Work in Progress Thursday 5th December

posted by Nigel Thompson on Sat, 07/12/2019 - 13:04

SANTA preparation and Sleepers!

A bumper set of photos from Nigel Thompson:

Santa Specials commence this weekend, and there'much preparation required, but all is looking good.

1. Santa signs point to the marquee.

2. & 3. Marquee and Grotto all decorated and ready for the anticipated visitors.

This work was completed during the recent Working Weekend by Julia Snashall and Sonia Oakey. Thanks to them and the others who helped with this.

4. & 5. As LYN is to be the locomotive this weekend, today a warming fire was lit ready for the trains on Saturday and Sunday.

6. LYN will of course be carrying a suitable headboard .

7. This week the top surface of chippings was added to the down platform.

8. The gang lay turf sections at the back of the platform.

9. Dave Bloomfield prepares the lamp top for the replacement lamp post on the down platform.

Paint Shop Boys!

10. Tea break!

11. Geoff Long applying varnish to Carriage No.5. & 12. Jim Pounds and Phil Dixon apply varnish to their side of the carriage.

13. & 14. Peter Wainwright tests the new track cant measuring trolley device. Cant (also known as super-elevation) is the rate of change in elevation between the two rails. This useful tool can be hand pushed along the track to measure the degree of cant particularly at curves where the outer rail is usually higher.

Sleeper Gang

15. Sleeper Gang and works train just outside of Woody Bay.

16. HEDDON HALL and works train in the Exmoor landscape.

17. The gang as seen from the field hard at work tackling a couple more sleepers that need replacing.

18. Later the gang moved up to change this sleeper just below the car park.

19. The gang complete the renewal of this sleeper which is actually adjacent to the small memorial for John Thompson ( Nigel's father) who helped to lay the track at this point in September 2002.