Category: Winter

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Well that went well.

Last weekend saw Danish locomotive 656 hauling passengers for the first time in 38 years.

© Nathan Merryweather.

Here it is arriving at Peterborough Nene Valley on Saturday.

It looked right hauling the three Belgian coaches and the single Danish coach. There are many members who were not even born when this locomotive was last in service.

Sunday saw it in service again, and here it is approaching Overton on its way to Peterborough.

© Tom Elston.

I have seen lots of comments from both members and visitors with very positive comments.

Without doubt this will be a popular locomotive, and it’s nice to see it back on the line.

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Nice to see.

It was nice to see the HST out last weekend.

On Saturday with passenger services and on Sunday with driver experience runs.

Semi modern and current locomotive types seem to attract visitors. These two examples the HST the class 66 locomotives have always proved popular.

It will be interesting to see how popular 656 is next weekend in its first time pulling passengers after many years out of service.

I await next weekend with interest.

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656 Back in service.

656 has today passed its loaded test runs with four coaches and will enter service on 10th and 11th February running with the air stock.

Image believed to be © Paul Roe. If this is incorrect please let me know so correct credit can be shown.

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Quiet time of the year.

Many regard January and February as quiet times of the year. But you just have to look below the surface to see this is not whooly true.

Yes the trains are not running public services so the number of visitors has gone down. But there is a lot going on behind the scenes with maintenance in various parts. Have a look at the work going on with the 73050 rebuild for example. That’s progressing well. Events for the coming year are being planned as well.

Just pop down to Wansford, you will perhaps not only be surprised, but perhaps see something you would like to get involved with.

Perhaps after all the railway is not as quiet as you think…

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Christmas is upon us.

Well Christmas is almost upon us, and the last Santa service has been run.

I would like to take the opportunity to wish all readers of the blog a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year

Please remember that all contributions are welcome.

Robert “Old Arkwright.”

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Here we go…………

25th November sees the start of our Santa services.

If you’re a working member volunteering for the Santa services, have fun and enjoy yourself.

If you’re a visitor with your family on the Santa services have a great time, and if you’re not sure of anything please just ask.

Pictures for the blog will be most welcome.

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The wrong time of the year.

With this being the run up to the Santa services I was reminded of a visitor to Orton Mere Station some years ago.

She asked if we had thought of running the Santa services in the summer when the weather was warmer and often sunny as it would encourage more people to book! She then added the following gem. When I lived in Australia we had Santa in the summer and events were very popular!

No, she was not blond and actually looked quite sensible as well! It was one the very rare times when I was truly lost for words!

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How the time flies.

Well the years seem to get shorter these days.

Today is June 1st and the Christmas Santa train tickets are on sale.

What’s the betting Easter eggs will be in the shops before Christmas.

45337 on Santa duty on a previous Christmas..

There we are a picture to get you in the mood to buy Santa tickets!

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Here we go then……..

Tomorrow, (Saturday 26th November) sees the start of the Santa trains for 2022.

Fifty four services up to Christmas Eve mainly on the weekends. Plus three evening trains and a day just for Just Go Holidays.

As always it will be a busy time for the railway, and some of the many working members. As well as paid staff beavering away behind the scenes.

Hopefully the weather will be in our favour on the running days.

The three webcams on Railcam will give good coverage of trains at Wansford & Orton Mere, as well as one of the Wansford ones covering the station and crossing being available on YouTube complete with a chat room that’s in operation not only on running days but all others as well.

So if your a working member involved then many thanks for your commitment over this run up to the festive weekend, and most importantly have fun, because thats what it’s all about.

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Winding down, or are we?

Many people think that with the end of the summer holidays the railway will be winding down for the autumn and winter. Now this is I suppose a logical thought after all nothing happens in the autumn and winter at the railway.

This if course is not true, the railway never sleeps, it may have the odd doze but it never truly shuts down.

Let us look between now and Christmas. We are running services at weekends between now and the end of October. With several events planned and ready to go. Hopefully the first week of November should see the installing of the new crossing gates at Wansford and of course we have not only the preparation for the Santa services but the services themselves. Throughout this period S&T and the civil’s will be doing work out and about.

The office will function normally as will other departments. So as you can see the railway is far from winding down, and after Christmas the railway will start and do it all over again.

So please if you are able come along and support the railway, this is a lovely time of year to travel the line.