Work in Progress: 18th October

posted by Martyn de Young on Sat, 20/10/2012 - 14:56

The weather was heavy showers falling on the Thursday Gang this morning whilst work continued building the retaining wall behind the shed.

A fairly quiet day visitor-wise at Woody Bay, as the 2012 season begins to draw to a close. AXE worked the passenger train with driver Pete Williams, fireman Jim Price and Bob Ayres as the guard.

1. AXE simmers while it waits to go off shed for the first train of the day.

2. A fine view of AXE with the passenger train in the autumnal Exmoor landscape.

3. This is the old L&BR's turntable. Installed in 1898 at the railway's Pilton depot in Barnstaple, when the railway closed it was bought at the auction held in 1935 for use on the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway where it was regauged to 15". In 1987 the old L&BR Association purchased it from the RH&DR for £50, and it was removed from site over the Easter Weekend of 1988, since when it has been in storage at Landkey.

4. A top view of the turntable. Now returned to Woody Bay, as time and funds permit it will be restored to working order and may feature within the future track layout at the Blackmoor engine and carriage sheds.

5. Working on the new retaining wall, the auger yet again makes light work of post hole digging.

6. Martyn Budd supervises while Tim Woods, Dave Bloomfield and John Villers move the post into its proper alignment.

7. New Thursday Gang and local member Mike Corner holds the panel steady. It's raining - it must be Thursday! The work carries on in pretty grim conditions.

8. Dave Bloomfield and Mike Corner by the end of the new retaining wall at the back of the shed.

9. The completed retaining wall seen from the rear of the shed.

10. This retaining wall is designed to prevent any future landslips from the bank falling onto the storage area at the rear of the shed.

11. Another small job completed today by Nigel Thompson and member Andy Leckenby, visiting from Shropshire, was to fix chicken wire onto the steps to prevent volunteers from slipping as they descend to the mess room area.