Category: Updates

  • 01/03/26 – Wait, it’s March already

    01/03/26 – Wait, it’s March already

    Hello everyone and welcome to another update from Quorn. This week we’ve had a good weekend sorting out the vacuum on 3854 after one of those 5 minute jobs and the Lowfit has had its coat of undercoat finished and the underframe glossed in black.

    We started the weekend as ‘QWW Patrol’, helping to repair one of the mineral wagons in the train after the drawhook was found to be loose and rotated 90degrees. Nick and Charlie enacted repairs and Jamie from C&W came to sign it off prior to it running this weekend.

    Dave has also made a start two more Esso plates for 3606 which had been set up in the Test Car. Starting with laying out with the chalk, paint the blue and the first coat of the red.

    Charlie, Nick and I started to look at 3854’s working vacuum cylinder which has previously been re-assembled with the release valve out of position. Initially we thought we’d simply lower the cylinder down, rotate it round to the right position and then lift it back into position. It became apparent that it would actually be easier to drop the cylinder off the wagon and re-build it.

    With the weather being quite poor, Ernie opted to stay in the coach and work on some more lamps, this time a few examples of the oil lamp found in Mk1 brake coach emergency cupboards.

    With the cylinder in the garage, we stripped it down, fitted a new guide bush and new bottom joint ring, reassembled the cylinder and got it fitted to the wagon. Using the test rig, it was tested and passed with flying colours.

    With Sunday having the better weather, the team were out in force to try and get some more paint on the Lowfit, firstly finishing off the undercoat on the drop sides, then moving onto the underframe, applied a good coat of gloss black.

    I used a new to us tool to measure the bore of a vacuum cylinder we had found in the bushes to check whether its worth use bothering with or not. Ernie started cleaning up a piston found under Madge’s trailer, which wasn’t as bad as first thought.

    The team also continued the side project of tidying up the area around between the dock road and the boundary fence. Tidying up some track ‘biscuits’ but also ended up moving the water tower top, mainly to be able to open up the walkway on that side of the siding.

    Dave got a sander out and gingerly sanded 3689 to try and finally confirm its departmental identity, which has now been confirmed as DB999088.

    Lastly, we’ve been very kindly donated some late 1990s/early 2000s Diesel Era magazines which aren’t readily available in the UK. These are for sale on Dave’s eBay account, so do take a look and spend a few pennies if you are interested. All proceeds do go back into the wagons and support us in their care.

    Thanks for reading, and join us next week to find out what we get up to! Cheers, Ross

  • 22/02/26 – Lowfit gets some Paint

    22/02/26 – Lowfit gets some Paint

    Hi and welcome to our weekly update from Quorn. The Lowfit has received some paint, work continues on tank 3689, and 3621’s signwriting is completed.

    Mark, Tom, Oliver, Dan and Daniel did some more needle gun work on the underframe of tank 3689.

    Dan did some needle gun work and red-oxide painting on a vac cylinder dome.

    Charlie did some tidying up in the garage and some vac cylinders were put into storage. Ernie did some more lamp repairs.

    Nick did some cleaning out of rust from under the tank supports on 3689. He also installed the new first aid equipment and notices in our Mess Coach booking-on point.

    Mark, Dan, Daniel and Oliver took advantage of the warmer/dryer weather and got stuck in to applying red-oxide primer to the majority of the Lowfit wagon.

    I finished off the last couple of bits of signwriting on tank 3621.

    Charlie fitted a couple of the heater vents to the seat box sides in the Mess Coach.

    I painted 3621’s Esso plate attachment bolts in red-oxide, and when dry applied the blue.

    Ernie and myself dropped the doors and end panels on the Lowfit, wire brushed and applied undercoat the the insides of the doors.

    We then raised the doors and made a start applying undercoat to the door sides and ends.

    That wraps things up for this week, I’ll leave you with a pic of Standard 2 78018 steaming past our Mess Coach on her last day in service before withdrawal for overhaul.

    Join us again soon; all the best, Dave

  • 15/02/26 – Plates ON

    15/02/26 – Plates ON

    Hello and welcome to this week’s news from the team at Quorn. Tank 3621 is getting closer to completion, there is progress on tank 3689 and we continue with vacuum cylinder repairs.

