Progress Report - Sunday 10th January

This week the Motive Power Team and Permanent Way Team were both working in their respective areas.

Back again after last weeks successes the team working on Hibberd 4008 having sourced the leaks and dealt with them started to reassemble the locomotive back into working order once again, this started with the basics re-fitting the radiator for the coolant and fuel tank for the fuel the engine needs. With these both on it was a case of bleeding both systems and after final checks were done turning the key! We must stress that at Steeple Grange with the absence of an extractor fan diesel engines arent to be started in the shed however the team used ingenuity and with the absence of a locomotive to move 4008 out of the shed meant the exhaust would need to be extended to the outside which was completed using a rather large plastic waster pipe!

One of the tasks for the Permanent Way team in our short window of on track maintenance is the relaying of Lawson's Loop, which would see the removal of the West Y-Point in order for it to be replaced with a right hand turnout which would be of a lesser radius turn than the existing point meaning that it would give for a smoother ride through the loop. Today the team dealt with connecting up the East point for the loop before relaying the track and joining up with the other point ready to go in.

On a side from this another member of the team was offering trips from Steeplehouse Station to Recreation Ground Station in return for donations which went down very well with the general public who all left with large smiles!

Ingenuity!

Relaying for Lawson's Loop

Hibberd 4008 setting up for a test run