March Working Weekend Video and Photos

posted by Martyn de Young on Tue, 27/03/2012 - 21:30

This report and photos from Pete and Julia Snashall

Slightly later than intended, a few words about last weekend:

The March working party saw worked undertaken at 3 sites over the weekend in unseasonably fine weather - not the wind and rain that usually accompanies these weekends.

Friday's gang was sufficient in size to allow us to split into 2 groups.

The first group, concentrated their efforts on the final fettling of the length of track recently lowered by the Thursday gang.

They undertook jacking and packing to level, slewing to line and tidying of ballast shoulders.

The second group, made a start on this years fishplate greasing programme. Benefiting from our recently acquired compressor, progress was pleasingly rapid.

Approximately 2/3rd's of the running line received the attention of the greasing gang.

On Saturday the entire gang decamped to Blackmoor Gate.

The day was spent clearing and tidying up...............

......... the site of the former hotel.

Sunday and change of location again, this time to Chelfham.

Clearance of the trackbed continued, carrying on from the work undertaken in January and by local members.

It was a pleasure to be working at perhaps the L&B's prettiest station in such glorious weather. We started the morning in a damp, dank and shady cutting, which soon emerged into a warm and sunny area once trees were felled and undergrowth removed.

This report and pictures by Nigel Thompson

It was Local Residents' Day at Woody Bay today Sunday 25th and many West Country people enjoyed the opportunity of a free ride on the current L&BR from Woody Bay to Killington Lane. Meanwhile, the many volunteers who had arrived in Devon for the weekend looked at the much longer term reconstruction of the line (phase 3) as they relocated to our second station at Chelfham to continue clearing overhanging trees from the lineside.

1. With much trackbed clearance already done during the winter, the gang began today's work along the trackbed well away from Chelfham station in the Bratton Fleming direction. A bonfire was lit to begin clearance of felled trees and shrubs.

2. Stephen Orchard moves a cut branch towards the bonfire. The caravan is located on a short section of trackbed currently owned by Valley Cottage. On the far side of the caravan L&BR ownership continues to the end of Chelfham Woods. See map below.

3. Much cut down foliage is put onto the bonfire (right) ready to burn off.

4. Back at the station, the first morning tea-break is enjoyed by all. As well as volunteers from the Isle of Wight Railway group, today's gang was boosted by members as far away as Lancashire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Cornwall, together with local, North Devon-based volunteers.

5. The bonfire goes well as the gang continue the clearance.

6. Dave Bloomfield (right) looks down onto the cleared trackbed.

7. This view from above the trackbed shows the curvature of the line from Chelfham. The slanting tree in the foreground was later felled.

8. Brian Pullen and Dave Bloomfield rest for a moment upon a felled tree.

9. Pausing for a break to allow the bonfire to burn down.

10. Julia Snashall enjoys a rest on a felled tree trunk. For lunch Julia organised a vegetable and pasta stew at the station. Endless cups of tea were always on tap from the tea urn. Thanks also to catering manager Judy Williams for preparing the volunteers food over the working weekend.

11. An evening view of the cleared trackbed and curve looking north from Chelfham.

And finally here is some video taken over the three days

Our thanks as always must go to L&B Catering Manager Judy Williams for preparing food for us to re-heat on site, despite the fact she had plenty to keep her busy with the new volunteers weekend and local residents day at Woody Bay.

Finally, a big thank you to all those who have turned out from near and far and have achieved so much over this Winter's Working Parties.

As the operating season is now in full swing, we will resume our working party weekends in November.

Date for diary: Friday 23rd / Saturday 24th / Sunday 25th November 2012.

...... see you there ?"