Despite a really poor weather forecast, plenty happening at Apedale. Having passed its latest boiler exam and returned to traffic, the passenger train was in the capable hands of the Avonside “Ogwen”; we’ll be using this loco next Saturday as well. Several IC locos were receiving attention. The Hibberd has a very poorly radiator, and this will be replaced; to allow this, the front of the loco needs to be dismantled. A couple of rows across in the shed, a fair bit of work was taking place on the ex-Wilmslow hydraulic drive Lister. The announcement of ListerFest (May 18 & 19 2024) has focussed minds on this loco. Very much in ex-peatworks condition, an inspection found a number of issues which really had to be fixed before it could be used to any extent. For example, the ballast weight in imminent danger of falling off, and “not much” holding the wheelsets in. So, a few days will be spent fettling the loco. As ever, the knack is knowing when to stop; the plan is to make the loco safe and serviceable, but conserving the peatworks look & feel. So, if you’re hoping for an ex-works restoration – sorry. It will still look like a loco which trundles wagons of peat across a field in Cheshire. Finally, the big Hunslet mines loco (number 6619) has received some attention. It worked in a coal mine, and therefore is flameproofed. The only electrical system works the headlight. Everything else is air. Doubtless if there was an air-powered headlight, it would have been fitted. So, uniquely for Apedale (and unusually in general), the loco has an air starter for its 4-cylinder Gardiner engine. It all works quite well, and the engine runs nicely. But, in the words of our CME “That was the easy bit…”.
