Lots happening and lots to report.  A huge amount of work is going on in preparation for the GNFoT in April, but the day-to-day duties also remain and trams 196, 101 and 26 are current recipients of workshop attention.  233, 114 and 31 have all been prepared for operation (it is useful to be able to rotate the fleet anyway), and 31 will shortly be prepared for its swap with Stockport 5 (the moves being due to happen next week).  After the event, when the dust has settled, the workshops and depot area development will once again receive my full attention as we aim to have these completed by summer and for a backlog of maintenance accumulated through the longer season (and some hard weather) to be attended to.

We start (below) with the departure of Blackpool 304, which has now been returned to its owners and is privately stored in Fleetwood.  It is seen here aboard a Scotts trailer waiting to depart last Thursday.

Below: Chris, in between fixing welded things that we keep breaking, is fabricating new mudguards for the B-Type bus, the originals been somewhat moth-eaten.

Below: A trip to Crich last Saturday for the HRA Tramway Section meeting saw a number of cars in use, including stalwart Glasgow 22 and one of my favorites, Leeds 399 (which was on test when I first joined as a member in October 1990, age 13!).  In the workshops great progress is being made on the comprehensive overhaul of Sheffield 510, with much mutual benefit from the arising  discussions – 510 being of the same type as our own Sheffield 513.  Also in the shops was Glasgow 1068, receiving a service and inspection prior to its much-anticipated visit to Beamish next month…

Below: Phil Anderson and occasional assistant trainee, Sarah Jarman, are working on the signwriting for the gallopers, this being applied to removable panels to ease future maintenance of the ride.  We have also restored the ‘Sally Beach’ title to the ride at this juncture.

Below: Finally, for this post, here is a gallery of images showing a little of the work involved in wiring road 4/5 – at the moment jus the positive wire.  Hugh, Peter and Les carried out the work, in freezing temperatures and snow, to lay out and hang some 100 yards of over head wire and tie off and tension the wire inside the building.  A large scissor lift was hired, the tele-handler acted as a drum carrier and the MEWP was also used.  Despite the cold progress was good, and future working days will see the exterior section completed.  As the work required road 4 to be empty, it was a chance to see 16 and 264 outdoors.