January 2010 update
Rolling Stock Trust News Update January 4th 2010.
A Happy New Year to all our readers and supporters, here is the news!
Turntable
During December 2009, the Trust's latest acquisition, the Kidderminster Turntable was treated to six days hired mini-digger work. The pit has now largely been scraped clean of rock, dirty sand and weeds. However much of this material is still piled around the edge of the turntable waiting to be shovelled into a 'RUDD' wagon by our work experience lads when they return on January 7th.
Spare Parts
The Trust’s and SVR C&W’s volunteers have been active before Christmas down at Didcot Railway Centre. We have been dismantling an LMS 1939-built 'Stove-R' body which is providing spare parts for our 1932 example, 2886. Some parts for S.W. general spares include one almost complete gangway and sections of guttering. Two further expeditions are planned for January to finish off the task, and the cost of van-hire and fuel is being shared by the Trust and the SVR C&W Dept.
LMS 2886
Work on 2886 reached an important stage at the end of December, with completion of the contractor’s woodwork repairs to the first side and ends. The volunteer work force has been following this up with new iron bracing brackets and bolts, then re-clad the framework with galvanised steel panels. During January work on finishing off this panelling and progressing the fitting of the new roof panels is the main priority, and we are pleased to have received three new volunteers from the Volunteer Liaison Office just in time.
GWR 9084
Final fitting out of 9084 was completed during the first week of 2010. Some new keys and locks were needed for the compartment doors, and several roof vents were replaced with nearly new ones donated by a member of the Cambrian Railways carriage department at Llynclys. 9084 is now ready for dispatch to its intended location at Hampton Loade as soon as there is some track to get it there in March.
Fundraising for 2886
A cheque for £350.00 was received on January 2nd from supermarket chain Waitrose. Their Wolverhampton branch accepted our application for a grant under their 'community matters' scheme. This scheme supports local organisations with a variety of aims. In our case the occupational therapeutic benefit of doing active volunteering by our pension volunteers has been recognised. The £350 will be used on their current projects, LMS 2886 which is undergoing a full rebuild at Bridgnorth. We are indebted to volunteer Roy Bower for putting us in contact with this source of funds. The project, to restore 2886 has now attracted £9601 in funding from outside bodies, money that would not have come to the Valley without the Trusts charity status.
Fundraising for Hinton Manor
We are still waiting for the tyres to be ordered from South Africa for Hinton Manor. Meanwhile volunteer Andy Christie, who DJ’d the successful disco at Arley, followed this up with a Christmas Ball on December 5th. All profits from this modest but successful venture will be donated to the Trust, and we are expecting a three-figure sum. Many thanks to Andy Christie for this excellent action. The sight of many of Bewdley station and MPD’s younger volunteers dancing like maniacs is one that will stay with me for some time! They look so sensible in uniform.