avonside1563 Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 2017 sees the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Foxfield Light Railway Society and to celebrate this the railway is planning a series of events throughout the year, besides the usual Summer Steam Gala and Autumn Anything Goes Gala. I will use this thread to let people know what is happening throughout the year so keep an eye out for all the latest. One of the plans is the return of passenger trains to Foxfield colliery and on Foxfield Bank, to this end work is in progress on the relevant equipment and infrastructure upgrades to enable this to happen and if anyone wants to get involved please PM me for details. Here's one of the items of equipment recently acquired to assist with trackworks, we're getting quite modern! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian Smeeton Posted November 21, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 21, 2016 Can I borrow that to do my ballasting, please. Regards Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted November 28, 2016 Author Share Posted November 28, 2016 The evening of Saturday the 26th November saw an impromptu charter with Bellerophon at Foxfield Colliery for a couple of well known photographers. Here's a couple of snaps of my phone of the event. Bellerophon at Caverswall Road catching the late afternoon sun during the first day of Santa specials. During a pause in the charter at the Colliery Standing in the Colliery on the start of Foxfield Bank. What you can't see properly is the fully loaded 16 ton mineral wagon behind. Events like this will also feature as part of the 50th celebrations in 2017. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poggy1165 Posted November 29, 2016 Share Posted November 29, 2016 I hope to get to the Foxfield in 2017 one way or another. I think it's the nearest preserved railway to me that I haven't visited. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted December 13, 2016 Author Share Posted December 13, 2016 Some of you may have seen the 4 page article in the latest Railway Magazine about the forgotten Peckett, 'Ackton Hall No.3'. Plans are afoot for this Cinderella industrial and it is intended to undertake a detailed survey and remove the boiler for assessment once the overhaul of 'Wimblebury' is completed in 2017. Below shows the progress a couple of weeks ago on Wimblebury's motion as seen from the cylinder block with the left hand set of slidebars to go in ready for the crosshead and connecting rod. The right hand side having been put up the day before. Talking of Ackton Hall, we are keen to locate the whereabouts of some missing items such as boiler fittings, injectors, pipework etc. It was all on the loco when she was stored at Llangollen but has since parted company from the loco. If anyone knows where it might be located please drop me a PM. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 Work is progressing on the upgrade of Foxfield Bank towards the return of passenger trains from Dilhorne Park to Foxfield Colliery. A selection of rodding cranks being refurbished for the pointwork One of Foxfield's older items of plant, the rail mounted Hiab, being used as an oversized garden tool removing large bushes and small trees to clear space for a ground frame. If anyone is contemplating coming along to assist with the upgrade of Foxfield Bank this may help sway your decision. Lunch at Foxfield Colliery! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 The 50th Anniversary year will see the return to service of a stalwart of the Foxfield Railway as the boiler from 'Wimblebury' is ready for its 'out of frames' steam test and will then be craned back onto the frames allowing all the pipework to be replaced ready for the final steam tests. Also coming into service this year is RSH 0-4-0ST 'Eustace Forth', the boiler from this having passed an 'out of frames' steam test at Israel Newtons' boiler works and being reunited with the frames at Foxfield a week later. 'Eustace Forth's' boiler undergoing an 'out of frames' steam test A week later and the boiler is back in the frames ready for final reassembly. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted March 16, 2017 Author Share Posted March 16, 2017 No we won't be doing gravity shunting for passenger trains, those days are long gone. However it does happen sometimes when we're running freight trains if the loop is blocked and there's only one loco; we use the brakevan to control the train in that instance. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted March 27, 2017 Author Share Posted March 27, 2017 A lot happening over this last weekend - Wimblebury's boiler has passed its out of frames steam test and was craned back into the frames followed quickly by lagging and replacement of tank and cab. She now needs all the fittings and pipework replacing and a repaint prior to re-entering service this year. At the same time Ackton Hall was dismantled to remove the boiler for assessment prior to restoration. This is the first time this loco has been apart since it's last abortive overhaul with the NCB in the 60s. This also allows a more thorough inspection of the motion and axleboxes. (Photos : John Eastwood.) 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippel Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 Hi there, is Bellerophon still at Foxfield, and will it take part in this years celebrations, please? Thanks, Paul. