Whitehead News (2021)

Some views from around Whitehead on various dates in 2021.

2/5/2021: The new bunker for County Donegal Railways No.5 'Drumboe' has been fabricated. (P.A. Scott)

16/05/2021: In preparation for post-lockdown reopening at the end of the month, No.131 gets coaled in advance of train rides. (N. Lawrence)

16/05/2021: The boiler of No.5 'Drumboe' in the workshop for an ultrasonic survey. (N. Lawrence)

29/5/2021: The side cribs have been added to the bunker for No.5 'Drumboe'.

29/5/2021: A new footplate floor has been added to No.5 'Drumboe'.

29/5/2021: A closer look at No.5's footplating.

29/5/2021: A Mk2 carriage bogie undergoing overhaul. New springs have been fitted.

29/5/2021: No.131 on train ride duties, with carriage 68.

29/5/2021: A busy platform as visitors eat and wait for a train ride.

12/6/2021: The recently-acquired plasma cutter, a tool which reduces the reliance on purchase of acetylene gas. The machine has been in use lately cutting strips of metal rodding lengthways to create beading for the cab of No.5 'Drumboe'.

12/6/2021: Progress on the cab of 'Drumboe'. In the background both side tanks have been fitted to the locomotive.

12/6/2021: The bunker has been fitted to 'Drumboe'.

12/6/2021: Ian Wilson tackling the window paintwork of one of the Mk2 carriages.

12/6/2021: In the Carriage Shed, the handcrane is in use re-wheeling a Mk2 bogie. Phillip scratches his head as to what to do next as Ian and Joe look on.

12/6/2021: The bogie with its wheels gets a once-over by the team.

12/6/2021: At the platform, filming of No.3BG 'Guinness' on the train rides for Museum Week.

10/7/2021: The boiler bands on No.5 'Drumboe', ready to receive the outer skin.

10/7/2021: No.5's cab with the roof painted.

17/7/2021: The new boiler metalwork for No.5 'Drumboe' has been fabricated.

17/7/2021: Ulster Television were filming the train rides for a news item, and a drone was in action.

17/7/2021: No.131 on trin rides. (C.P. Friel)

8/8/2021: On this date Drumboe's boiler was lifted into the frames, with most of the contracted repair work now completed. (P.A. Scott)

14/8/2021: Mk2 carriage 181 awaiting its top coat.

14/8/2021: A virtually intact and newly painted No.5.

14/8/2021: No.5's cab with a coating of workshop dust.

14/8/2021: The cab lifted for fitting.

14/8/2021: 6 inches to go!

21/8/2021: A very forlorn-looking platform area, but contrary to perceptions it was possibly the busiest day with extra trains required. (R. Laverty)

28/8/2021: Drumboe's bogie wheelsets have been returned to the locomotive.

28/8/2021: Pony wheelset and new buffing gear assembled.

28/8/2021: Ian Wilson and Joe Cassells remove extraneous paint from the carriage windows.

28/8/2021: A busy scene on the platform as visitors enjoy lunch and train rides.

28/8/2021: No.3BG 'Guinness' powers the train rides.

2/9/2021: The Site Squad have extended the existing 3ft gauge track further into the Workshop, and installed new wooden block flooring around it.

11/9/2021: Another view of the newly-laid wooden floor.

11/9/2021: Drumboe's final paintwork, fore ...

11/9/2021: ... and aft.

19/9/2021; Drumboe was moved out of the workshop into the yard to check that all was well for the planned move to Donegal. (P. Scott)

25/9/2021: A view of the Workshop, with No.5 'Drumboe' and the new frames for No.105. One of the latter's driving wheelsets is in the lathe in the foreground for machining of crank pins.

9/10/2021: With a crane on site to lift CDR No.5 'Drumboe', advantage was taken to move a large ironworker from the workshop to the yard behind. No.3BG shunts out the carrying wagon. (J.A. Cassells)

9/10/2021: Plenty of interest as the ironworker gets a lift. (J.A. Cassells)

9/10/2021: B142 was shunted to the heavy lift area to have its bonnet covers replaced.

9/10/2021: The Bessbrook & Newry Tramway carriage body was moved as part of the shunt.

9/10/2021: No.3BG moves the crane to be alongside the B&NT vehicle. Mark Walsh is the fireman and Sam Hall is on the crane. (J.A. Cassells)

9/10/2021: The B&NT vehicle was lifted to reposition it slightly on its wagon. Peter Scott takes an interest. (J.A. Cassells)

20/11/2021: Aerial view of wheel lathe with carriage wheelset being reprofiled by Brian Hill. (J.J. Friel)

4/12/2021: Santa waits expectantly as the first Santa Special since 2019 arrives at Whitehead.

12/12/2021: In the Workshop work continues on the Bessbrook & Newry Tramway trailer. Here the interior has had multiple levels of paint stripped back to reveal the beautiful wood underneath.

12/12/2021: The Santa Special train delivered passengers to a rain-sodden Whitehead to see Santa in his socially-distanced Snow Globe.