Sorry for the lack of updates recently been having one or two technical issues.
Work has continued as normal at Whitrope with good progress being made on a number of fronts.

The signalling project continues to advance with pulleys laid and runners for the signal cable along the platform front. The restoration of the lever frame also advances steadily with most of the levers now complete.

Davie has been working on the signal base and running some welds along the strengthening webs now we have sorted out the electrical supply to the welder.

Some work has been done to improve the look of the Mk1 workshop coach and this is still ongoing.

Preparatory works are underway for the instillation of the level crossing gates which hopefully will come to fruition towards the end of the year.

The blog should now start having regular updates again so keep an eye out for the updates

Davie welding the braces on the bottom of the signal.

Working on two of the posts for the level crossing gates

Jim drilling into the platform wall to allow a signal cable runner to be mounted.

The runner in place ready for the cable run.

Allan at work in the brake van.

The team hard at work!

Work to try and improve the external appearance of the Mk1 workshop coach.the external

Jim doing battle with a long length of signal wire.

The planet sat in the platform with the brake van.

One of the gate posts that is being cleaned up and prepared for use with the level crossing gates.

One of the pulley’s in place with the signal cable loosely laid

The pulley near the platform that turns the cable run through 90 degrees and under the track.

The planet shunting near the end of the platform.

A view of the Whitrope platform from a little way down the line.

The signal run complete to the bottom of the signal.

The cabling on the signal is now complete and operates the signal.

Tom at work in the Mk1 coach

The repair to the soft patch on the Mk1 coach.

Duncan painting the repair on the Mk1 coach.

Shunting stock in the area of the level crossing.

Preparation work for the level crossing gates.

The completed repair on the workshop coach.

A good number of volunteers on site undertook a range of tasks as several projects were progressed. Unfortunately after lunch the weather again curtailed some of the work.

The first task for the locomotive department was to finish shunting the stock so the running line was clear for Pluto and the brake van to have access to the main running line. Once the stock was shunted driver training was undertaken with Pluto and the brake van.

Further site tidying up was carried out unfortunately some painting tasks had to be abandoned due to the rain. In the exhibition coach Bill and Alan were working on an attraction for younger visitors, a large wooden jigsaw.

Work progressed on the signal with the wire run and connected to the signal arm. A little bit of work remains to complete the signal run at the top of the gantry and then the connection needs to be made with the balance arms. Hopefully if the weather is better this will be completed next week.

Next week is a running weekend, so please pop up and have a ride behind the newest locomotive to join our working fleet at Whitrope.

With the Mk1 back in the stock siding the steps were re-fixed.

After a little more shunting the platform was cleared allowing Pluto and the brake to have the run of the main line.

After a reasonable morning the afternoon was rather damp.

Bill being taxed as he works on the latest attraction in the buffet coach.

Alan putting the finishing touches to a piece from the puzzle.

After quite a while Bill finally came up with the competed picture.

With Pluto parked in the platform work progresses on the signal.

Jim and Duncan braving the elements up the signal gantry.

With the connections competed at the top all that remains is to connect the wire to the balance levers.

In the end the weather won and the job was abandoned until next weekend.

 

After a week of wall to wall sunshine it was a miserable day at Whitrope. The volunteers on site were somewhat restricted in what could be done due to the wet conditions.

The main task for the day was to shunt the stock from off the running line back into the stock siding. It was a good chance for the drivers to get use to Pluto and learn some of her characteristics. The wet weather also meant that we had one of the rare opportunities at Whitrope to see how Pluto handled on the wet rails!! The shunt proceeded as planned with no issues, although all involved were fairly damp by the end of the day.

Elsewhere on site the volunteers were forced to undertake tasks indoors as the afternoon turned very wet.

Pluto shunting the 26 across to the stock siding.

A freight to Carlisle rumbles through Whitrope behind 26040, well maybe!

RB004 not doing it’s bit for the environment whilst building up air pressure.

Pluto resting over lunch mid-way through shunting stock off the running line.

The cab of Pluto whose twin controls makes shunting much simpler. The cab could maybe do with a bit of a spring clean.

Not the nicest day up at Whitrope, but at least we got a feel for how Pluto handles on the wet rails.

The mineral wagon being moved down to the summit on the run round line.

The Ruston and LMS wagon are placed in the stock siding.

RB004 running past Pluto on a dreek afternoon.

RB004 and Pluto in the platform at the end of the day. Postioned ready for fueling during the week.

 

The latest locomotive to run at Whitrope arrived on Wednesday, although a little later in the day than planned. The locomotive a ‘Planet’ 4wDM called Pluto is part of the Andrew Briddon collection and is on loan whilst our Fowler is away being re-engined. Many thanks to Peter and Andy Briddon for the use of the engine.

