Burnley & Pendle Miniature Railway Society

Burnley, Lancashire UK.

October 2026 newsletter.

Our first month with no trains running and we have been getting on with maintenance and enhancements.

One thing that never stops however in the summer as gardeners well know is grass growing and in this years strange summer the grass seems to have been more prolific than usual. These 2 pics show the trackbeds after grass cutting, very nice for a short while in summer before nature takes over again. As we move into winter John will be able to have a rest.

We needed some more ballast delivering and so 10 tonnes were ordered from North Wales. Our ballast bay will take 10 tonnes which is just as well as it comes a bit cheaper that way, however the driver has to get the tipping right and this was how we found it after it had been delivered before we got to the Railway. Picture 2 shows it dealt with by the Parks Dept, with a mechanical shovel. Much better and thanks go to them.

The day after this episode the photo shows what confronted us. This huge tree had been sited close to the bridge and storm Boelo (or whatever it was called) exacted summary justice on it lifting the rootball clean out of the ground. Fortunately the top hamper of the tree was the part that fell on the track and on first inspection it looked as if the track had escaped damage. This was confirmed later after the tree had been cut up. So a lucky escape, This is I think the 3rd tree to have been blown over from the vicinity of the bridge. As you look at the tree line there is a gap here which the wind must blow through I think. Picture 2 shows the tree cut up. I think they leave the fallen trees for bug hotels.

Time has been spent fitting new  belts from the engine to the transmission units on both Sgt Murpy and the Canadian Pacific locomotive and we have been fitting new keyways on Excalibur. Thanks to Mike, Tony and Steve here.

Further work going on has been on one of our main line red/cream coaches Babs. It may be recalled that Babs had to be withdrawn from service in mid-summer as the floor above one of the bogies was collapsing. A quick inspection at the time revealed the timber had fallen foul and was catching one of the wheels.

A repair was done ASAP at the time and the coach was put back in service as needs must. We were very busy at the time. However the coach had been knocked about a bit and the close season saw us starting a tidy up operation and repaint which I for my troubles had undertaken to do ignoring my Dads advice from when I was much younger and volunteering to do this work. With dads voice ringing in my ears I thought it a change from trackwork and my workmate was on holiday for a month and so … ! Anyway I have made a start rubbing the body down and getting some cream paint on but still plenty to do on it. We need Babs for our Santa trains in December so I will have to get my skates on. The nameplates on our coaches turn round for Santas revealing the names of reindeers.  Babs will look so good I will have to keep a low profile and remember Dads advice. STILL PLENTY OF TRACKWORK TO CATCH UP WITH WHEN JOHN RETURNS !!! A note for management to pay attention to.

My wife looks after our gardens and Peter one of our track trio has spent a day helping her sort out the gardens cutting back etc, for winter . She has really appreciated this as it was all getting a bit much for her .Peter did enjoy the diversion from trackwork also and has said he will help her again which she is very grateful for. Thankyou Peter.

On the trackwork front we have been catching up with our normal work on a section by section basis doing a complete refurb on the section in question checking sleepers and replacing when necessary, rescrewing all the timber sleepers and fitting refurbed fishplates on all the joints after cleaning the rail ends and lubricating them, We then refurbish the removed fishplates in our workshop ready to go again. We steadily make our way round the whole main line and then start again, Forth Bridge style.

So, another month goes by and a busy November to follow.