In prep for two trips the Blaenau this morning.

Saving for a while and got round to a new toy (tool 👀) for the shed. A day of TIG practice with company.

23:38 book on this evening, dark wet evenings don’t make leaving the house appealing for a night of diversions.

A wet and drizzly day.

And that’s the 2024 season ticked off for me.

240 drilling operations later the gates are ready for strip and paint.

A old friend to read on my train journey’s today, if you’ve never read this, you really should.

The worlds going mad so I’m just cracking on, repairing a shed roof what the father in law do some fly shunting, simple things.

Sundays are for steam ups.

Time for a beer.

First firework display with the kids, great fun and Hettie all settled at home listening to Classic FM.

Rostered weeks leave, time to reorganise the shed, the continuous pursuit of better working space in a 18x10 shed.

A bit more space, steel top for bench to come and a welding curtain to draw in front of the machines.

Word of the day is ‘recrudescence’ (17th century): the return of something terrible after a time of reprieve.

Making a lot of noise repairing a LNWR slate waggons bodywork.

Sometimes you need something solid to hit things on, a piece of flat bottom rail will make a good anvil with the top skimmed flat.

Took the kids to the park and got distracted with the offer of a drive.

A few hours of shed work since Christmas, rocker head covers for a 1926 built diesel engine for Kerr Stuart 4415.

When your head needs a good reset a working party with friends doing some hot riveting does the job. 465 done in two days, they’re continuing over the next couple of days. The projects page. instagram.com/kerrstuart4415…