Newsletter: December 2016

Quarry animated Santa banner

We hope you had a lovely Christmas and may we wish you a Happy New Year.

If you have a few minutes why not watch Malcolm’s excellent review of the year. You can find the video at http://heritage-centre.co.uk/project-updates/review-2016/

What a month!

Railway museum

Railway museum takes shape

Progress over the past month has seen the base of the quarry transformed.

The railway museum building has been cleared of tools and the eastern siding has been buried in quarry dust, which will be packed down in the New Year to give a solid surface. The west siding still remains to be done. The eco toilets are in and electrics complete. The soakaway is almost complete and both toilets will soon have running water for the hand basins.

The quarry heritage building (the small metal building) has changed dramatically. The walls have been clad with ply and painted, and the floor has also been painted. This leaves the building ready for display boards and artefacts which will start arriving on January 5th. Behind the scenes there is a frenzy of activity creating the 19 boards; these will be the same size as the ones in the heritage centre.

Kiosk and Railway shed

Summer serving kiosk and shed for the garden railway

As well as the track laying in the base of the quarry the fencing and gates have also gone up. MOT (Ministry of Transport granular sub-base) has been spread over the quarry floor to bury the narrow gauge track.

Fencing around the rear of the railway museum has been installed, with just the last little bits around the back of the eco toilets to do.

Up top the new trail is fast approaching completion, work is advancing on the den building area and the Nunckley Trail is being rechipped.

Ruston and Hornsby 48DE diesel

Ruston and Hornsby 48DE diesel on loan from Leicestershire council

Leicestershire County Council have kindly loaned a working diesel loco and the Ellis coal wagon from Snibston. These arrived on Tuesday 20th and were unloaded via our new loading siding. We hope to use the loco for shunting demonstrations in the new year. You can watch the loco being delivered at http://heritage-centre.co.uk/news/railway-relics-find-a-new-home/

We have sold over 120 boot scrapers! The limited edition prints for the August opening of Nunckley Hill Station have also been popular. The blue version has now sold out completely and we have just a few of the orange versions left. Both of these initiatives have helped us to raise much needed cash at this quieter time of year, which is essential for completing the remaining works.

So remember to keep a look-out for when these new attractions open in the New Year.