Work in Progress: Chelfham Station 21st November

posted by Nigel Thompson on Thu, 22/11/2012 - 22:12

Chelfham Station monthly report - November 2012

At the L&B's second station of Chelfham, the "Friends of Chelfham Station" (a small group of L&B Trust Members), have spent a few autumnal days continuing the gradual piecemeal work of restoring the original station and maintaining the grounds.

There have been several visitors especially on Sundays including Trust Members, Directors and Trustees and even a few local residents, interested to look around their very local railway heritage.

1. Chelfham Station always looks very good with the autumnal colours of the surrounding trees.

2. Looking up the trackbed past the sheds through the trees golden colours of early November.

3. When the station is 'open' on Sundays display boards with information and photographs are on offer for when any visitors may turn up.

4. Adrian Porter helps to feed the bonfire on the bank above the driveway.

5. Nigel Thompson and the bonfire. This bank area had been strimmed down and tidied up earlier in the autumn. The bonfire cleared all the undergrowth as well as some surplus branches from the fruit trees here.

6. Clearing out of the no longer required furniture. Attempts to 'sell' the beds were unsuccessful, so Nigel and Frank Daff work outside to dismantle the bed sections for firewood. The plastic sections go to the local recycling centre.

7. Leicestershire based member and archaeologist Dave Martin came down for the day to measure up the surviving sections of the down platform after the excavations earlier in the year.

8. The 'Barnstaple end' bedroom has now been completely cleared of furniture we can begin the work of uncovering the walls in the 1960s extension over the platform , The plaster cement wall here that surrounds the fireplace will now be carefully removed to reveal the original doorway and more of the original external walls of the station building.

9. We continue to use the fireplace in the 'lounge' (original station waiting room). With a plentiful wood supply on offer on a cold wintery day, the volunteers can enjoy keeping warm by this fire. However the fireplace will have to go soon as it was built around an original doorway onto the platform. The solution is to purchase a wood burning stove to fit just below the Barnstaple end of the station waiting room (as per what we know of the original station layout). If anyone can help us with acquiring a modern but heritage style wood burner and flue chimney please contact us at enquiries@lynton-rail.co.uk

10. Dave Drayson tackles the roots of an unwanted cut down tree at the viaduct end of Chelfham.

11. With the leaves almost all fallen now another view of the viaduct is possible from here.

12. Just enough room for the volunteers car parking today at Chelfham.

13. Another outside view of the station from the viaduct end.

14. Several members and visitors recently have commented and enjoyed watching the bird activity on the feeders -here is a selection of views taken today (Wed 21st November)

15. The nut feeder usually attracts a variety of birds from the Great/Coal/Willow/Blue Tits to the Nuthatches and sometimes even a Great Spotted Woodpecker.