We have turned out not one, but two steam locos for this weekend’s Steam & Industry trains – the ever-faithful “Stanhope” and the new and slightly eccentric “Joffre”. We usually use the steam loco on the passenger trains, and one or two of the heritage diesel fleet on demonstration good trains during the S&I weekends. However, the decision was taken to turn out two steamers this time. The “Joffre” is still in its post-restoration infancy, and we’re still learning about its foibles. The cab, for example, is almost entirely filled with various lubricators. One of these has been compared to the Optics stand behind a nightclub bar – since it contains a slighly mysterious, and probably toxic, blue liquid. It may that the loco is running on alcopops, but it’s a bit old for that sort of nonsense. The “Joffre” now sports are rather spiffing new dome cover – which makes it now looks all together a bit more “finished”. And on the subject of finished, one of the wagons used today was the latest output from the Carriage & wagon production line – it’s a newly restored WDLR Class “D” wagon – and it looks a real credit to all who worked on it. Take a bow, chaps. It’s all happening again tomorrow (Sunday 15th April). As a reminder, the Steam & Industry weekends are the second complete weekend in each month – so the next is May 12 & 13. In between, it’s trains every Saturday using one of the diesel fleet. Get in touch here.
