Volunteer Liaison Update - 07/11/2022

Tourist Standard Open (TSO) coaches
All maintenance in the coaches has now been completed.
The new LED lights in the coaches are being wired in. Two coaches have been completed, with two more still to do. They are now being decorated and cleaned as we go along.

Permanent Way (P-Way)
More jacking and packing has taken place to level out the track at the summit of the line. More chairs have been bolted down at Lawley siding to enable rolling stock to be stored on it.
The yard at Spring Village continues to be tidied with materials and hardware removed 

Platform Extension at Spring Village
The extension was tarmaced by our good friends at G N Groundworks Ltd, who very generously did the work at no cost to the railway, including materials. They have done a brilliant job. 

On Saturday we welcomed Telford MP Lucy Allan to officially open the platform extension, and a commemorative bench, which had been donated to the railway by the family of the late Stephen Paul Morris. It was great to be able to invite Lucy and Stephen’s family to our railway for this special occasion. After the opening ceremony was complete, everyone boarded the class 144 Pacer to Horsehay and Dawley station for food and drinks at the Furnaces Tearoom. Our thanks to Lucy for her continued support of our railway, and the family for donating the bench.

BR class 08 diesel shunter No 08757 'Eagle' returned to the railway after being on hire to Hams Hall depot over the Summer. The loco has also had some repairs done whilst it was away and is now being made ready for its role in toping and tailing the Polar Express trains during November and December. 

The MOT aggregate has been spread out over the car park at Spring Village and has been levelled and flattened. The marquee for Polar will be arriving this week.

Also arriving this week is the 'chocolate shack' which will provide the hot chocolate drinks for our Polar Express passengers. A base has been put down near the picnic area for the shack to sit on. 

Loving tender care has continued to be given to our reindeer. I have heard that this year, Rudolph will be sporting a special red LED nose. Something to look out at the North Pole!

The new Christmas tree is being decorated ready to be erected at Lawley.

The front of the counter in the Furnaces Tearoom has been repaired and painted.

Thanks to Ben and Nigel for the additional information used in this update.

The railway is currently closed

Our next event is the Polar Express which starts on 25th November. Tickets can be booked from our website.