run-up to the VINTAGE WEEKEND 2002
A Matter of Utmost Gravity
Well, we needed weight to provide some gravity. Slate costs a small fortune. It also turns to dust in no time at all (originally it only had to do one journey). Unloading it in a rush is no fun task too. We discussed all manner of crazy solutions to this problem - resin, concrete moulds (who can forget the concrete with slate stuck in it?!) etc - before deciding to build some water tanks. Now this would have been the ideal solution - the tanks can be filled fairly quickly. The tanks can be lifted in and out quite quickly. They are a lot cheaper than slate. The water could be dropped out to provide a smaller load for the up journey fairly quickly (as we did on Sunday). Water from the tanks could also be used to lubricate the wheel/rail interface round some of our sharper curves. BUT, the steel only arrived five days before the weekend!
So that week, saw 4road at Boston Lodge full of bodies, wagons and steel! I cannot praise the guys who helped out with this enough. As the light faded we were still there welding into the night.
The week before we had devoted to completing the final wagon tasks, like replacing coupling pins - look at the old and new pins! Wheelset welding and reprofiling was also completed.
We had finished 15 tanks by Thursday lunchtime. The next day was devoted to shunting and swearing, so by Friday teatime, we were ready for a good weekend...