    Charlie, Dan, James and Oliver did some site tidying-up.

    Mark and Tom continued with the needle gun work on tank 3689’s underframe.

    Oliver and Dan helped Nick remove the spark guards from tank 3689, this will allow access the underframe areas below, and also to clean up and make any repairs to the spark guards.

    I applied the Commuted Charge Cc logo to both sides of 3621.

    Ernie continued with the vacuum cylinder weld repairs, with Ross helping pressure test each stage of work; the soap solution highlighting any small pinholes which were then dealt with.

    The heater was put-on for a while in Test Car 2, and the previously sign-written Esso logo plates were given a light key over the front surface. Ross and I then applied a coat of gloss varnish which was left to dry overnight.

    Dan cleaned up the first of the vacuum cylinders to have it’s repairs completed and tested. He then applied a coat of re-oxide primer.

    Ernie continued with the second vacuum cylinder, welding and low-pressure testing for leaks. The cylinder held the low-pressure for a couple of hours confirming successful completion of the repairs.

    The Empty/Load changeover symbol was applied to the east side of tank 3621.

    The weather wasn’t kind to us on Sunday, however in between the showers Ross & I managed to fit the two varnished Esso plates to 3621; whilst Ernie made a start on some lamp repairs.

    We set up the next two Esso plates in Test Car 2 and gave the surface a light key ready to receive their sign-written logos.
    These two plates will be fitted to tank 3606 once completed.

    Thanks for reading, join us again next week; all the best, Dave

  • 08/02/26 – Clearing defects and cleaning vans

    08/02/26 – Clearing defects and cleaning vans

    Hello everyone and welcome to another update from Quorn. This week has been one of defect clearance, cleaning and finishing off vac cylinder repairs, including a new improved special tool! Its also been lovely to see the tank train running on Saturday for as part of the firing school. Okay, lets jump in to what we’ve done..

    First job was to fit a flip down stop board in the four foot of the dock road to protect the vehicles in the siding, and the people working on them.

    Ernie arrived with a new plate to use for pressure testing vacuum cylinder domes once they have been repaired. This also means we can test 18 inch domes as well. Thanks to Ernie for sorting this out. Between Ernie and myself we got the plate sorted and made two o rings to act as the seal between the plate and the dome.

    Ernie also worked on another tool used to push out the guide bush in the bottom of the vacuum cylinder.

    Charlie, James Oliver and Dan started tidying the area outside the coach beyond the dock as it was starting to look quite untidy and overgrown. Some equipment was re-sited and a lot of brush clearance was done.

    Mark, Tom, Oliver and Dan finished off washing the vans in the yard. Mark and Tom then moved over to needle gunning in the pockets of 3689.

    Nick and I cleared some of the defects noted against the vans when they have their Fitness to Run exams. A few handbrake rack bolts, underkeep bolts and a handbrake chain. With a bit of assistance we also change two buffers on B784409 on opposite corners.

    I had managed to get hold of some soda media in the week and finally had the opportunity to try out the soda blaster, firstly on a vacuum cylinder, but also on 3689. It made a bit of a mess, but thankfully its water soluble! We’ll keep experimenting on this to find out what its best to use it for.

    We pressure tested the latest cylinder and found a few further pin holes, however the new plate worked a treat!

    Thanks for reading, and join us next week to see what we get up to! Cheers, Ross

  • 01/02/26 – Catching up on the small jobs

    01/02/26 – Catching up on the small jobs

    Hello and welcome to the news from Quorn this week. We continue with vacuum cylinder repairs, Esso barrel plates and some housekeeping.

    James, Nick and Ernie all having a bash at needle gunning the repaired 21″ cylinder to check for any more pitting/holes. Thankfully only pitting was found.

    Ross and Charlie assembled the new welding screens.

    I gave one of Esso barrel plates a second coat on the red text, the other one was done by Ross on Sunday. These will get a coat of varnish before fitting to a tank.

    A damaged 15″ cylinder was retrieved from storage in the van train. It was stripped down and assessed. All quite good, however one of the cylinder lugs has broken. This will require sending away for repair. Ross removed the release valve studs from the cylinder, one of which needed a little heat to release.

