Work in Progress: 13th March

 Another warm, bright and sunny day at Woody Bay today...

At last! Warm, Sunny and dry weather today. After a miserable wet winter and working mainly on outside projects, it was a great pleasure to be out working by the line and enjoying the sunshine!

The main job today was to install the concrete straining fencing posts replacing the remaining wooden posts, many of which are already rotting out after only 10 years.

1. D6652 with the works train just below the car park; the gang ready to install new concrete straining posts.



2. Andy Foster checks that the post just dropped into place is level.

3. On the other side, the gang tamp in the post with a dry cement mix, then prepare to fix the side struts.

4. Now Nick Slade's and Andy Foster's post is in place and the side struts too.

5. The next posts were adjacent to Bridge 67. The excavator with the augur does the main digging but there is still some hand-digging as Roger Bye gets stuck in.

6. Later back at Woody Bay a post was installed near the down home signal. Martin Williams is 'on the wagon' and taking a well earned drink whilst pausing from mixing the aggregate and cement mix whilst Andy and Nick shovel the mix around the post.

At the next working weekend, the fence wires will be connected to these new straining posts and the remainder of the wooden posts removed.

7. Another essential job today was adjustment of the facing point locking mechanism on the main crossover turnout (Barnstaple end). Dick Gunn, Don Newnham and Dave Bloomfield are tackling this.

8. Nigel Spencer returned to his 'usual project' today, that of painting a top coat green gloss onto the railings leading up to shed viewing area.

9. In the shed, Tony Cross has been working on the Thorpe Park Carriages. Today he was busy rubbing down Coach No.1 in preparation for repainting. With the Heritage Carriages now in regular use on the passenger trains, the four 'Thorpe Park' style carriages are being readied for sale.

10. Dave Evans and Jim Price were busy fixing the tourist leaflet racks onto plywood sections.

11. These racks displaying visitor information leaflets will be in the marquee this year.

12. By mid afternoon, Don and Dick finally completed the points adjustment. They celebrate and admire their work with a well-earned cuppa - taken outside for the first time this year.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson