Work in Progress: 17th March

posted by Roger Bye on Sat, 19/03/2016 - 11:08

Thursday Gang - now back to Thursday.

We have Roger Bye to thank for this week's report.

Spring has sprung, so time again to begin the annual fishplate greasing on a perfect spring day at Woody Bay Station.

1. In the care of John Uphill and Andy Foster (assisted by Trainee Fireman Otis Small), AXE is backed out of the shed prior to running round and coupling up to the first train of the day.

2. Even the prospect of a day of fishplate greasing could not dampen the Thursday Gang's enjoyment of a lovely brisk sunny spring day at Woody Bay.

3. The problem with annual tasks like fishplate greasing is that it is easy to forget the details of the job, although perhaps age plays a part here! It was a shaky start involving tangled cables, working on the wrong joints, having the wrong size sockets and grease that was "too runny". However, with Graham's guidance and supervision we were soon "back on track"!

4. Mike got very attached to the job - by managing to bolt his bootlace to the fishplate!

5. & 6. With trains running the gang had to pause in their efforts - and watch the trains go by - a good opportunity to remind ourselves why we volunteer to do this work!

7. After the gang had removed the four nuts on each fishplate, released them from the rails, applied grease and re-tightened the nuts, Graham carried out a final check of the tightness. It is important that the fishplates are secure but also can allow movement to accommodate expansion and contraction of the rails.

8. The finished article!

9. As well as fishplate greasing there were plenty of painters in action today....Dave Drayson and Jim Pounds were working on a carriage in the shed...

10. Lindsay and Julian Palmer - up from Plymouth - repainted the down platform name board...

11...whilst Nigel Spencer continued the everlasting task of fence painting.

12. Jim Price fettled a carriage door catch while Dave Evans (in an un-photographable location) re-painted the floors of the open air section of the same carriage.

13. At Rowley Farm work was progressing on fulfilling the long shopping list of signalling equipment for the proposed extension. The first rebuilt post with all its attachments is waiting for wiring and top coat painting. Work on the second post begins with wire brushing the rust off the metalwork, to be followed by a good coat of primer. Only another 14 to make! (Photo Don Newnham).

14. In a Thursday Gang member's workshop in deepest Devon, work is in hand to assemble another two tablet machines to join the three that have already been restored. Standardisation was not high on the agenda of those who originally built this equipment! Consequently piecing together these machines from the collection of parts that that have been accumulated over the years takes immense patience and skill - and fortunately Don and Trevor can supply both. These machines are the heart of the system which will ensure the safety of our extended single line working. (Photo Don Newnham.)