Episode One of ‘FULL SERIES’
Welcome to Strawberry Hill.... https://youtu.be/XYfqgH0bCWY?si=B8QbyUF586KEkVFI
Saying “Yes” and Saying “No”
What-ho, friends of Gordon! Greetings from Strawberry Hill. I hope that the New Year is treating you all well. As I type this, Minions Lynn and Lou are busy in the shed stripping seat backs; these are to be re-covered with fresh moquette to allow us to swap out some of the more tired trim onboard. It's all about continuous improvement and making the unit look better and better for anyone who chooses to board it. And while they're busy in the shed doing, I'm sat here typing on a keyboard to tell you about it.Since we're here, I'll tell you that we've already had a delivery of new lino flooring material this morning as well as having eaten a rather good breakfast washed down with a mug of tea.…
Sponsor a Brake Block!
Sponsoring a part of 3417 has now become easier – you can sponsor a brake block! Each block will be laser engraved with the SETG logo, your name and a unique serial number – fitted to the unit and once it reaches the end of it’s life, you’ll receive your brake block! When you sponsor a brake block, you’ll receive a certificate, detailing the vehicle and location plus a photo of your block – and you can be proud that your brake block is helping us to work the unit. Blocks can be sponsored by individuals or organisations and we’re offering a choice of R4 (trailer coach) or R6 (motor coach) blocks. Sign up here!
And Now, Breathe….
It's Thursday. A quiet, sunny Thursday. The gusty wind that's blowing hints at the approaching autumn and as I look out of the office window the trees that line the Fulwell Curve are just starting to loose their vibrant greens. Lynn is in Holland doing clever IT things with her other job (she doesn't just do Trim Shop Minioning, folks) and Buckie is ploughing through post-Bluebell paperwork whilst muttering to himself (as usual). Everything is calm (for a given value of calm), and after the last few weeks I can say with definite authority that calm is something that is underrated in railway preservation. 3417 is sitting demurely in the shed, doors open while she dries out after 3 days of being intermittently rained on, as if to say "What…
Let there be light…
Check out this press release from our friends over at NXTGENbps. Keeping the lights on!
The Adventure Begins….
I am sitting in the SETG office at Strawberry Hill. The date is Wednesday 4th September 2024. It’s a sunny Wednesday morning. 3417 is sitting quietly in the shed. Buckie is sat next to me at his desk, going through timetables and muttering to himself. I say he’s going senile while he maintains that talking to himself is the only way he can be sure of intelligent conversation. He probably has a point. Our friend Nick is on his way in with goodies to deliver a surprise for our transfer move to the Bluebell Railway tomorrow afternoon. Lynn is on her way in to do some work in the Trim Shop and I am writing this. By the time you read this, 3417 will be standing at Sheffield Park Station…
Too Many Drafts, Not Enough Posts
Good morning all! I'll keep this short and sweet, since every time I start one of these updates I seem to lose my thread half-way through and things don't get published...First of all, you'll all be aware by now that 3417 will be making its long-awaited return to traffic at the Bluebell Railway's 2024 Diesel Gala: you can book your tickets HERE. We look forward to working with our friends from the Bluebell Railway, as well as old mates from Swanage and hope that the weather behaves itself - if it doesn't we're just going to hide in Sharpthorne Tunnel until the rain stops. Among other attractions including beer, food, live music, tours of resident rolling stock and engineering projects and of course visiting diesel locomotives, our Chief Engineer will…
A Quick Reminder
Greetings followers of the Church of the Third Rail. Glory be thy Vep.Just a quick reminder from the Digital Minion, that the new SETG shop is live and has some lovely new merch available. Our Railway Tea Chart Mug has proved rather popular! We're currently working with our suppliers to bring you more 3417 themed goodies - all products are produced on demand and shipped direct to you from our suppliers, meaning lower costs and a more sustainable supply chain. So what else would you like to see... Especially with Summer approaching...
Crowd Funding and One-Trick Ponies….
Railway preservation isn't cheap. In fact if you're going to do things properly it's bloody expensive. As Buckie is fond of saying "There are two prices for everything - normal and railway. For the railway price, take the normal price, double it and then add a zero." You need to get specialist contractors in to do certain jobs such as Ultra Sonic Axle testing and putting the unit back into capital stock. All the spares need to be kosher, you need calibrated tools, you need equipment in the back office to allow you to prepare and submit paperwork... It's a never ending and headache-inducing process but, when you're aiming to put a preserved train back onto the modern railway, you have to do things properly. It means approved suppliers (more…
‘The Day Gordon Went Back’
3417’s Return to The Mainline- 27/01/24 It all started with a phone call. As Steve Upton and I discussed at length the events of a few days before, both of us were still trying to process what had taken place. For everyone at the Southern Electric Traction Group (SETG) and its fellow supporters, it was a major milestone. The fact that 3417 had indeed, returned to the mainline was the ambition of many, achieved by few. Steve was, unsurprisingly, overwhelmed by the scale and response to their piece of Southern Region returning to life. Despite the events of January 27th having passed, he was still busy working through responses and media requests and looking to the next step for 3417. For those who support, live, and breathe railways, it never…