Nene Valley Railway

A second Swedish railcar - in this case a driving trailer - has been obtained and is en route to Wansford.

 

Wow! Really? Any pics yet? Have to say I rather like Helga the railcar she's a lovely piece of kit.

 

There are a couple of photos on the IRPS Facebook page.

 

Don't do Facebook!

 

You don't need a facebook account to view the webpage, just the link - https://en-gb.facebook.com/irps.nvr/

 

Nice one, thanks @FearOfManchester

 

Called in at Wansford at lunchtime today and found it being unloaded from the road trailer.

 

The team have been down the last couple of days working on the trailer car. It's been stored out of use but undercover in the north of Sweden up since 1977 I believe so will require some work to get her to talk to Helga, but the bodywork isn't too bad...

 

Has something of the look of the Airstream caravan about it.

 

Crucially, the trailer car has sliding doors to a former luggage area, which will be turned into a disabled friendly section... Something the original vehicle lacks

 

Can we expect a rough date for when 'Olga' makes her debut? Or will she be ready when she's ready?

 

I believe the plan is some point in 2018, however no firms dates set. The guys are currently overhauling a Danish compartment coach for use on Santa trains and once that, and the santa season are complete will turn to the trailer car.

As an aside there's still some debate about the name... 'Helga' was originally called Olga on her first stint at the NVR as a combination of her original owners Olive and Lesley Gladden. I've got a newspaper clipping of it at the time on my computer but am currently awaiting a flight in Toronto so can't help much with that at the moment! Currently suggestions include Heidi and Hendric... Or to just call the while unit Helga!

 

Hopefully the above image works and is readable.

Restoration of a foreign vehicle was obviously very different in the 1980's. Now we can use google translate to help with manuals. If that doesn't work we have contacts at Swedish herritage railway's who we can drop an email to and get things easily translated and provide assistance with wiring and getting the cars to talk to each other... The budget airlines even mean it's relatively easy for either party to visit the other one... Not so in the 80's!

 

Thanks for putting that up Chris, what year was that from?

 

I'm afraid the scan I've got isn't dated, but it will have been somewhere between 84 and 88... probably closer to 1984 would be my guess.

 

Are all the 31's in position yet?

 

Yes, all on site and ready for the weekend!

 

Nice one Chris, really looking forward to this, I know the Mid Norfolk tried to do something to commemorate 60 years of Brush type 2's in April, which didn't quite come off. So fair play to the Nene Valley for picking up the baton, although I wonder how much A1A loco's had to do with it?! Fingers crossed for a good day out

 

The A1A guys organise all our diesel galas.

Of course it helps for a gala like this that they've got 3 of their own already and are well known in class 31 circles!

 

But which way are they facing?...........

But on a more serious note, have the guys in the wagon group managed to pick themselves up after their hammer blow?....... I dare not wake the relevant thread just in case.