It's been the annual working week at Apedale. Unusually, it has been baking hot, which makes a change from the more conventional downpours or post-apocalyptic TV series filming. There's been plenty going on. The first part of the week has seen a major drive on adding the second station to the Apedale Valley Light Railway. The imaginatively named Apedale Road station ("change here for Eurostar and the Victoria Line") has begun to take shape. This will allow passengers to break their journey at this sylvan spot, or even just take a one-way journey. This will therefore serve a genuine transport need for the Apedale Community Country Park and hence deprive the Inland Revenue somewhat (they only squander it on schools and hospitals and things). We should express our sincere thanks to the
Co-Op Community Fund for their assistance with this, and also to
Balfour Beatty who provided the Universal Construction Medium used (also known as Concrete Sleepers). Also seeing significant progress this week has been the restoration project on the big Hudswell Clarke diesel. The engine and gearbox have now been removed, and the shops of Staffordshire has been cleaned-out of de-greasing products. If Mr Gunk is reading this - you owe us, big time. All that remains now is to remove the rest of the brake rigging and the wheelsets before the frames are shotblasted, and rebuilding can start. Sounds easy? Unfortunately, experience has shown that the brake rigging and the loco are VERY long-standing friends and are most unwilling to be separated. As ever, get in touch
here, especially is you know where degreaser can be bought in Staffordshire.
