New Years Day

Well it was certainly a busy start to 2013! Not only do we steam up right in the middle of our shutdown/maintenance period but also played host to a few guests at this years New Years Day Steam Up!

Set up along the Rhyne bank was a 43m length of 5 inch gauge railway on trestles from the West Huntspill Model Engineers Society. They bought with them one electric locomotive and one steam loco and gave rides to visitors of all ages throughout the afternoon. We extend our thanks to the society for joining us and we hope to host them and the railway again at Steam on the Levels 2013 on the 18th & 19th of May.

We were also greeted by a nice surprise as Ron Darch & Sons Princess Victoria Traction Engine arrived and spent the afternoon parked in the courtyard next to our Marshall Steam Boiler. Thanks go to the drivers for popping in and we hope to also see them back at Steam on the Levels.

With all that going on one would think nothing else was happening, but you would be wrong! The railway ran tirelessly all day supplying wood to the boiler where the stokers kept the pressure all afternoon. Volunteers kept all the steam engines running smoothly and to a new timetable to help reduce steam consumption, Ian lit the forge and could be seen beating hot bits of steel. And in the tea room visitors were fed with homemade cakes and hot cups of tea or coffee!

Thanks to all that helped make 2012 a great year and to those that will hopefully make 2013 an even better year!