    I fitted the freshly painted 3D printed builders plates to tank 3621.

    The Commuted Charge panel and star were also given a second coat of yellow.

    We are also trialling our own make of Overhead Warning flash plates as an alternative to signwriting them on.
    In order to assess how well they stand up to the good old British weather, one has been fitted to the south end of the garage building.

    Mark, Tom and Oliver started cleaning the corrugated ends of the vans in the yard, in preparation for a freshen up later in the year. they look loads better for just a wash.

    Tom also brought in cake for his upcoming birthday. Happy birthday Tom!

    Ernie and Ross pressure tested the cleaned down 21″ cylinder finding a few small pinholes which will need to be rectified.

    That about wraps things up there, join us next time where we should hopefully be mounting some Esso plates to a wagon and probably many other things!

  • 26/01/26 – Tanks at the gala

    26/01/26 – Tanks at the gala

    Hello everyone and welcome to this week’s update from the railways winter gala. The tank train has been up and down, with both 3606 (sans Esso plate, though more on that later…) and 1919 making their freight train debuts. Apologies to some of you as they were both facing north!

    Ernie carried on with Operation Vacuum Colander, tackling the cylinder removed from 3689 with the hole in the side. Using side wall sections out of a donor cylinder, Ernie cut out the rot and replaced with the ‘new’ metal. This kept Ernie busy for most of the weekend, as more metal was put in the more holes appeared!

    Daniel and Charlie started wire brushing two vacuum cylinders which have been in the garage in bits. The surface rust has been removed now ready for some primer to be applied to the appropriate areas

    James helped me fix down the table top in the mess coach, finishing the preparation and spreading the glue contact adhesive on both surfaces. The Formica surface was lowered back onto the wood and then clamped and weighed down. I’m going to try and polish the Formica and the surrounding wood will get a coat of varnish too.

    During the week, I collected 8 Esso plates from DEU in Derby who cut, rolled and painted them white for us. This leaves Dave and I to signwrite them. Nick and I unloaded these from my car and stored them in Madge’s box trailer out of harms way.

    Dave used the good day on Saturday to get the ‘Esso Petroleum Company Limited’ wording on the west side of 3621, which finishes the lettering on that side, just details left there now.

    Nick, Charlie and Oliver went to Swithland on Sunday to recover a gas box to fit to the mess coach, which was done when they got back. We’ll use the gas box to store the fuel for the new heater.

    Mark and Tom gave the Conflat a wash down, and then got the needle guns out to prepare the end pockets on 3689. While they did this, Dan picked out the lettering on the Hurst Nelson builders plates.

    Dave and I got set up in the Test Car, each of us tackling an Esso plate. There is some work still to do on these including a coat of varnish. Not sure if we’ll put these on 3606 or 3621 yet, but they’ll appear out in the wild soon!

    Thanks for joining us, and hopefully you’ve enjoyed seeing the tanks out again at the gala. Next week, I’m sure there will be more tank related activity, but who knows! See you then.

  • 18/01/26 – The Heat is ON

    18/01/26 – The Heat is ON

    Hello and welcome to our this week’s news from Quorn. Work continues on two of the tanks, the lowfit, two vacuum cylinders and we get the diesel heater working in the mess coach.

    The power switch and circuit breaker for the heater were installed into a 3d printed panel that Ross set into the end panel in the mess area. A temporary warm air outlet was fitted to the end of the heater, and under the coach the fuel pump was fitted & plumbed up to a temporary fuel arrangement. After a little challenge bleeding the system and changing the feed pipe to a smaller diameter tube, the heater was powered up and has performed admirably over the weekend keeping the mess-area nice and warm. The next stage will be to fit the under seat ducting for the air inlet and warm air outlets, & finishing off the fuel supply arrangement.

    Mark, Tom, Oliver and Daniel progressed bodyside and underframe paint removal from the Lowfit using needle guns and scrapers. Red oxide primer was then applied to the prepared areas.

    After drying off the overnight rain from tank 3621, Dan and myself completed some signwriting. Dan looking after a registration plate, tare and load text; and myself doing the east side Esso Petroleum Company Limited tank barrel text.

