However I will still try to call by Wansford on a regular basis (weekly?) as I will be travelling up in that direction every week. I will take my camera and high-vis vest, and try to get photos and progress updates on ongoing projects each week. This blog should continue to be a regularly updated 'behind the scenes' source of information to anyone interested in projects at the NVR, and although my wagon restoration reports are likely to be less frequent for the time being, projects by the other volunteers and staff (such as SNCB 21013, the LMS steam crane, Wagons-Lits, and much else besides) are ongoing so there will always be something new to see. Basically the rule is, if I notice something on site has changed between visits, I will try to get a picture of it and post it on here!
The photos below are the results of the first 'flying visit' - this was made rather late in the day as the sun was going down, so the quality of the photos is not that great. The C&W shed had also been locked up and the staff had gone home, so no 'behind the scenes' items this week! Hopefully next time I will be able to visit earlier in the day and access more of the site.
Rather a full yard after the diesel gala! The visiting Class 50 and 52 can be glimpsed amongst the resident fleet.
The rotten cab roof timber has been removed from Swedish 'B' class No.101 by members of the IRPS gang. They have also made a good start on painting the cab roof steel framework with green primer.
This is the turntable at the S&D gala in April 2010...
...which has undergone cleaning and painting over the last few weeks. Both sides have been painted an appropriate, authentic looking silver-grey, presumably the same paint used on the refurbished span of the Wansford river bridge, and should help keep the metalwork in good order.
The other side of the turntable, proving that both sides have been completed! The turntable is a great asset to the railway, genuinely useful for turning vehicles when necessary, and keeping running wear on vehicles even. Demonstrations of the turntable during special events (such as the S&D gala photo above) always prove popular with the public and can draw quite a crowd of interested onlookers!That's it for now, hopefully next time I can get a C&W update - I am particularly interested in seeing the latest progress with SNCB 21013 which is nearing the end of its full body overhaul.