The locomotive arrived early evening and the trailer was run onto our new unloading / loading area at the level crossing. This being the first use of this area it was good to see everything went well as far as getting the trailer in place and ready for unloading. With the tractor unit out of the way a rail ramp was set up and Pluto unloaded.

The Fowler was then shunted up to the trailer and pushed onto the trailer using Pluto, although it need a little help from a pulley block as the last section onto the trailer was pretty steep and proved an issue for Pluto. With the Fowler safely secured on the trailer Pluto was again run down onto our rails, although there were a couple of hitches here. Eventually everything was were we wanted it and the tractor unit was re-attached to the trailer. The crew decided to overnight in the car park as it was then well after 9pm.

A long hard day for the lorry crew and Peter Briddon. Also thanks to Baz, Andy, Bill, Jim and Duncan for giving up their time to help unload. We now have an operating locomotive so can shunt the stock and start running proper passenger turns.

Pluto arrives at Whitrope, although a little later than planned.



After some issues with the lorry, then on the journey up led to an arrival at about 16:30 instead of the planned 11:00.



The lorry was the first to test our new loading / unloading facility, which thankfully proved fine.






With the trailer in place the unloading rails were assembled.



Once everything was ready Pluto was fired up and Peter edged her forwards.



Edging her over the drop off on the trailer.






Nose down and off we go.



There was a fair run off on the trailer so once it was over the edge it ran down fairly sharply.



Pluto down on WRHA metals.






With Pluto unloaded the Fowler was shunted up to the trailer for loading.



Pluto was then run up behind the Fowler to push her onto the trailer.



Pluto edges the Fowler forwards.






After a fair bit off work and the use of a chain block to get the Fowler over the steep drop on the back of the trailer, she was located ready for the journey south.



With Pluto out of the way, again with a couple of hitches (it was definitely one of those days). The Fowler was secured and the ramp disassembled.



The ramp being taken apart.






With its work for the day done Pluto was parked up with the Ruston.



The tractor unit attaching itself ready for the journey to the car park where the lorry was going to overnight as by then it was well after 9.



The end of a very long day for the crew and our volunteers.

SATURDAY

A busy weekend at Whitrope saw a good turn out of volunteers on the Saturday, then a visit by the Lothian and Borders Classic and Vintage Motorbike Club on Sunday.

The crew working on the LMS wagon removed the last timbers exposing all the under-frame. The structure was in better condition than was expected, with a few minor areas that need attention but nothing alarming. Work will focus on cleaning and painting the under-frame before new timbers are put back.

Work on the signal lever frame shifted focus to the signal itself with efforts put into freeing up the bottom linkages ready for the signal wires. The next job will be to connect u the actual signal to the linkage at the bottom of the post. Work will still also progress on refurbishing the signal levers.

The batteries on the bug were swooped around in an attempt to cure the problems around starting the unit after it has been stood for a while. Hopefully this may have worked as the unit started fine on Sunday morning.

Further work was done on the exterior of the brake van and some more paint was applied to the guttering area on the coaches in the bay platform.

SUNDAY

Another glorious day with very pleasant temperatures welcoming a visit from Lothian and Borders Classic and Vintage Motorbike Club. They took the chance for a stretch off the bikes with a number of the members visiting the exhibition and buffet coaches. A number had a short trip up and down the line. Some very positive feedback was received about the visit and hopefully this may be repeated in future years.

 

Lunch in the sunshine.

Ongoing work on the brake van.

With the last of the planks removed from the LMS wagon work can continue on the underframe.

Work on the lever frame has moved focus to the signal post. Once this is connected and working it can be linked to the lever frame.

A denuded LMS wagon with all the timbers removed restoration can focus on the under-frame.

The under-frame is in fairly good condition with just some minor areas to repair.

A couple of members of the bike club enjoying a brew in the sunshine.

Bikers from Lothian and Borders Classic and Vintage Motorbike club, enjoying a refreshment break in the buffet coach.

Some of the bikes parked up in the car park.

The opposite group.

There was a wide selection of bikes on show.

They covered several different era’s.

The bug in use approaching the station.

A number of the bikers who had just enjoyed a trip along the line.

Work has progressed on the leveling of the area near bridge 200. This is an area we are looking to develop over the next few years, so getting the ground leveled allows us to plan how to best develop this area.
Jim continued work on the lever frame, with the focus now on the actual levers. Work on the first one showed that they are all going to need a great deal of work to get them into working order. By the end of the day the first lever was freed off and working once more.
It was an operating weekend so the bug was in service although the temperature was not really conducive to many visitors being several degrees colder than last weekend.

 

The first of the signal levers being stripped down ready for refurbishment.

Work continues to progress on the LMS wagon.

Further work has been done on the leveling of the shed area.

The area is really starting to come together with a large area of level ground established.

This view should be the throat of the shed approach at some point in the future.