    Ernie continued with final areas of welding and cleaning up the two repaired vacuum cylinder domes. The 21″ one also receiving a coat of primer.

    After applying a little heat, Nick straightened up the bent lamp bracket on tank 3689.

    The mess coach table tops have been attempting to part company from the tables for some time, so Charlie and Ross set to work carefully removing the Formica panel from the worst affected table. The remains of the glue was then scraped off the table surface and the underside of the Formica with a little heat-gun help.

    The overhead warning flash plate that had to be removed from one side of tank 3854 last year (to allow for the Esso text), was repaired and re-fitted in the normal position in the centre of the wagon. To do this some additional length was welded onto the plate lugs, which were then dressed before the the plate was welded into place.

    Two birthday cakes were dealt with in the normal manner (being devoured very quickly). James’s cake went that quickly there was no chance of a picture, and very little of mine was left by the time this snap was taken….lol.

    Thanks for reading, join us again next week, all the best; Dave.

  • 11/01/26 – Silver Snow

    11/01/26 – Silver Snow

    Hello everyone and welcome to this weekend’s update. How did everyone enjoy the weather they got? There was no snow evident at Quorn at the weekend, but at home in Derby I had a good 2 to 3 inches of the stuff which was still hanging around. Both 3854 and 3689 have seen some activity this weekend, and the additional heater in the coach procedes ever closer to being fired up.

    Saturday was a colder day, so I spent it inside the coach again running the feed wires from the coach’s bespoke electrical cubicle to the new DC/DC converter that I’ve fitted next to the heater.

    Nick, James and Charlie went on a road trip to Foxfield to gather some more Esso tank parts, this time it was more outfeed pipes and valves to replace those that arrived missing on 3854. When they got back and after a cup of tea, the valves and outfeed pipes were fitted.

    With the day being a little warmer on Sunday the pressure washer was cracked out to clean down 3689. Tom, Dan, Oliver and Tom worked on this most of the day, getting wet through in the process. Most of the unsound paint came off including most of the black sign writing resembling silver snowflakes. After this the team gave 1802 a going over, removing its layer of algae.

    I carried on in the coach, getting the heater all wired up and at the end of the day I was able to get the heater powered on which leaves the plumbing for me to do. Ernie spent the morning at Loughborough using the machinery to make us a tool for punching out the bushes in the base of the vacuum cylinders. Thanks to Dave Wright of LMS for the material offcuts.

    That wraps up this week, thanks for reading everyone! See you next week for more wagon antics!

  • 04/01/26 – Varnished Van

    04/01/26 – Varnished Van

    Hello and welcome to this weeks update covering work at Rothley and also back at Quorn.

    The last few days of 2025 saw the final stages of painting, lettering and varnishing of Vanfit B777728 at Rothley.

    The east side solebar was black glossed by Nick and Charlie, whilst Ernie cleaned up and painted the vacuum pipe swan-necks & handbrake lever ends.

    I prepared the signwriting templates and chalked up the east bodyside ready for applying the running number and wagon details.

    The re-assembled vacuum cylinder was re-fitted to Palshoc Van B855568; and one of the springs was removed to be used as a pattern for making some replacement ones. In order for the van to remain movable a temporary spring was fitted in its place.

    The spare axleboxes that were removed from the old wheelsets of the Palshoc chassis were cleaned and the nuts/bolts removed before the parts were put into store. Some of the nuts needed a little heat persuasion to release.

    Whilst Nick varnished the west bodyside; I applied the running number and bodyside lettering to the east side of B777728; along with what will be the last use of the 2025 paint symbol.

    The west side solebar Builders Plate was then chalked up and painted on, along with the vacuum release star.

    Into 2026 and some of the team returned to Quorn whilst Mark, Ross and myself put the finishing touches to B777728 at Rothley.

    The east bodyside and van ends were varnished.

    The east side solebar Builders Plate and vacuum release star were applied.

    The rest of the team at Quorn removed one of the defective leaf springs from tank 3621 which was taken to Rothley, This will be sent away with the Palshoc springs as a pattern for replacements to be made.

