The Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, a complete railroad recovery and rebuild, has three new computer webcams operating at Wirksworth, England. This operation began about 15 years ago, when a group of enthusiasts discovered the abandoned, overgrown, railroad still intact but without hope. They undertook to clear it, rebuild it, get it funded, and have since then collected a most remarkable fleet of outdated but functionally restored rolling stock and locomotives, including steam and Diesel varieties. Incidentally, the work was 90% done by middle-aged and retired men and women who merely brought their muscles and determination to the project.

To view the yard and operations go to:

http://www.e-v-r.com/webcams/

I am a volunteer at Wirksworth: my current project is the restoration of the grey LMS design Brake Van in the middle of shot in the middle yard. The steel body frame was mostly OK but so far we have replaced the floor, ends, sides, part of the roof and the stove. Next jobs will be to fix the guards lookout duckets, hand rails, foot steps...

Tim

This week there is a large yellow machine from Sweden on demonstration/trial at Wirksworth. It is basically a large and very powerful vacuum cleaner on rails which can either suck spent ballast and muck out of the track or blow clean ballast back in.

If you can log in right now, the days trials are just starting.

Tim