It's been a tad on the nippy side at Apedale this weekend. We realised this when a member tried to tuck into his favourite confection, the Cadbury's Boost Bar and discovered it was harder than a tungsten-carbide tool. However, with the ingenuity which characterises so many MRT operations, this was swiftly put to good use by using it to turn wheelsets in the lathe.
Despite the weather, progress has continued on a number of fronts. The Elite Fencing Squad has made further significant progress, and the "elevated" section of the new footpath is now fully fenced - this was causing a little concern, so it's a relief to all concerned that this is apparently successfully completed.
Meanwhile, the CME has continued his favourite occupation - tinkering. Yet another of the collection has burst into life for the first time at Apedale. This one is a Hunslet, their number 6007, built 1963. It was supplied new to the Department of the Environment establishment which shared the 2'6" trackage of the Royal Naval Armaments Depot (RNAD) at Broughton Moor, Cumbria. It was regauged from its as-built 2'6" gauge to 2'0" whilst it stayed with our friends at Chasewater. It runs surprisingly well, but needs a little further attention, in particular to the brakes. I originally came across this loco after the closure of Broughton Moor, when the equipment was up for auction. I travelled overnight from Euston, on what should have been an empty overnight train. Except that it was the night of the Freddy Mercury tribute concert and the train was packed to the gunwales.
