Of flood and the future

27th October 2019

The clocks go back, and instantly the late afternoon feels wintry - is it just me or have you noticed that?

We arrived at Tunstead on Monday and got on with a few minor tasks, knowing that we hadn't a lot of time to get into anything major before departing for the meeting. Well, I couldn't resist getting the ICI decals on, and as Andy said he did the RS8 ones, so it was my turn this time, I endeavoured to apply them and sort-a got it right. But don't look too closely.

We understood the meeting to be half ten so at about quarter past headed for the offices. Given that this is the office block that formed the backdrop to RS8's excursions, and we had been in close proximity now for a year, we nevertheless didn't know quite where the entrance was so ended up walking around 3 sides of the building (following the designated footpaths that we have seen so many Tarmac employees observe, naturally) and finally found our way to the grand foyer where we had to be inducted before being issued with visitor passes. Shortly after, together with Netta Christie (of Discover Buxton) and her sound man Michael we were admitted to the meeting room and offered teas/coffees. It seems most of the others had been told the meeting began at eleven, so it was a little while before the entire group were sat around the table. Reg G took the chair with Michelle W at his right for the publicity/PR point of view and we rapidly got down to business. The date has yet to be finalised but the plan is to move RS8 from the stores building to the quarry lines with my trailer and a local haulier, and have 1 or 2 days doing a farewell tour with photos of the employees who took a part and 'yesterday and today' poses. Hopefully Derek B will be over as a guest of honour - he was involved with the original conversion (his name even appears on some of the drawings) and was responsible for much of the information that went with the loco to the Dinting group. Then the loco returns to Darley Dale for the last jobs that we have to do. Discover Buxton will make another podcast to finish the RS8 story, with interviews, etc.

With the meeting and lunch out of the way we pottered around on a few tasks with the loco, but even began a bit of tidying up and clearing away things that are no longer required. Up in the cab, I applied a second coat of polyeurethane varnish to the arm rests and labelled a few more things on the cab bulkhead, and Andy and I changed the right hand wiper motor, which was willing to sweep one way but had no intention of returning. Hopefully its replacement will be more amenable. but I still haven't got those arms!

The week has been uneventful with grandson up and around for most of it. On Friday Andy H and I were down at the shed when Harvey C was spotted opening up the block post and shortly after a strange front end appeared down the line from Rowsley, crept into the platform and pulled up well before the starter signal. It was none other than Mr Waterman's Class 25 presumably on a test run.

After heading down to Riverside it returned a while later and retreated to Rowsley.

Rain broke out during Friday and continued during Saturday, which suited me as I had a load of paperwork to get on with and was falling behind. The weather foiled grandson's planned return too, but instead meant that Andrew would be away today, leaving me to look after our neighbour with his mini-digger, in connection with the fence works and the much-needed slot drain by the front door.

While he got started I had a wander down to Four Lanes, the former crossroads where the original road along the valley (i.e. before Sir James Whitworth built the present straight stretch of the A6) met the meandering east-west byeway that connected Winster with Darley Dale and onward up Sydnope Hill. When there is considerable rain, the area is prone to flooding, the last time was 7 years or so ago and although quite close to the shed, the ground though smooth, slopes slightly up so it would take a lot more to flood the railway.

Nonetheless much of the land around was also under water, and in the car park of the car parts retailers (where our container once stood) a solitary car was abandoned, up to its axles today, but the water was higher Saturday evening.

And that is about it for this week. With no Andrew around I had commercial work to progress and with no Andy at Tunstead tomorrow, it may be a short day up there. We'll see. Hopefully more to write about next week. See ya then.