Colne Valley Railway News

On the 18th December we had a Special Delivery from Santa in the shape of Kennett signal box. We were given four days notice to arrange transport and a crane to lift the box at the CVR - quite a feat in the run up to Christmas. All went well though and the box arrived right in the middle of our busiest Santa day! It it now on the sturgeon, where it will remain until a base is ready for it at Drawell.

The Santa Specials have been running well. Santa and his helpers have been kept busy. All trains are being worked by Castle Donnington Power Station using our Pullman carriages. Numbers have been good, as has the weather although a little cold. One more to go on the 21st now

St Peter's church, Sible Hedingham had a Christmas tree festival on Saturday 26th November and a tree was decorated on behalf of the Railway. Thanks to Gay and Nick for doing this

We have had quite an active few days which included some members of the Hedingham Sidecars Owners Club spend a couple of nights camping on site as part of their Winter Warmer weekend. I don't know the exact number, but there must have been around 30 bikes, old and new and attendees came from from as far away as Belgium. Saturday morning we ran a Santa Special for a group of Brownies/Guides who met Santa on the diesel train. Saturday evening we had our Christmas dinner and awards evening at The White Hart, Great Yeldham, 34 members and family attended and enjoyed a lovely evening.

The oak trees on the platform were long overdue for trimming , the signalmen couldn't see past them and you had to beware of falling acorns. So, four fellers got to work and spent a few hours pruning - what a difference

The tank of Barclay 0-4-0ST 2199 Victory was placed back on today. Now it is really beginning to look like a working steam engine, not long now hopefully. Proud owners Dick and Tony Goulding are seen here with Victory on 5th November 2011

A very successful evening of fun and games was held on Saturday 29th October 2011. The Wizard Wanderer diesel train (manned by a skeleton crew) and the miniature and garden railways carried witches and wizards and all their friends. Ghostly story telling proved very popular as did the drawing competition being run as part of the Big Draw Campaign.