoration. Later in the day, the works and maker’s plates were fitted, adding another important finishing touch. With only some electrical wiring, directional lighting and beacon work remaining, completion of the project is now firmly in sight.
Overall, it was another productive day, combining steady project progress with a chance to enjoy seeing some of the railway’s hard work coming to fruition. A good day’s work all round
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