First running day of 2010!

Yesturday (5th March) we had the first running day of 2010 with three locos in service and two sets of carriages, home based locos running were, 'Lilly', and 'Nellie' while Otto visited from the OCLR, all locos performed faultlessly.

Above: Nellie costs down towards averies curve
Above: Lilly and Nellie at Sprowston

Above: Nellie being serviced in the yard next to our TE Charles

Above: Visiting Otto in Sprowston yard

More Staff and re-painted Sprowston Station

"Nellie" has now gained a driver and long last

Staff member with a cuppa and a sandwich..
and Sprowston station building has recently undergone a repaint

More noise for Nellie!

Yesterday (9Th Feb) a new chuff pipe arrived for "Little Nellie", this pipe sits in the smokebox on a brass block between the cylinders. The new chuff pipe made by 'Summerlands Chuffer' enhances the locos chuff as well as stopping oil squirting over the loco when in steam. The loco entered S&Ns workshops straight away to have the old one replaced with Summerlands. Nellie was steamed as soon as the fitting was finished and her chuff sounds superb and very loud!

The Summerlands Chuffer is highly recommended by us they make chuffers for a variety of locos include Roundhouse

http://www.summerlands-chuffer.co.uk/#

Nellie's safety valve has had minor repairs and so now goes off at 60psi as it should rather than 40psi

Above: Nellie steams into Sprowston while undergoing tests

2009 Year Report and 2010 Plan

2009 Report

2009 was a successful year for the railway.
The purchase of the Frank S at the very beginning of the year has been a success and the loco has seen much use throughout the year.
In the Spring and Autumn a set of four Isle of Man carriages arrived, and have proven very popular since being used on most services, and suits most of the steam locos.
In September our very first live steam locomotive arrived on the railway in the form of a Accucraft Edrig class loco which we have named "Little Nellie", this has come from the very last batch of Edrigs Accucraft will ever make! The loco has proved very popular since its arrival and will be a popular loco of choice in the future, we still have some detailing work to do on the loco as well as performing minor repairs to its safety valve over the winter.

Through out the year the railway was given four new locos, the Evensford and Midland Railway gave us the boiler and cab of a tank engine, we restored the loco to working order and is now running in midland red livery to reflect its original railway and has been named "Lilly". We also received a tank engine/tramway loco and a diesel shunter, along with a 2-4-0 tender engine which we have named "Black Beauty" after the famous story about a horse which was written only a few miles away.

We visited the Fundenhall Railway in August for their annual steam day, our locos in attendance were: "Frank S", "East Anglian", "William Marriot", as well as our Mamod Traction Engine "Charles".

2010 Plan

2010 aims to be a good year for the S&NLR with many exciting plans for the railway.
Over the winter we purchased a loco shed for Weybourne, this will be constructed and painted in the early spring, this will enhance the stations appearance considerably.
We will also be on the look out for new locos, and another live steam locomotive might join "Little Nellie", also look out for a famous cheeky blue tank engine!
We may also go on tour with some locos and stock to the Whitwell & Reepham Station for their Steam Rally Weekend! http://www.whitwellstation.com/

The events for 2010 are as follows in no particular order:

Spring and Autumn Steam Galas
Diesel Gala
Mixed Traffic Gala
Vintage Transport Festival
Halloween Special
Santa's Special
Mince Pie Special
Also a number of evening dining trains

2009 Year Report

The 2009 year report will be published shortly

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the S&NLR

Snow Time on the S&NLR

Over the last week snow arrived on the S&NLR giving a festive view from the carriage windows for our Santa's Specials passengers. Unlike full size trains in the UK "Little Nellie" ran extremely well with two of our Isle of Man carriages in the wintry weather.

Above: "Little Nellie" soon after arrivle at Weybourne

Above: Little Nellie steams through the wintry landscape

Above: Awaiting departure from Sprowston