East Somerset Railway

CTMS have provided the following. I have removed the names of staff.

"CTMS have needlegunned to roof, and then sanded it. Some of the old covering was hard, and chipped away nicely, and some was softer and needed to be sanded off. We also then can have a good look at the roof and weld up any holes, and treat any rust patches. We then plan to apply an etch primer, as the roof is galvanized, and paint with two coats of Johnstone’s micaceous iron oxide paint. The roof vents have been removed and sent to max colour in Frome for sand blasting, and will be primed and painted with the same paint by us."

 

Brilliant. Thanks for the detailed reply and well done to CTMS on such a thorough job.

Keith

 

Visited ESR today with my wife and we travelled on the 1550 Santa Service. COVID measures were spot-on.

We really enjoyed ourselves - with a top and tail service - Ivatt 46447 on load 3 and a Shocvan (with generator for lights) and Sentinel diesel (Ex Port of Bristol Authority No39) Frome end. The Ivatt looked and sounded superb.

Stock was beautifully turned out and nicely decorated with Christmas decorations. Staff were friendly and professional.

Some significant veg/tree clearance had occurred and a lot of sleepers in evidence for resleepering (wood and concrete).

A quick few snaps on my phone gives a feel today. Well done ESR a smashing afternoon.

 

Nice afternoon at the ESR steam gala. The station seems a lot smarter since my last visit, with the old buildings refurbished and the second platform built. It was pleasantly but not uncomfortably busy, with allocated and bootable compartments for each group.

 

Some comings and goings for CTMS: Thumper unit from the Lavender Line is near completion of a heavy bodywork overhaul and should be returning shortly, and a section of ex IoW tube stock (privately owned) has arrived for cosmetic work.

Sent from my SM-A505FN using Tapatalk

 

Afternoon All,

During a holiday in Somerset, we called in to the East Somerset Railway both on the way there and on the way home. I took a few feet of video and the first installment, taken on the first visit, is now on my YouTube channel:



Hope it's of interest.

TTFN,

Ron.

 

The first part of my second video is also now on YouTube. Great Western Prairie Tank 4555 was working the trains:



Hope you like it.

TTFN,

Ron.

 

And here's Part Two:



One more part still to come...

TTFN,

Ron.

 

Announced that 5786/L92 will be operating ESR trains this weekend. Part of a swap with 4555 heading to the South Devon Railway for their 150th anniversary gala.

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Went over on Saturday to see the Pannier. Cranmore seemed busy, with the dining train looking to have fully sold out!

Interesting talk with Ken in the signalbox as he looks to make that operational, very informative presentation and hope he succeeds with his plans. If I wasn't so busy elsewhere it's avery interesting project to get involved in.

 

I really really wished the ESR hadn't cancelled that gala back in March. Intinally it was I wasted my last of my holiday time on it. But now I'm more annoyed as main reason I wanted to go was see 4555 before her loan period was up and now I heard she's been damaged possibly taking her out for awhile. Brilliant...

 

Oh well, You'll get over it

 

I'm pretty sure they didn't do it just to annoy you personally...

 

I'm sure didn't ether didn't i keep having constant bad luck with planning to go galas and something goes wrong. after a while it starts getting more then a little frustrating...

 

Know the feeling, but you can either stamp your feet and have a hissy fit or shrug your shoulders and just get on with it.
This is coming from someone who seems to have a magic super power to repel both B1’s.

 

4555 was working at the South Devon Railway last weekend, so if it was damaged then it's since been fixed. Not sure if it's returning to the East Somerset Railway though. Back to Cranmore, you can have almost as enjoyable a day on the line on a non-gala day as a gala. Plenty to see and do, could just do with a bit more length of line. My hope is for an eastwards extension to the Torr Works quarry and Mendip Rail triangle when resources allow.

 

The pic I was sent this morning shows damage that isn't getting fixed in a week....

 

Photo from Fbook should be on this thread. https://www.national-preservation.com/threads/4555-damage-at-south-devon.1421011/ . It does not look like a quick fix.

 

A statement from SDR issued as reported on RailAdvent:
https://www.railadvent.co.uk/2022/0...incident-involving-two-steam-locomotives.html

 

I wanted to see both 4555 before she left and the ESR's Ivatt and both would only be operating together at a Gala.

Also I don't have a car so to get to the ESR I have to pay for expensive taxi trips. I an't doing that for a normal running day.

I wished I gone to last one but since I was effectively bared from going anywhere until Covid rates had fallen, not that me catching it would been an issue I one of those saddos who lives with his parents but I didn't want them catching it. I didn't think I needed to worry as 4555 was there another year.

I tempted to complain to the railway. I realise the coal issue is a major-end-of-things-as-we-knew-it problem but no other railways cancelled their galas. It was lucky I had gone to check the times as I was in the process of order my train tickets and the taxi when I realised the Gala wasn't being advertised anymore.