The Travelling Post Office

M30272M - Turning M30272M - June 2004

3rd June 2004

During the evening of 3rd June 2004, TPO M30272M moved outside the shed for the first time in a number of years. The reason for this small occasion was to enable M30272M to be turned so that work can start on the other end of the coach.

There was quite a bit of shunting required before M30272M could be moved out of the shed, during this shunting the rain fell unabated. As soon as it was time to bring M30272M out the rain just stopped!

The turntable at Wansford was originally installed at Bourne in Lincolnshire, before being moved to Peterborough East, where its last duties were to turn TPOs on the East Anglian TPO service. Once this duty ceased the turntable was acquired by the NVR who moved it to Wansford and extended it from 60ft to 67ft.

The turntable has seen continued use ever since including turning TPO 814 from Didcot and now our own TPO.

The team are seen here turning M30272M.

M30272M continues on its 180 degree journey.

Its was commented on during the evening that not one creek ws heard from the body during its movement.

M30272M is shunted from the turntable. The end in the view is the one that has yet to be restored, this is seen as a much easier job than that of the other end.

The view of the renovated end.

M30272M continues on its journey back to the shed.

It was strange to see the coach outside after so many years inside the shed. The coach seemed much larger than normal.

The TPO group would like to say thank you to both David Hartley & David Jackson who gave of their time freely to ensure that this movement went without a hitch.