Work in Progress: 28th February

Back to normal - (weather and work!)

This weeks report is once again provided by Nigel Thompson.

After a couple of weeks of superb weather and a successful half-term week with a good number of visitors enjoying their ride at Woody Bay, it was a return to more seasonal weather - cooler and misty, and with a variety of tasks on offer around the station site.

We begin this week with these latest views of one of the railway's signalling construction projects.

1, 2, & 3. Assisted by Don Newnham, Dick Gunn (in orange) attaches the arm and lamp onto this rail-built signal post.

4. Job done!

Keith Lamprey is only happy when digging holes!

5. Keith digs out a rotten post. This post holds the gate open at the entrance to Woody Bay Station.

6. Later, Keith was joined by Anne Belsey. Both check that the newly-treated post is at the correct angle to support the end of the gate when open.

7. The track gang continued some more sleeper renewals around the turnout leading to the transhipment siding.

8. A packed out mess-room at lunchtime as former Commercial Manager, Dave Tooke arrives to carry out some administrative work for the volunteers.

Some light concreting was carried out at several positions around the shed today.

9. Here, three of the gang mix the concrete using the works train as a base.

10. Don Wood from Minehead delivers concrete, whilst Roger Bye floats off an area at the end of the pit.

11. The floor section under the stairs was another candidate .....

12. ....as was this section alongside the coaling stage.

Paint Shop Boys in action. It's the final day of the work on Carriage No. 17.

13, 14 & 15.With it's winter refurbishment and repaint almost completed. Jim (top), Geoff (left) and Barrie (right) attend to the final tasks on the carriage today.

16. A pile of scrap wood for fire lighting has been created by Dave Pratt and Graham Rust as they cut up old pallets.

17. As part of the preparation for the 2019 season, Pete Smith jet-washes the Picnic Tables.

18. And  finally, a picture of almost all of the L&B's resident locomotives in line! An unusual view from the coaling stage of AXE, LYN and PILTON, as they were drawn out of the shed in advance of today's work.

Words and photos by Nigel Thompson.