I’ve clearly not been doing enough blogging recently, whereas quite a lot has been happening- although these two facts may not be entirely unconnected. More to come in future posts, but one thing I must update is the progress on
Backblog
Lines from the Past
After a long and exhausting weekend moving heavy lumps of iron about in the hot sun, it makes a pleasant change to be doing less effortful tasks. Today I’ve been wire-brushing and painting one of the three spare Peckett wheelsets,
Heavy Metals
First off, we’ve had some further photographs of progress on the replica build of ‘Blyth’, one of the three Sharp, Stewart & Co. 2-4-0 tank locomotives bought by the SR in 1879 for the opening of the railway, sent to
A week of stones
Two, initially, on Tuesday. Richard and William Stone, father and son, came down to make a start on inspecting the various bits of equipment at Steamworks for the PAT test. In their usual efficient way, they compiled a thorough list
In praise of rain (sort of)..
It’s been raining persistently since Friday at Steamworks, and presumably everywhere else in the region as well. Some clever comment about it falling mainly on the trains seems indicated, but any effort I made in that direction quickly became too
Weeding the parade ground
First of all, before we get onto matters at Blyth Road, we have received another tidbit of information on Blyth from Dave Humphries at North Bay Engineering. The above picture shows the wooden patterns for the cylinder rod glands and
News from North Bay
Even though the world is on lockdown, work is still continuing on the replica 2-4-0 ‘Blyth’. Dave Humphreys, of North Bay Engineering, has sent us a photo and video of the leading Adams radial truck fitted to the front of the
Setting out the knives and forks in the restaurant cars
There’s an old episode of Hancock’s Half Hour I was reminded of this week. Hancock, as impecunious as ever, is consulting the paper in search of a job, and British Railways are advertising for platelayers. When reminded, by Miss Pugh,
Street Jewellery
‘Street Jewellery’ is the name given to the colourful and now highly collectable advertising signs made from vitreous enamel. If you don’t believe me, look it up. I confess I’d never heard the term until it was used by Dick
Strictly for the Birds
One thing to be noted regarding the lockdown, and my own glorious isolation at Steamworks, is that the wildlife is becoming rather more bold than hitherto. The resident weasel wipes out the odd rabbit, whilst the resident rabbits (a considerable