27th May 2010

Well, life has probably never been busier before. Yesterday we marked out the site for the fairground (only for our pegs to be removed to enable a cricket match to take place!). We have also been clearing the RMS workshop space in order to turn it into… a workshop! Stuart and Davy have been busy planning the machine shop and this should be more or less in place by the end of next week – Rambler will be first resident for removal of its rolls to enable some smokebox repairs and a repaint of the rolls. After that we are muttering about bringing in the Mann steam tractor in order to investigate returning it to steam in time for the Great North Steam Fair in September… Meanwhile:

Below: Phil is cracking on with 31’s repaint – the first undercoats are going on and an idea of the livery is once again clear – this promises to be a very high quality job, and it is a slight shame it will be little seen at Beamish before it ventures off to Blackpool for the summer!

Below: The chip shop foundations have been dug and concrete poured. Here are two views of the job, meanwhile the builders are building a ramp and arch to give a non-stepped access route to the tea rooms.

Below: The finished crossing – now with two (new!) gates!