Half term arrives next week, with the first day of nine days of Museum activity beginning tomorrow (Saturday).  A project called ‘Just one spark’ is running across the holiday, more details of which can be found on the main website.

We would have operated Rowley station, but the footbridge work is over-running due to delays caused by the recent severe weather (not east the wind, which damaged the encapsulation around the scaffolding).  As an alternative therefore, the Colliery Railway will be running each day, using No.18 and/or Edward Sholto.  With the final boiler inspections being completed today, the fleet has now been through its annual winter maintenance programme and is waking from its winter slumber.  Considerable cleaning is required, as can be seen in these photos, which show No.18 which was lit this evening to begin warming through in readiness for operation tomorrow.  The cold, smoke laden atmosphere of the shed was not unpleasant this evening, so I tried a few features on the new camera (sans tripod however – as the slightly shaky images below confirm!).