Work on the loco was suspended until the 23rd of the month due to the impending demise of the Thumpers on the Ashford to Hastings line - English Electric machines on the mainline are getting rarer and rarer! Attempts were made to get the engine started on the 23rd but the loco didn't want to play ball! The engine turned over several times but there wasn't enough oomph in the batteries to get the engine firing. Thanks to Clive and Boris for their help on the 23rd. The 2004 Steam Special was yet another success with over 18000 attending the event - the most viewed Tractor in the country that weekend? The engine refused to start during the Steam Special so the decision was made to purchase a new set of batteries. The visiting public donated £82 towards a new set of batteries - thanks to all who donated their cash especially Glenn Roofthooft, Dave and Walter. We temporarily plumbed in the air horns at no.2 end and this proved popular with the public as we gave them a toot! Apologies to the exhibitors next to us if you got fed up with the horn combos all weekend! There was a superb variety of vehicles on display and a wide selection of trade stands including tool wholesalers (we have now got a special new hammer and John can be seen using it in one of the pictures trying to smooth the dents in the cab roof). Running and moving at next year's Steam Special? Thanks to Doug Barrow for the Steam Special pictures.

After the Steam Special at the end of May, we borrowed a compressor to test the loco's air system. A couple of faults were found - the more serious problem being a pipe which has a hole in it caused by the sandite rotting the pipe away. One of the brake cylinders has had to be changed and the throttle valve in no. 2 cab has been overhauled as part of it had seized. The old batteries were removed and the battery box repainted pending installation of the new batteries recently purchased. One of the auto-drain valves on the air system has been replaced. No. 1 cab's rear wall, doors and window frames have had their top coat applied and the cab is now looking quite complete again. Two of the cab side panels from no. 1 cab have been coated with primer.

Thursday 1st July - The newly purchased batteries were delivered then installed and the loco was ready for a start-up when the opportunity came.

Sunday 4th July - We decided to try and start the engine as we were suffering power supply problems preventing us from using power tools in number 1 cab. All of the fluid levels were checked and the engine was barred over to ensure that all was ready for a start attempt. The engine hadn't been started in over a year and when the 'Start' button was pressed, the engine burst into life with a roar and settled down to a steady idle immediately. SUCCESS!! We tested both traction motor blowers and both compressors during the day and they all worked much to our delight. The exhausters were not tested as there is a lot of pipework missing that still needs to be replaced. A couple of minor faults were identified and these will be rectified during the next couple of weeks. Thanks to Doug for his pictures and to all concerned that helped on the day. Tracklaying has been undertaken during the last couple of weeks and there is now a point installed on the test track.

A start has been made on restoring the Crew's seats from inside the cab. The first seat has been sanded down to bare metal and then primed. The seat will then be undercoated then top-coated. Once all of the metalwork has been completed, the seat cushions will be re-upholstered. Seven more bodyside filters have been returned from off site and installed in the engine room. Some of the Restoration Team have spent two weekends working on the trackwork on the site replacing trackwork removed when one of the steam locomotives left for repairs at another site. One track panel has been laid and lots of sleepers have been prepared for chairs to be fixed to them to enable laying of another two panels of track which should almost complete the running line. The loco has suffered contamination of the lubricating oil by the coolant water. Many days have been spent investigating the source of the contamination and gradually the problem is being sorted. On Bank Holiday Monday 30th, John re-wired the low fuel level float switch wiring after one of the wires had been broken before the loco was bought for preservation. When one of the bodyside panels that form the tumblehome on the loco's sides was removed, original BR Blue paint was found and discussions turned to what the loco would look like back in BR Blue. Removal of the sandite that had accumulted underneath the loco body has started and it appears that it has rotted at least one pipe. Congratulations go to the Restoration Team that look after 37142 at Bodmin - the loco moved under its own power recently for the first time in preservation - well done lads!! Cheers to Doug for some of the pictures.

Work has been going on in the background to form a Supporters Fund to raise money to restore the loco and keep it in traffic when restoration is completed. Money will be raised by selling items that have been donated to the Fund on Ebay and at events. All profits will go into a fund to further the loco's future. Work on the locomotive itself has unfortunately been slowed down for all of the Team by proffesional work commitments. Sunday 17th October was spent working on weather-proofing the loco ready for the winter and also running the engine to check everything was still okay. Life-expired seals on the crankcase doors were replaced to try and stop a couple of minor oil leaks that have occured recently. A visit to the Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway spurred the team back into action when that Railway's two immaculate locomotives were seen - excellent Diesel Gala lads! Trackwork and sorting-out of the track components have continued. The base for the newly-purchased container has been prepared and hopefully it will arrive soon. One of the workers during October came all the way down from Carlisle to work on the loco!