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted March 27, 2017 Share Posted March 27, 2017 wow the coincidence is amazing.. my grandad (George Eastwood) was a miner at Ackton Hall pit and my Dad (his son) has the same name as the photographer above Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share Posted March 28, 2017 Hi there, is Bellerophon still at Foxfield, and will it take part in this years celebrations, please? Thanks, Paul. Hi Paul, yes Belllerophon will be back in service this year following winter maintenance which includes new piston rods and neck ring bushes. She will certainly be in action at the summer gala in July. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hippel Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Thank you - I've been looking forward to seeing her in action! Thanks again, Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted March 30, 2017 Author Share Posted March 30, 2017 I'll keep things updated with regards to loco availability. We hope to have Wimblebury and Eustace Forth ready for the gala in July, and also the return to traffic of the little Beyer Peacock 1827/1879 following axlebox overhaul and repairs to the inner firebox following discovery of radial cracks round some stays. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted May 14, 2017 Author Share Posted May 14, 2017 Seen yesterday on the left is RSH 'Eustace Forth' undergoing a steam test following major boiler work. She will be inser ice for the gala in July. On the right is Bagnall 'Kent Electric No2' in steam to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first passenger train to ever operated on the railway under the auspice of the Foxfield Light Railway Society in 1967. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted June 12, 2017 Author Share Posted June 12, 2017 'Wimblebury' and 'Eustace Forth' both passed their in steam boiler exams and should be in action at the Gala next month bringing the working fleet up to 5 at present. We're just waiting on 'Bellerophon's' crossheads to be returned from remedial repair work and boiler repairs to the Beyer Peacock to bring the fleet up to 7! Guest engine to be announced shortly. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted June 16, 2017 Author Share Posted June 16, 2017 Some behind the scenes work took place this week as volunteers teamed up with professionals to renew the level crossing at Creswell Ford, including the first piece of flat bottom track to be installed on the railway. The photos are taken over the 4 days of works. This is all part of works to upgrade the level crossing from hand worked gates with basic interlocking into something more suitable for modern road and rail requirements. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted June 17, 2017 Author Share Posted June 17, 2017 We can now announce that the guest engine for the summer gala is Peckett 0-6-0st 'Sir Gomer' visiting from the Battlefield Line in Leicestershire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted June 29, 2017 Author Share Posted June 29, 2017 Work on repainting Wimblebury and Eustace Forth following completion of overhauls is underway. Wimblebury will run at the gala in unlined blue as N.C.B. No7 and Eustace Forth is getting yellow and black wasp stripe buffer beams. Alongside them Whiston will be running as in the guise of 'Dilhorne No3', a Foxfield loco in colliery days that unfortunately didn't make it into preservation despite attempts at the time. Undercoat being applied to Eustace Forth's buffer beam Wimblebury in undercoat with works and number plates trial fitted. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted July 8, 2017 Author Share Posted July 8, 2017 Kent Electric No2 with Eustace Forth alongside sporting freshly applied plain green livery with wasp stripes ready for the gala next weekend 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 Below is a photo of Sir Gomer in action at Shackerstone, she (he?) will be arriving on Wednesday and steam for an acceptance/clearance run on Thursday then out and about at 9.30am on Friday (yours truly at the helm). Timetables will be uploaded tomorrow for those who are interested 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted July 11, 2017 Share Posted July 11, 2017 Ticket booked and in keen anticipation for my first visit to Foxfield on Friday! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted July 11, 2017 Author Share Posted July 11, 2017 Here's the timetables for Friday 14th and Saturday 15th/Sunday 16th Summer Gala Guide 2017 Fri14.pdf Summer Gala Guide 2017 Sat15 Sun16.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guius Posted July 12, 2017 Share Posted July 12, 2017 Thanks for keeping us informed about The Foxfield Railway and the loco updates you post, I hope the Gala goes well for you chaps over the coming weekend and I look forward to seeing more of updates Nigel. Best for the weekend especially Guy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted July 13, 2017 Author Share Posted July 13, 2017 Sir Gomer arrived yesterday afternoon and looks good alongside the other locos. We're hoping that an issue with Eustace Forth's regulator can be sorted easily so she can appear over the weekend. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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