Aln Valley Railway

Longhoughton Goods Yard - BS, DMS, DT, TMS, KSW, NB, tidying access road and yard; moving materials; laying out sidings; cleaning the Mk 1 roof; rubbing down Mk 1 sides; sweeping glass shards out the Mk 2s; covering window apatures on Mk 2s; check over rail crane; , Dave and Baz dug out some more of the formation for siding by hand then started up the Atlas. This was used to lift over some sleepers and rail. Some more earth was then dug out. After an early dinner, it was apparent the Atlas had developed hiccups – on checking the fuel priming pump filter it appeared the fuel was contaminated. The glass bowl was removed and cleaned up, and the fuel tank was drained and the main fuel pump was checked. While the machine was stopped, the opportunity was taken to check other items and more points have been greased up, the brake fluid reservoirs have been topped up. We managed to get it running again, but attention will need to be given to the fuel system once new parts are obtained. The machine was then used to move more track materials around ready for continuation of work on siding 2. Tom undertook some painting in Northumbria Rail’s Mark 1. The others were working on the restoration on the Mark 2 TSO. The road trailers and the mobile plant were moved round to give a bit of space ready for the arrival of track materials from Alnmouth. No trains today with the ECML being in total possession between Heaton and Tweedmouth, no NwR bods as they were at Alnmouth taking up the “coal yard” sidings.