As each year, the winter came to the Engine Shed suddenly and unexpectedly, bringing the “standard package” of snow, icicles and ice-cold wind.

Icy and extreme blows of storm ‘Xaver’, ravaging north-western Europe, thankfully spared us. We ended up with several glass panes blown out in the workshop corridor and a missing blower casing from foundry house. By the way ‘Xaver’ also trimmed the nearby poplar trees from excessive branches.

There is also an opportunity to celebrate. Namely, we managed to complete all emergency building works. While inspecting the results of the roof works on the machine house, we noticed a massive crack and split across the chimney. Closer investigation revealed that the chimney is in danger of falling apart and damaging the renewed roof. So, after the hasty search for a contractor, a building team completed the required repairs, checking by the way if the smoke ducts have the expected draught. The work required disassembling and then reassembling of the part of the tile-cladded roof. Happily, we’ve managed to finish the bricklaying before the temperature fell below zero.

In the current year, a few days after snow disappearance, we resumed operations at the review of our roundhouse roof. We were alarmed by visible dislocation of a few rafters supporting the machine room roof surface. This dislocation caused a leak, which has become a serious wake-up call. The roof of the machine room is under our special supervision because of its interesting, original, wooden structure with large spans, dated to 1942. Wooden beams require absolute protection against moisture.

During the inspection, it turned out that a few rafters, based in the wall of adjacent to the hall workshop building could not stand the pressure of snow sliding down on the steep roof of the workshop. The real reason for this was mouldered old rafter ends, there was no doubt that for decades they were exposed to moisture while beeing in spot difficult to seal.

Due to the urgent need for immediate emergency repairs it was carried out. The roof of the machine room on the two sections was removed, the old rafters were removed and replaced with new ones then the new roof surface with flashings and guttering was placed.

Repair work was very complicated because of the need to carry them out with far-reaching care – in the hall there are valuable, old machine tools. At the work time the equipment most vulnerable to damage or flooding has been secured, but moving scaffolding in the hall occupied by units was still very difficult.

The emergency repair was ended in mid-April. During the repair we newly made about 120 square meters of the machine room roof covering.