Work in Progress: 16th April

AXE and the Exmoor Fencing Team in action!

1. At Woody Bay, AXE was today's locomotive.

2. A smartly turned-out Dave Evans was the Duty Guard.

3. Dave with fireman Graham Bridge and a rear head-view of driver Pete Williams, as they await their next departure.

4, 5. An emergency fencing job was the main task for the Thursday Gang.

Near the trackbed at Rowley Cross the recently hedged bank needed a stock proof fence to keep sheep from straying onto the A39. This bank runs steeply downhill to a stream. The straining post was dug in first by Dave Robinson, Dave Bloomfield and Roger Bye.

6. Another task was to cover a drainage chamber with a cast iron manhole cover. Graham Varney moves a concrete mix around the chamber.

7. One end of the fencing run was down in a sheltered muddy corner; the gang attach the fence netting and barbed wire.

8. Looking up along the fence line, nearly complete.

9. Someone had to fall over in the mud!

Martyn Budd ended up on his backside, as I quickly grabbed the camera to record the humourous moment

10. Completing the fencing in this corner.

11. The completed stockproof fence from the top, by the original railway trackbed.

This project continues to help to keep the friendly farmers and landowners on our side as we move the planning process on to the next stage.

12. Graham had completed the manhole cover just off the trackbed near Parracombe.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson.