Over the past two months activity has concentrated on adding facilites for passengers who are less mobile to be able to step into & out of our standard passenger cars. Thanks to the generosity of the Levenseat Trust sponsorship was obtained to provide both the access facilities & a complete train with a ground level access carriage. Click to enlarge images
Construction of the siding
Working on levelling the wall
Cutting the mono block paving
‘Is the top level, George?’
Sleepering the track panels
Nearly finished, just the fishplating
These views show the construction of the access route to the carriage siding.
Saturday, 30th October saw the delivery of the custom built carriage ordered from Cromar White which they brought in person all the way from Holyhead.
Here it comes….
All safely wrapped….
To reveal….
Steady Dan!
A rather nice….
Wheelchair coach.
Wheelchair testing…
Ok, you show us!
Ready for a run…
Runs nicely.
Ramp down….
Ramp up, off we go!
Another trip round.
Official handover…
The guarantee too!
Cuppa time….
Snugly away.
The acceptance trials went without a hitch & after a few turns around the track the carriage was taken into the Heritage building for safe keeping until the locomotive arrives & we are ready to use it (the locomotive is expected late November). It should be said that this storage is only temporary as the plan is construct a secure building for it & the locomotive which will be rail connected.
One last technical detail. The bogies have dual springing; soft springs for running without a load & harder springs which come into play when loaded. This system makes for a better riding carriage less prone to derailing when unloaded.
Our thanks go the Peter Arnold & Andrew Newton for their work in sourcing the funding & making the project happen on the ground.
