Standing by for Santa

This Saturday 27th November sees the start of the 2021 Santa services.

Always a fun time on the railway. So to kick it off here are a few pics of Santa trains gone by. Some pics are better than others but including them all anyway!!

Wheel work and a close shave

Well the work continues on the continental coach wheels

Here is an image of the shavings that are being removed.

Here we have before and after shots of the work on a wheel.

This is before work started.
This is the after the work has been done
Work in progress
Work in progress

I hope these posts are of interest.

When a day can be a grind

This week we have external contractors in to do work on the wheels of a continental coach.

Here are a few pictures of the operation. My thanks to them for being happy to have the operation photographed.

Here is a link to the website of Railathe Services. you can get more information on the company.Mainentance

The Swedish Railcar

During November and January the Swedish Railcar will be operating. It is popular with visitors.

A number of people have asked for a close up picture of it. So here it is.

© Robert Maskill

Except for the Santa trains the railway is dead in the winter!

The Polish Tank Engine on Santa duties

Over the years I have lost count of the number of people who would comment every autumn that except for the Santa trains the railway was dead in late autumn & winter.

This of course is far from the truth. In both November and January we are running services, yes it’s just the railcar but it’s still a service and the Swedish railcar is popular with many visitors. Not to mention we have some steam driver experience days.

But that’s not all that will be going on. Remember that it’s a busy period in the office with plans for next year. As well as enquiries and the normal work that has to be done to keep the railway running through the year.

No doubt down in the shed people will be working away at both routine maintenance as well as rebuilds etc.

The cafe will be open at weekends and Wednesdays, which hopefully will encourage people to visit on non-running days and help with both turnover and profit for the railway in the process.

Around the railway there will be maintenance along the line, the civils will no doubt be out and about making sure that the line is clear and safe for the trains that will use it.

As usual the monthly electronic newsletter for working members will be prepared and sent out on the 1st of the month.

So next time somebody says that the railway is dead in the winter point out those working members and paid staff that will be working to make sure that we have a safe, busy and profitable railway in the coming year.