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April 2005:- April was a month when everything started to come together. We eventually managed to get both locos reassembled and painted. Unfortunately there was no real length of run to test them at the works so all testing and final tinkering has had to be done at the Strand. When we delivered the locos back to the railway we collected both of the British style carriages that had been languishing derelict in the shed. These have now been shot-blasted and primed and will be painted to match HMS Pembroke during May. When these are returned we should be able to collect the other coaches that are at present over near the swimming pool plant room. Testing at the Strand began just before the last Sunday in April and trains were able to runon that Sunday in revenue earning service. Over 300 passengers were carried on that afternoon - a most encouraging start. We have also taken the decision to drop the fare to 50p for a single circuit. As the circuit is over a quarter of a mile long we think this represents good value for money and on subsequent operating days there seems to have been little comment on the fact the fare now means one circuit instead of two. The result has been a lowering on waiting time and fewer people walking away because otherwise they might have to wait 15 minutes for a train. It also means we can economically run a train for as few as three people. |
May 2005:-This has been one of those months where everything seems to have been thrown at us - in more ways than one! Unpredictable weather has resulted in varying traffic levels although so far we have not had to miss a scheduled days operation. On the restoration front the two British coaches are sitting at Bredgar in an almost complete state. They have been shot-blasted and repainted, all four bogies have been rebuilt and the seats have been refitted in one of the coaches. We are missing the fourth seat for the other coach but believe there is one on site somewhere! The senseless vandalism that resulted in us removing the restored HST back to Bredgar for repair and safe storage has highlighted need for secure storage on site and we have asked if the Council will provide us with a container which can be sited near the present shed . If this is agreed then we will run two sidings into it and these can be kept locked while we are operating so that any surplus rolling stock will be secure. It will also give us somewhere to undertake first line repairs on site. If the Council will not provide this facility then it is difficult to see how we can continue as our stated aim has always been to improve and expand the miniature railway facility within the park. We have made a start on recovering the track from the disused loop and replacing damaged sections of the mainline. Virtually all of the line will require reballasting and regrading over the next couple of years but at least we have made a start. Another major problem which is far worse than we had assumed is the condition of the bogies under the American coaches. We thought that given the high level of grooving on 112 there might be problems with the coach wheelsets but the problems are far worse than we had anticipated. In the year 2000 heavy concrete weights and a reinforced floor were added to the coaches to lower their centre of gravity and avoid coaches rolling over. The weighting certainly works but has added the weight of almost two adults to each coach. This has caused continual compression of the springing resulting in several of the bogies now suffering from broken or compressed springs. This extra weight has also caused grooving of the wheels far in excess of that seen on 112 - in fact some wheelsets are now reaching a safety critical point and work must be carried out sooner rather than later to repair these bogies. We have therefore decided to cut back further on the use of the railway during June and July in the hope that we can carry out the necessary repairs in time for the school holidays. This will mean that the railway will now only operate on Sundays in June and July and it will also not operate on Sunday June 5th. We apologise to all who want to see the railway running more regularly (including our Bank Manager), but these repairs are necessary if we are to operate a safe railway. Perhaps the most annoying thing from our point of view is that had these bogies been inspected annually then there would be no need for this work to be undertkaen - unfortunately, from our inspection of their condition it would appear that no work has been carried out on them since the blocks were fitted. |
June 2005:-Added to the problems above we have been subjected to the increasing attention of some small groups of children who roam the park with no intention other than to cause damage and disruption. These factors added together have led me to reconsider my involvement with the railway. The atmosphere caused by this continual disruption will obviously make it more difficult to attract volunteers to help operate the line, which will in turn mean that I will be able to spend less time on the planned restoration. I have also found that the income from the railway is not sufficient to allow me to continue to subsidise the repairs and restoration at the level I have been without help in the running of the line. Following discussions with the Council's representatives we have reached a compromise whereby the day to day operation of the railway will be taken back by the Council thus leaving me free to continue with the restoration and maintenance of the line as mentioned in the May news. It is the aim of the Strand management to provide a secure container adjacent to the current stock shed so that all equipment not being used while the railway is running can be stored out of harms way. They are also keen that the changes made so far regarding both the operation and future of the line should be continued. There will be more news on this in due course. |