The railway may be closed during the Winter, however our teams are as busy as ever working on our rolling stock, track and buildings.
In our locomotive workshop, work continues on Hunslet Austerity 192 Waggoner and A1X ‘Terrier’ W8 Freshwater. All our locos have to be dismantled every 10 years for a thorough boiler inspection and overhaul. The aim is to have both engines back in steam during 2022.
In our carriage & wagon workshop a key Winter project is the complete repaint of LBSCR carriage 6349. Like all our wooden-bodied carriages, regular maintenance and repainting is required to keep it looking at its best. Our team are also working on the long-term restorations of Oldbury IWR 21 and LCDR 4115 – results don’t come quickly as a complete carriage restoration typically takes 4 to 5 years.
Out on the line our track gang have been busy relaying track near Deacons Lane bridge. Each year we invest in new bullhead rail and sleepers – by tackling a section each year we’re ensuring the long-term sustainability of the line for future generations. Our Friday Gang continue to work throughout the year managing our lineside vegetation – they have 10 miles of fences and hedges to look after.
A volunteer team have been very busy at Wootton station which now looks very smart and ready to welcome our first passengers on 20th March.
Havenstreet station hasn’t been forgotten either. The station building and signal box, built in 1926 by the Southern Railway was in need of some TLC. We’ve commenced a significant project to repair the roof and a structural crack in the front wall. A thorough refurbishment and repaint will return this star exhibit to tip-top condition.