With structural work completed on the Maghera Shed (our main loco maintenance shed), we’ve been able to make progress cleaning the shed before it is returned to regular use.
This is a pretty major task, as it hasn’t seen a serious clean for years. It was still suffering from the after-effects of the floods in 2023 and years of heavy use to maintain steam and diesel locos. Luckily we have recently been able to acquire a hot pressure washer. This was helped by donations from our supporters. It has been just what was needed to cut through the years of grime.
There’s still plenty of manual scraping, shovelling and sweeping up as well.
Kitted out in the appropriate PPE, our team has been gradually working through the shed, cleaning the floors and pits. We’re just about 75% finished, before attention turns to painting the walls.
In between cleaning we’ve had to make way for locos to come in for pit access and even the ballast regulator squeezing in to enable essential maintenance to take place that just wouldn’t be possible out in the yard.
There’s a good bit of work to complete before the steam locos are back inside, but we’re getting there.
Thanks to all our supporters and funders, especially Newry, Mourne and Down District Council , for getting us this far!
