Saturday 27th December, A Seasonal Extra

A report from our western correspondent, Jes Mania..........

With trains running for around 12 out of the 13 days of the Xmas / New Year period, the P/way department thought that they should do a track inspection at some point.

So today, seven members of the gang turned out in damp but mild conditions.
Brian, Bill and Ian R walked to Alresford, and Ian J, Adrian C and Corina walked to Alton. Martin W remained at base to clean up the nuts that will be used in the New Year chair replacement program. The Alton patrol had an eventful journey back to base. Poor old Nellie (Lord Nelson) on one of her last outings before her boiler certificate expires, slipped to a halt in the Shrave cutting just to the east of Medstead and Four Marks. As had happened a few times in the past it was Pway to the rescue again, and with the help of two buckets filled with sand from the footplate, the gang went ahead of the engine and sanded the rails. With a bit of careful nurturing from the driver Nellie picked her feet up, and managed to conquer the summit, with the gang having to walk  back to base. For the record Nellie seemed to only have sanders on the front pair of driving wheels. I guess an express engine did not require them onto all six driving wheels.

Upon the return to base, the gang partook of a well earned cup of tea, with several members leaving afterwards for domestic and work duties. Adrian and Corina went on a train ride to Alresford and return, whilst Ian's J & R, and Martin W started to reduce the remaining wood pile to manageable amount, for our respective fires. One photo below shows a traffic jam of fully laden wheel  barrows!

(with the others having departed, Adrian and Corina travelled up the line to the Chawton Heights Pway hut, where they fitted timber drips above the door and window- Ed)

Next week we are back to usual, with plenty in store for January and February.