This was to be titled Now We Are Six, but severe flakiness on the part of two candidates for another Welsh Highland weekend reduced the numbers by a third. Their personal files will be suitably annotated. The remainder experienced one of their more enjoyable weekends, despite the weather (cold and snowy) and the potentially arduous nature of the work (strategic rail stacking). The saving graces were the attention paid to adequate hot refreshment breaks and the relaxed nature of the workforce, in the guise of the Black Hand Gang. Another positive feature was the close proximity of the Santa Specials, complete with a Father Christmas, sorry the Father Christmas, clearly paid by the ho-ho-ho, and some elves with an extensive and surprisingly robust vocabulary.

In the course of the two days we traversed the full length of the line open to passenger traffic, through scenery that was very frozen and very scenic, further enhanced by views of a pair of black locomotives creating their own micro-climate of white steam clouds. The evening in-between was spent in convivial company at the Hen Fecws restaurant, which also provided the overnight accommodation for two of the party, in anticipation of Jim's flat being fully subscribed.

Some photos and video are here.