It’s gone virol! Here is our illustrious Station Master, Oliver Denham, who has done so much during lockdown to continue the improvements to Steamworks, including some new signs he has had made up for us. I remember Virol from
After a long and exhausting weekend moving heavy lumps of iron about in the hot sun, it makes a pleasant change to be doing less effortful tasks. Today I’ve been wire-brushing and painting one of the three spare Peckett wheelsets,
First off, we’ve had some further photographs of progress on the replica build of ‘Blyth’, one of the three Sharp, Stewart & Co. 2-4-0 tank locomotives bought by the SR in 1879 for the opening of the railway, sent to
Two, initially, on Tuesday. Richard and William Stone, father and son, came down to make a start on inspecting the various bits of equipment at Steamworks for the PAT test. In their usual efficient way, they compiled a thorough list
It’s been raining persistently since Friday at Steamworks, and presumably everywhere else in the region as well. Some clever comment about it falling mainly on the trains seems indicated, but any effort I made in that direction quickly became too
First of all, before we get onto matters at Blyth Road, we have received another tidbit of information on Blyth from Dave Humphries at North Bay Engineering. The above picture shows the wooden patterns for the cylinder rod glands and
Regrettably, the Trust cannot open Steamworks to the public yet as social distancing rules for rides etc cannot be met at present. HOWEVER, the Blyth Road site is open to volunteers from June 1st, by arrangement, so that we can
Even though the world is on lockdown, work is still continuing on the replica 2-4-0 ‘Blyth’. Dave Humphreys, of North Bay Engineering, has sent us a photo and video of the leading Adams radial truck fitted to the front of the
There’s an old episode of Hancock’s Half Hour I was reminded of this week. Hancock, as impecunious as ever, is consulting the paper in search of a job, and British Railways are advertising for platelayers. When reminded, by Miss Pugh,
We have not been able to open but it helps us if we can sell you stuff. Here is a sample of stock in the Online Shop. Books, postcards, fridge magnets, mugs. You can order any of it on this