Weekly Progress Report - 19/05/14 - 26/05/14

Another quiet week at SGLR with a considerably damp bank holiday weekend.

A very damp Thursday saw the Permanent Way team fit the second point lever to the new loop which has allowed it to be put to good use over the bank holiday weekend. Weather did close down further work in the afternoon however.

The "Teddy Bear Weekend" which we always run every Spring Bank Holiday was rather dampened by this weekend's bad weather. Although, it didn't seem to put passengers off as they came in their numbers, two trains were ran accordingly over the weekend.

ZM32 on shunting duties Sunday morning.

ZM32 passes Greenbat in the loop

 

Weekly Progress Report - 12/05/14 - 18/05/14

A relatively short blog this week!

A few members took the opportunity to travel to the Amerton Railway in Staffordshire for their first diesel gala yesterday. An excellent fleet of various diesel locomotives were working or on display, from Simplex to Hunslet, Deutz to Ruston, all with various backgrounds and ages. Amerton's running shed and workshops were very impressive and dwarf our own at Steeplehouse. Many different operations sparked many ideas for us back at Steeple Grange, with the motive power department taking particular interest in the sophisticated air braking systems in use on the coaching stock, and with many of the different restoration projects being undertaken, including Hibberd 2025, a recent undertaking.



Dreadnought arrives back at Amerton

Running shed at Amerton.

Left to Right - Dorman, Deutz and Ruston in the yard.

Motor Rail Simplex Dorman arrives back at Amerton

Motor Rail Simplex arrives back at Amerton, in the background, Gordon and the Wickham Rail Trolley

 



Sunday saw a rather scorching day at Steeple Grange, with a basic service on the cards, a rather hectic day all round!






Weekly Progress Report - 6/5/14 - 11/05/14

A relatively quiet week this week leading up to the NGRS visit yesterday.

Thursday the engine house had a little spring clean before the weekend, ready to accept the visitors. After that was complete a quick re-shuffle of the stock ready for the movements on the Saturday morning.

Saturday morning was an early start with locomotives Peter, Greenbat and ZM32 prepared and off shed by 9. The running line up for the Narrow Gauge Railway Society was a double manrider coupled to ZM32, Greenbat headed a freight train and Peter did the normal branch returns. With sunshine early on some quite pleasant trips were made up the mainline, but as forecast, the rains came, unfortunately with Greenbat and ZM32 at Sandy Lane, making the return trip a battle against the elements, with torrential downpours ahead. After lunch, the rains did come to an end, and retained as an on and off rain and shine sequence, therefore the freight was stored away and Greenbat was coupled to the back of the double manrider, and Greenbat and ZM32 top and tailed for the rest of the afternoon. The afternoon was rounded off with chairman Lawson Little opening "Lawson's Loop", named in much gratefulness of the money which he has put in to allow the loop to be installed.

Locomotives ready to make a move

ZM32, 103 and 104 sat at Dark Lane Quarry

The freight in the loop

ZM32 passing the freight in the loop.

Coupled up!

Greenbat at the rear of the train after the first run

The Top and Tail train at Steeplehouse

The special Unveiling!

 

After the Saturday's event, Sunday did see more rain with a more simple service on the cards.

Weekly Progress Report - 28/04/14 - 05-05-14

Another successful bank holiday has come and gone, Rocks and Rails definitely a success!

Thursday saw the completion of the point change at the passing loop, finally back in action again after the y-point was removed two weeks ago. The jobs from there ranged into Rocks and Rails preparation including a range of shunting operations.

Rocks and Rails was an excellent weekend, all three days saw two train working on the mainline with Greenbat and ZM32, however, Greenbat did see some attention Sunday morning as the compressor failed, but was fixed in the couple of hours after the problem occurred. After the problem was fixed Greenbat joined the action.

Today saw the mainline services back in action, in the diesel department, ZM32 was prepared for the todays operations, first being pressed into action moving a double manrider train with Lizzie on the back, destination, Steeplehouse! Lizzie was propelled on the traverser in order for the brake blocks to be removed and sent away for a new set to be cast. Hibberd 4008 also was having attention to the engine, with the fuel pump timing re-set, the fight began to get the engine to remove an air lock, after constant turning, bleeding a firing, the engine finally kept a constant rate.

All in all, a mixed, tiring weekend at the SGLR!

Greenbat operating the Rocks and Rails service

ZM32 moving in charge of shunting this morning

Lizzie on the traverser

Meanwhile in the Diesel Department

Greenbat passes Lizzie in the headshunt