SVR wagons 2023

I don't know to be honest, I've not seen the chap organising it since (owing to me not being there) but hopefully I will find out on Saturday.

 

Sorry I'm late, as I'm sure most of you are aware, I've been trying to organise the guided tours of the engine house for open house weekend, and had a broken car and flooded bathroom to add to the chaos, so I'm sure you all understand the slight delay.
93045 is now finished and awaiting the oppotunity to exit the yard. Obviously in our current cash strapped state, there are unlikely to be any heavy overhauls coming in, but we do have plans to tackle some light repairs, so be expecting a repaint to be replacing her.
98480 is also nearly complete. coming out of the machineshop mid afternoon, my coment to Nigel was simple "Good God (Or words to that effect) You've got the doors on!" and they had, all bar one plank, the bottom one on the rock side, which needs a little shapeing before it can be fitted. The lower plank fits at a slight angle, being stepped out at the bottom, but has to be shaped to allow this. After that, she needs the capping irons fitting, and some finish painting and sign writing.
Over in the machine shop, I've been making some spares. Most of my work is made from repairing old, worn out parts, and using someone elses off cuts and scrap to do so, so this comes at very little cost to the department, and hopefully will put us in a good position when the good times return, which they will.
In the mean time, wish us all luck,
Olly

 

Good luck Ollie!

 

Sorry I'm a touch late, been a busy week.
As you may have noticed, there is a bit of a gala coming up, and there is planned to be a goods train out, so the most of the lads were out oiling and checking the train, sorry, I can't remember what is going in it this time, fortunately there were no failures as I doubt we would have had the money to repair any, as will probably be obvious from the recent appeal and press release by the railway, more on that later.
In the machine shop, my work to get together a kit of spares continued with the bushing of some brake drop links, I have been able to continue doing this because I am using a mix of scrap and off cuts meaning the only cost is the electricity for the lathe. I'm about halfway through this task and I'll be looking to coax someone into some electric glueing some time soon.
So, as you are all aware, the railway is skint and is fighting for it's survival, as a result, our department is equally skint, so, as an appeal from me, if you are at a loose end this weekend, why not come and attend the gala (I'm driving 7714 on Saturday until around 4 if you want to say hello) if you are just taking pics, or traveling on the trains, why not treat yourself to breakfast at one of our buffets (I recommend Bewdley, the best on the line in my opinion) or drop a few coins into the buckets and collecting tins which some of our staff will be waving around?
This is going to be a rough few months, so wish us all luck,
Ian

 

It has been a while since we had any updates on SVR wagons I hope Olly (Ian) is OK.

 

I can do a 813 Fund update. Several opens have had some renovation work. An open has had timber and corner plates purchased by the Fund. Coal Wagon 83831 will be getting four new springs funded by the Fund.
hope that helps.

 

Hiya folks,
Just a quick note, not an update unfortunately.
As you may have noticed, I have been missing in action, and the reasons for this are multiple.
One reason is I have been very busy and time has been somewhat at a premium. Keeping up my commitments on the SVR as well as the SDR as well as my outside interests has left me with a lot on my plate.
The second is that my mental health is not great at the moment, and coupled with the unusually slow progress at the moment, has meant that I haven't felt able to keep up with this column.
The lads are making progress but we are being frustrated on many levels.
I will restart posting updates as soon as I feel up to it.
Ian

 

Hi Ian,
Good to hear from you and that things are still proceeding on the wagon front.
Sorry to hear about your mental health taking a dip, please look after yourself first and foremost and seek help if required.
Take care

 

PM sent.

 

I hope Ian is OK. I did send a PM last year but no reply.

 

I did the same and got a reply, I’m trying to sort some time out back home, I’m sure his name will come up in conversation with the ‘Owd Mon’