Tuesday was shunt day.
The day started by putting the bullion van and dogfish wagon to one side, this allowed 5057 to be removed from the repair shed. 5057 was taken over to number 7 road in the storage shed and attached to the rake of coaches. We required 17101 which was the third coach in, behind 5149 and 1928, these four were shunted out onto the main line and propelled up to Speyside box, where 17101 was detached. The move then returned 5149 and 1928 to road 7 in the shed.
Numbers 6 (right) and 7 roads in the carriage storage shed.
The move, with 5057 attached then went to road 8 and detached 5228 from the rake and placed it on number 7 road. Returning 5057 to number 8 road it was attached to the rake to take its position at the south end.
Another view of number 6 (foreground) and 7 roads in the storage shed.
The first 5 coaches were then drawn out of number 8 road and attached to 5228 in number 7 road, these were then returned to number 8 road where 5228 was detached. The five coaches were then shunted back to number 7 road where the last vehicle 4477 was detached. The remaining four coaches were returned to number 8 road, picking up 5228 on the way and were attached to 5060 standing on the block at the rear of the siding. These coaches then form the six coach set to be used over the Christmas running, from the south; 5057, 4777, 35069, 1928, 5228 and 5060. 5149 in number 7 road is to be the standby coach. Are you confused yet?
17101 standing on the main line at Speyside box was then collected and placed in the repair shed
Completed just in time, the company putting up the Christmas decorations arrived during the afternoon.
17101 is in need of an internal make over, which we do not have the time or resources for. We have brought it in to the shed to borrow its bogies, it will be a three way swop. 17101 will be placed on a pair of spare, unserviceable bogies, this will release its bogies for use under 5149, whose own bogies are suffering from flats. We will end up with the pair of bogies from 5149, which will later on be stripped down and the wheel sets sent for turning to get rid of the flats.
The night of the big storm.
When we finally arrived on Thursday morning, battling through high winds, fallen trees and snow storms. We found that the tarpaulin covering the bullion wagon had been blown off, as it doesn't have any windows in it, we had to bring it inside. Another big shunt in bad weather. The only other damage that we could find is that one of the Speyside station signs had been broken in half and one of the three posts ripped out.
The view through the carriage shed door on Thursday morning.
The bullion van inside the shed, we are going to board the windows over instead of using the tarpaulin. We hope that this is the quickest way to make it weather proof.
Later in the afternoon 46512 was in steam for a test following a repair, it was dispatched to go for coaling at Boat and utilised to check the line after the winds had died down. She is waiting patiently up the head shunt for the points to be cleared, during a gap in the snow showers but the skies threaten more to come.