Trains This Weekend

The North Pole Express runs on Saturday and Sunday, and all trains are fully booked.   Twizell will haul trains every 40 minutes between East Tanfield and the North Pole from 10.40 until 4 pm.    Cochrane will be steamed as backup.

Sarah, who was guard on last Sunday's NPE, said that she received several compliments about us from members of the public.   Hopefully there will be less rain this weekend, so even more people can enjoy the experience.

Odd Jobs at the End of the Week

A selection of the tasks undertaken today :

NER 6-wheel inspection saloon being loaded
for transport to the Aln Valley Railway

Cold Thursday Assortment

Peter checking axlebox lubrication on the NER 6-wheel
engineers saloon, which is due to leave tomorrow

Wednesday

Down at Tanfield, more cladding has been done:

Ken and Bill cutting a piece of cladding .....

Tuesday

Ronnie fitting studs to Horden's backhead

Monday in the Workshop

Ryan making an extractor tool

First Day of NPE

The first day of the 2012 North Pole Express season started with downpours affecting public road access and our sites, but fortunately the rain eased off, everyone coped well, and an enjoyable day ensued.

Bob prepared for the worst
while on car park duty

Final North Pole Prep

Today saw last minute work at Marley Hill, East Tanfield and the North Pole in readiness for our busiest operating time of the year.

Emma dressing the tree in ET station
(photo courtesy of Mark Pearce)

Tomorrow's Trains

Tomorrow sees the start of our North Pole Express season - prebooked tickets only, and as far as I know, sold out.   Twizell will haul trains every 40 minutes between East Tanfield and the North Pole from 10.40 until 4 pm.    Cochrane will be steamed as backup.

Tidying Tanfield

A Windy Rainy Thursday

Ryan drilling a brake hanger from Horden

Wednesday at Tanfield

A delivery of plasterboard and insulation

Tuesday Night Shift

David and the Elves do late night North Pole signage
(photo courtesy of Mark)

A Drizzly Tuesday

Vic checking over the digger, and adding antifreeze

A Windy Monday

Dave on the radial arm drill

Sunday Variety

David watering, Chris coaling Cochrane at AH

Tomorrow's Trains

Tomorrow's loco will be Sir Cecil A Cochrane, hauling trains from Andrews House station for Sunniside, Causey and East Tanfield at 11 am, 12.30, 2 and 3.30 pm.

Cochrane and train last weekend, north of MH signalbox
(photo courtesy of Dave Hewitt)

Tanfield on Friday

Ian unloading a delivery of plasterboard

Coal

A recent trial of a sample of Welsh steam coal on Cochrane proved successful - it burnt well with less smoke and residue, and seemed hotter although relatively slow to ignite.   We've bought more ----.

30 tonnes of Welsh steam coal being
delivered today (photo by Ian Cowan)

Tanfield Station Again

Ian fixing plasterboard ceiling in the main reception area

Tanfield Still

Bob working on ceiling joists.....

East Tanfield Again

Rob cutting insulation ....

Back to East Tanfield Station

Eric fitting wall insulation

Sunday Variety

Henry cleaning Cochrane

Tomorrow's Trains

Tomorrow's loco will be Sir Cecil A Cochrane, hauling trains from Andrews House station for Sunniside, Causey and East Tanfield at 11 am, 12.30, 2 and 3.30 pm.

Friday at Tanfield

Malcolm attaching waterproof membrane

East Tanfield Continues

The internal work will take some time, but we must achieve a usable reception area before the last Sunday in November, when the first express leaves for the North Pole .....

Rob cutting polystyrene insulation

Cladding Tanfield Station

Nigel jigsawing cladding

Tanfield and the Tunnel Again

A rainy day at Tanfield, but dry work can continue inside because all of the lower roof sheeting is in place.

Austin making window surrounds

Monday's Mainly at Tanfield

David adding black lining to HL No.2's bunker

Sunday Assortment

Matthew filling Cochrane's displacement
lubricator with cylinder oil

Tomorrow's Trains

Tomorrow's loco will be Sir Cecil A Cochrane, hauling trains from Andrews House station for Sunniside, Causey and East Tanfield at 11 am, 12.30, 2 and 3.30 pm.

A fire in Cochrane - photo courtesy of Carolyn Corfield
and used in an exhibition at NRM Shildon early this year

Earlier This Week

A few shots taken earlier in the week by Malcolm Phillips.   Work should continue on East Tanfield station building for a while, to make it usable as a reception building for our North Pole Expresses.

Malcolm and John trimming a roof sheet .....