Stop Press

5619 Renovation Project Update | Steaming to Ironbridge

Update 27/1/2010

5619

Following the locos succesful two seasons at the G&WR, our flagship locomotive 56XX no. 5619 is to be based at the North Norfolk Railway for a period of two years, moving there in March for the new season. Although a long way from our railway, the NNR offers tremendous oportunities for 5619 to be seen on long passenger trains in great scenery and the two year agreement will ensure financial security for the loco.

Weather

A couple of pics taken during the severe weather. 'The Santa Specials, without our blue friend for the first time in many years, saw an expected reduction in visitor numbers, but we still returned a nice profit. The hard frosts in the mornings caused problems with frozen vacuum brakes, thawing them out was fun, with buckets of hot coals from the loco firebox placed under vacuum cylinders, but it worked.

The thaw brought its own problems with some flooding due to blocked drains, so that has been an urgent task over the last couple of weeks. In tandem, both before and after the Santas, the guys have been hard at work clearing trees and shrubs from the lineside, work that has to be completed in the next month before the birds start nesting.

Update 12/11/2009

New Bridge

OK - so it isn't exactly a bridge over the Ironbridge by-pass, but the Pheonix Model Engineering Group are building a new bridge over the old bay platform track bed to form a link between their new steaming bays and the Carriage Shed.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could build our new bridge with the same ease and for the same cost that they are building their's.

Here's a mock-up photo of what we hope the bridge over the bypass will look like. It isnt all 'pie-in-the-sky' either. A bridge deck is being removed by Network Rail in 2010. It has been donated to TSR and will be moved to Telford for storage.

Update 27/04/2009

Lawley Progress

On Saturday 25th April a gang of trainees from RAF Cosford arrived on site to lend a hand with the track laying. Prior to their arrival TSR members had moved concrete sleepers onto site, loaded crossing timbers onto the Lowmac and laid a bed of ballast. A couple of us worked mid week to ensure the track in the tunnel was all fish-plated together and properly keyed in.

The guys worked hard throughout the day, it was a warm one for a change. They managed to get all of the plain rail in place from the tunnel mouth to the turnout. This, together with track in the tunnel, was then hand packed to make it safe to bring a works train out onto the new track. The Lowmac was brought up and timbers for the point unloaded and positioned, and concrete sleepers for the next track panel were also aligned. Whew - what a days work.

A photo diary of the work at Lawley can be seen on our Photos website.

Update 23/02/2009

New arrival

On 16th February 0-4-0VB tank engine Yvonne arrived at TSR. Built by Société John Cockerill in 1920, this Belgian tank engine has joined us from the Battlefield Line. She has been in Britain since the late 1980s and has had considerable restoration carried out since. She has spent time at Northampton and Lamport Rly, Snibston Discovery Centre, Quainton as well as many other railways before spending time at Shackerstone.

Yvonne will star in our 150th Anniversary and Steam Gala in May.