    Tom got stuck in to picking out the Esso Owners Plates lettering and completed all 8 of the plates that will be fitted in due course to 3606, 3621, 3854 and 3689.

    The plates picked out by Tom for 3621 were fitted by Nick on Sunday. Unfortunately due to the cold weather not a lot else could be done outside.

    Ross made a start fitting a diesel heater to the mess coach, cutting out a floor aperture for the burner air inlet and exhaust and bolting the mounting plate and heater to the floor.

    That winds up our work this week, we’ll keep looking at the forecast hoping for warmer weather next weekend so that we can progress with our projects. Thanks for reading!

  • 01/01/26 – Happy New Year

    01/01/26 – Happy New Year

    In what is our first post of the 2026, we look back on 2025. For us you could call this the year of the tank, perhaps more specifically the year of the Esso tank. We started off the year however with the TTAs.

    In the first months of 2025, we worked to produce two identical vacuum through pipes for both 1802 and 1919 after first establishing the routing. This has turned our two TTA tanks into TTBs as they were built – B being the suffix code in TOPS for an air braked and vacuum piped wagon.

    February also marked the arrival of 3621 from the Fox field Railway. Its arrival marks the fourth such tank at the railway, and you may notice a thread forming…

    In March, an Esso tank chassis arrived from Foxfield Railway which, thanks to our friends at the National Wagon Preservation Group (NWPG), was identified as the chassis from 3797. This began a bigger project, and probably a preservation first, to reunite a barrel and chassis.

    Thanks again to the NWPG, a barrel was located and purchase and was lifted on in March, and welded on in July with new side tank supports and ladders fabricated and fitted. 3606 and 3621 were both prepped and painted in October.

    With 1919 still at Quorn, its barrel and chassis was prepared, painted and signwritten and release to traffic in August.

    Winding back to July, the gang helped Eireni and I celebrate our wedding at the Museum of Making. I still smile at the memories of the day and seeing the Quorn lot greek dancing.

    Also in July, another Esso tank had arrived from Llangollen. Numbered 3854, it sat as next in the queue. By the end of the year, its sat in primer waiting for undercoat and gloss when the weather is right.

    The Lowfit went to Rothley to have both dragboxes rebuilt has a contract job by the C&W team, and also at Rothley a further chassis had arrived to re-wheel a Shock Palvan body. The body was owned by RVP as a store, and is in good general condition aside from the door frame work.

    In October, yet another Esso tank arrives at the railway this time from the North Dorset Railway. This tank is 3689, it was made fit to move and has had the vacuum system repaired following the discovery of a ventilated vacuum cylinder. This tank marks the 7th 35t gross Esso tank to arrive at the railway.

    Now back at Quorn, the Lowfit received a vacuum cylinder overhaul and a weld repair to the vacuum train pipe.

    Towards the end of the year, we’ve again been able to move to Rothley to repair B777728 after it was withdrawn earlier in the year due to the roof trying to part company with the van. We’ve been able to repair and re-sheet the roof, we’ve fitted new door ‘noggins’ and have repainted the two ends and the east side. The west side has also been varnished to increase its longevity.

    We’ve opened the Test Car for various events in the year, three times in April, and also the Rail 200 event in August which has given us the opportunity to share the vehicles unique history and meet you all. We supported the ever popular Railways at Work Gala and put on a fantastic show.

    Around new arrivals and repaints, we’ve carried on with the usual vacuum cylinder overhauls, annual bearing exams and other small jobs. The BEVs have had repairs and maintenance, and Edward has also had a rebuild.

    We’ve launched our new look website, and after a few teething issues its settled down. I’ve got a few other ideas for improvements which I’ll be working on over the coming year.

    In 2026, we’ll be continuing push on the Esso tanks, aiming towards a block train of Esso type tanks. 3621 is awaiting signwriting, 3854 is awaiting undercoat and gloss and 3689 needs the works. We’re planning to refresh the van train, the east side of most vans haven’t bee touched for a number of years and they are starting to look a bit tired. We’ve also got a few more roofs to look at. We’ll also get the Conflat and the Lowfit out after a new floor each.

    Thank you for reading, and for your support over the year. Our next update will contiue as normal on the 4th.