Back to Shack...

Well its Sunday October 5th and I'm back at Shackerstone again.The place was awash with heavy rain for most of the morning and it was quite cold.After signing on at 10am it was off down towards the south yard.The cosy covering of the loco shed was the only shelter available and I gladly took its offer of dryness!2-2-0 Aveliling & Porter "Blue Circle" was now with her loving owner and few willing volunteers getting her cleaned up.She will be steamed next weekend as the Thomas Character "Fergus" at the railways Thomas Weekend."BC" normally stands outside covered up but as we had some shed space then we thought we might as well have her in the dry, much to the delight of her cleaners!Behind "BC" was,as always,the lovable B1 "Mayflower". Once again "Yvonne" was behind "Mayflower",followed by a Lowmac wagon,out of service "Sir Gomer" & out of ticket "Lamport No3".

The day's main train motive power was the Class 20 (20 166 "River Fowey"). By just gone 12pm a big fire consisting of paper, pallets, coal, cardboard, oily rags & sleepers(!) had been lit in the preparation yard.Myself, Andy, Mr Britt, Dave, Joe & Graeme were going to have a go at nealing some more tubes.The fire was a bit bigger this time and by 1pm it was roaring and the first 12 tubes were in the fire.(This was of course after myself & Mr Britt had brought the Class 02 shunter around to the back of the shed to drag "Lamport", "Sir Gomer" & the Lowmac out!!).We had no gas equipment this time so it would take a little longer but as the hours went by more and more tubes were nealed.(We think we're very nearly 2/3 of the way there now.Another days worth of that and we'll be finished!). By 5pm we'd all had enough and the last nealed tube was put back on the Lowmac.

Mr Britt then restarted the 02 and myself & Andy "watched him back" into the shed.It had been another long day but more progress had been made.Myself, Mr Britt, Andy & Joe then retired to the washroom to 'sign off' (doing so at 5:30pm), after passing a very clean & shiny "Blue Circle"! I'll be back at Shack this coming Friday and staying over until Sunday night due to the Thomas Event.I am rostered on as 'trainee' on Thomas on Sunday so that should be fun!Meanwhile, on Saturday myself and Joe will be finishing the nealing of the tubes! Thanks for reading everyone and have a good evening!