Monday 26 March 2012

"Sir Gomer" & 3803 At Sunny Shackerstone...

Hi guys. Today was another day on the Battlefield Line at Shackerstone, working on behalf of the Steam Department. I arrived at 8:30am and after unloading the car I made my way up to the loco works where I found 3803 in steam and smoking out the shed. The loco soon moved outside and headed down to the Car Park for coaling by JCB. There, the loco was cleaned in the warm morning sunshine. Having been ready early, the loco was on the train around 45 minutes before the stated departure and so the crew took the opportunity to make Breakfast on the Shovel. She was sparkling as she departed on the 11:15 and for the 12:30 I managed to sneak outside the shed and grab the shot below of her leaving tender-first...
The main reason for me turning up today (apart from doing a few odd jobs) was to continue with my pain in the backside of a College Project for work. It will be a moving workbench with a built-in cupboard once I've finished with it but it looks rather odd at present...
"Sir Gomer" was also in steam today, as Station Pilot, giving her recently repaired eccentrics a chance to settle in prior to a full-line test due to take place next Saturday. The chunky Peckett, sporting an A4 Chime Whistle, left the shed at around 1pm for the afternoon...
Peckett Profile...

The tests seemed satisfactory and the Peckett continued to unleash a very pleasant bark as she chugged happily around the site in the sun. I rode around with her for a bit, putting a few lumps of coal on here & there and generally getting very warm! The loco stayed out right up until 5:30pm when she followed 3803 back into the works. The engine is now at the front of the shed ready for next Saturday when she will hopefully be pulling passenger trains...
As mentioned above, 3803 returned after another successful day and at the time of writing is currently tucked up in the shed with "Sir G" and "Blue Circle". I will be at Shackerstone throughout next weekend: Saturday I shall be tidying up and probably doing some more on the College Project, and then on Sunday I'm firing 3803. Look out for more posts as they happen. Cheers guys. Thanks for reading...Sam...

2 comments:

Petensue said...

HI Sam
How are you going to get your project to college once finished?
It apears the project is just an excuse to spend more time with steam.
Talking of steam if the weather is good a week on Saturday I may steam the sweet pea as a change to running my own loco.
See you then.

Sam Brandist said...

Peter, the college project may well just stay at Shackerstone as a Locker. ;) Look forward to April 7th - should be a good one :) Cheers