Volunteer Liaison Update | 17th May

Another busy week at the railway, with our fantastic volunteers working very hard as usual.
On Monday we took delivery of the steel that will eventually form our Carriage Shed at Spring Village Yard. This is now stored in the yard until it is needed. 
On Tuesday the last (I hope!) of the wooden sleepers were brought up from Doseley. These are now in a big pile to be de chaired, or re used, as appropriate. On Wednesday, Class 08 Diesel shunter 08757 "Eagle" was collected for some repair and maintenance work before going out on hire for the summer.

Work on our coaches continues with the mid-week volunteers. Tourist Standard Open (TSO) no. 5193 is having its kick boards replaced and repainted. Also the gates at our Spring Village site have been given a new coat of paint, and are now looking beautiful! 
On Saturday, Brake Standard Open (BSO) Coach no. 9406 had 4 of its windows resealed so that the panelling can be secured on the inside. This was a major success with no leaks found after the recent rainfall! More work was also done on the seats for 9406 so that they can be refitted when required. TSO no. 5220 was finished being fitted with new LED tube lights for use on the Polar Express. These new lights will reduce power consumption, and will extend the life of the on-board batteries in the event of anything happening to its generator. Whilst this was being done, another group of volunteers were tamping the two panels of rail that the RAF volunteers helped us with last weekend. The old sleepers that were left trackside were then collected and brought back to the yard.
On Sunday we were open to the public. After a fantastic cooked breakfast in the Café, and a quick catch up with the volunteers running the brilliant model railway, we got down to the business of getting the Class 108 DMU ready for the first train at 11 o’clock. The sun shone in between the showers, and everyone looked to be having a great time. The other main job done on site was the de chairing of the wooden sleepers. There are still plenty more to do, and most of these are then made available for sale to the public.

So, another enjoyable week at the railway!

Have you ever thought about becoming a volunteer at Telford Steam Railway? It’s simple to join and there is so much to discover, including meeting new people who share your passion for steam, diesel, the history, and everything in between! Visit our website or email [email protected] for more information.