We all like making the most of this sunny spell, and our preserved 80 class ‘thumper’ power car No.69 is no exception. She has spent most of the past couple of years sequestered inside our workshop for her bodywork overhaul. However, last Saturday she managed to get out for the first time in a few years in connection with a shunt.
Following the disposal of BR van 3189 the previous week, we had retained some spare items, such as gangways, from this vehicle, and needed to move these from behind the workshop to a storage area. This meant that our rail-road plant needed access through the gallery and workshop, which necessitated moving 80 class power car 69 out of the workshop for a few hours. While its bodywork overhaul is not quite complete (but not far off), mechanically its working fine and so was started and moved out of the workshop under its own power. This made for the unusual sight of a ‘single’ 80 class power car moving about.
All went well, and 69 duly spent the day soaking in the sunshine before returning to the workshop in that afternoon. She briefly spent some time at the ‘carpark end’ of the workshop ticking over for a while, with those nearby treated to the iconic ‘thump thump’ sound of its English Electric engine idling. She then returned indoors so that work can continue on her bodywork repairs, but hopefully the day is not far off when she’ll emerge from the workshop and enter service on our heritage railway.
