STATFOLD ENTHUSIAST DAY WEATHER!

Thank you very much to everybody involved in the SBR today - despite the weather conditions a great time was had by all.

The new extension was wounderfull and made that big mallet work very hard (it is a parrallel running line between a new platform adjacent to the main station and Oak Tree Halt). Also the Harz style parallel departures from Oak Tree Halt were very entertaining. The new line has been laid tramway style so that steam rollers and traction engines can also stretch their legs.

The five new balacony bogie carriages were fantastic and very comfortable.

...and as for those two newly imported Baldwin 4-6-0Ts from India that arrived on thursday...I was speechless!
44657/1916 and 45190/1917 (from the Ryam sugar factory in the Bihar state).

Well done again to everybody involved and thank you.

Best wishes,
Gareth

 

As Winston Churchill once said "Bring out your Baldwins!" - LOL.

Both have not worked for many years and are very rustly. 45190 has the ex WD open cab complete with a curved rear bracket that I assume is for carrying water hoses. 44657 has had an Ashover Light Railway "PEGGY" style backsheet added to segregate the cab from the bunker. 44657 also has some interesting surgery done to its side tanks where the capacity has been increased by apparently cutting the sides off and welding in extra sections. 45190 has its orginal rivetted tanks with welded patches.

edit: 45190 is listed in "Narrow Gauge at War Pt 1" by Keith Taylorson (Plateway Press) as being at the Daurala Sugar Works, Daurala, Meerut (perhaps the old name for the Ryam system? I don't know) but she was accompanied by 44696 rather than 44657. According to the build list in the appendicies in the same book 45190 is WDLR "1058" (later renumbered "608" in 1917). 44657 is "758" (44696 would of been "791").

Gareth

 

Excellent day despite the weather. Statfold ALWAYS put on a good show!!!

It was good to talk to you Henry, thank you to you and all of your team.

 

Thanks, Gareth.
I hadn't got round to checking any of the usual - too stunned by the news.

Ian

 

Thanks to everyone who turned up and braved the weather.

I think it was worth it.

We certainly enjoyed it !

Henry

SBR (Snowy But Reliable ??!!)