The weekend saw a busy couple of days for the wagon group, with our Thomas driving course on Saturday and a working session on Sunday.

Firstly, the Thomas driving course was a massive success with happy customers and positive comments all round. It was the first time we had tried running a driving course on a standard running day and it worked really well. Everyone enjoyed the buzz of seeing Thomas with the wagons alongside the coaching stock of the passenger service. There were also plenty of pictures taken to mark the occasion…..

There was even a video…..

Secondly, there was a working session on Sunday to progress more vac fitting. Following a shunt, we now have the final wagons in the yard to complete our project and so we are now on the home straight. To start with Tim was out with his paintbrush, touching up some black paint on chassis, and then painting swan necks brown and white accordingly for fitted and through-piped wagons.

Whilst Tim was painting, Paul and Mark were overhauling a cylinder ready for the Conflat. Once Stu and Josh turned up a lunchtime the fitting began. The issue was that the tie-bar between the horn guides was stubborn to remove and so we decided to put the overhauled cylinder between the rails then move the wagon over the top and lift into position. This was easier said than done, but after a fair bit of sweat and tears the cylinder was in place.

This now only leaves one van and two opens to vac fit before we have the rake complete, so we are well on course for our Tornado photo charter.

On the subject of the photo charter, we have just published more information on our events page, including the order of the rake….please take a look and consider joining us.