SINGLE LINES

■ AT the end of September, the Steeple Grange Light Railway (SGLR) set about replacing a length of track between the workshop and Porter Lane bridge which was affected by flooding resulting from a nearby burst water main earlier this year. The work had to be completed before SGLR’s December 10-11 Santa Specials could be operated. Two days were set aside for the task, which was actually completed in less than four hours!

■ DEVON Railway Centre’s (DRC) O&K 20hp 0-4-0WT (5744/1912) Rebecca missed appearing in the DRC’s September 24-25 Everything Goes event, the newly overhauled boiler (RM, August) having failed its official test. The issues are understood to relate to boiler fittings rather than the boiler itself. The event proceeded with three diesel locos and a trio of locos on the miniature line.

■ RHYL Miniature Railway’s (RMR) tramcar ran for the last time in its old form on September 25. It then entered the workshop where the old body was stripped away down to the frames. A new wooden body with four compartments is rapidly taking shape and the vehicle is expected to be complete for Santa operations. The new body is considerably higher than the old tram configuration, matching RMR’s carriage No. 12, and will be much easier to enter and exit.