To all WRHA members – there is an error with page one of the printed copies of Issue 8 of Borderline and we have contacted the printers in order to rectify this. Sadly, this error was not picked up prior to copies being mailed out.

In the meantime, the downloadable issue from the members’ area of the website is correct.

 

Saturday was mixed, dry morning  and showers in the afternoon.

Alan continued working on the refreshed exhibition for the museum. Bill and John tided up the car park area.

Joe did some landscaping, grass cutting and put in some more concrete fence posts heading for bridge 199.

There was a good team working on the LMS wagon which saw reasonable progress made.

Some signal levers were moved to the MK1 coach and a start made on their strip-down but it didn’t get too far.  The levers have been left to have a good soak in release oil, so hopefully better progress can be made next weekend.

Sorry no pictures this week hopefully should be back to normal next week.

A glorious day at Whitrope marked the first day of the new season with the centre officially open to visitors. Unfortunately the lack of running motive power has restricted opportunities in terms of train rides as the stock is currently stabled in the platform. There was the chance for a ride in the ‘bug’ up and down the line towards the cutting, which a few visitors participated in.
The visitor centre was open with the exhibition given a refresh for the new season. In the platform the brake van was open for visitors to see how the restoration of the vehicle is progressing.

The volunteers on site also advanced a number of jobs that could be undertaken. Work continued on the LMS wagon with the sole-bar wire brushed and painted. More work was done on the foundations for the signal frame, with the area under where the frame will sit dug out, hard work on a very hot day at Whitrope. The walls are now ready for the timbers to be affixed ready for the lever frame.

Elsewhere on site repairs were carried out on the Saxa van body with new bitumen sheets laid on the roof to repair damage caused by the storms over the winter. The site clean up continued with some more areas addressed.

The big news from the last few days is the arrival on site of the plant to clear the area near bridge 200 which has be designated as the area for a future running shed. Currently the work will focus on leveling and tidying up this area to provide a flat working zone. Once the area is prepared the containers from the area south of the cottage will be moved to here. With the area becoming the focus for maintenance and restoration work.

Overall a good day with the centre also open on Sunday. The next operating weekend will be May 4th and 5th, so why not pop along and see how things are progressing.

The plant arrives on site mid week to carry ground clearance work in the area at the end of the cutting.

The view on Saturday after work has started to clear the area.

This large piece of plant has made fairly short work of clearing the area near bridge 200.

Once this area has been cleared and prepared some of the containers from elsewhere around the site will be moved here.

In the longer term it is planned for this to be the site of our running shed.

This end of the railway will become the focus of operations, allowing the area around the station to be improved.

Some new roofing felt fitted on the Saxa van to replace that which was damaged by storms over the winter.

Work progressing on the LMS wagon with the solebar being stripped and re-painted.

Further work in the area for the signal lever frame saw the ground dug out ready for sleepers to be set in.

The removed spoil being used to provide a level access way to the lever frame.

The brake van which is open to visitors to see the progress being made.

The brake van looking completely different to when it first arrived on site.

The inside of the van with information sheets in place.

One of the last areas still to be worked on will see a replica stove fitted in here.

A good turn out of volunteers on site meant that a large number of different jobs were on the go.

In the station area the preparations for the new season continued with the inside of the coaches given a good tidy out ready for our visitors. This alongside the continuing general site clear-up is making the whole area look much improved.

Malcolm was up working on the brake van, with a flooring laid inside which looks very smart. This vehicle will be open to the public on operating days, so the push is on to complete a number of jobs.

Baz was up and trimmed the sleeper fence to height that was put up last week for the signal frame. He also carried out a number of repairs and some general maintenance on the bug.

The group working on the 26 removed the driver and second man seats from the cab to allow access to the floor. A number of areas of rotten metalwork were cut out of the floor and these will be replaced with new metal. Some work was also carried out around the roof in the cab to allow this to be repaired so the cab will be watertight.

In between all the hard work time was found to consume a birthday cake that was brought up to celebrate George’s birthday, and very nice it was too.

A view up the cutting showing the evidence of the plant which has been working to construct the access to the culvert.

The view down the cutting, showing how solid the permanent way is here.

A view across the area at the end of the cutting where at some point in the future we will look to construct a restoration / running shed.

This was going to be a picture of George’s birthday, but by the time I got the camera out this was what was left. Happy birthday George, it was a nice cake.

Baz carrying out some maintenance work on the bug.

The daffodils are out up at Whitrope, so Spring must be well established.

More daffodils which have been planted up near the end of the platform.

Davie, Rod and George working on the class 26. The seats are on the platform after being removed to allow access to the floor area which is the main focus of the current work. Davie is also carrying out some repairs to roof to make it water tight.

The brake van with its recently laid protective floor.

A shot from the opposite hillside giving a good view of our site right down to bridge 200.

A closer view of the station area with all the stock currently stored there.