Work in Progress: 20th December

posted by Nigel Thompson on Thu, 20/12/2012 - 20:38

Rain all day at Woody Bay, so everyone stayed in the shed to continue the various indoor jobs on offer...

1. AXE's boiler cladding has been removed as part of the winter maintenance, overhaul and repainting programme. Dave Drayson and Dave Bloomfield inspect the boiler barrel.

2. Yet another piece of wood for John O'Dell to cut to shape, as he uses the wagon as a bench with AXE stabled behind.

3. HEDDON HALL and LILLA were also 'on shed' today.

4. Graham Varney lights a warming fire in LILLA's firebox to lightly steam her in preparation for tomorrow's and the weekend's Santa Specials

5. With locomotive SID as a backdrop, Martin Williams cleans parts of the knee lever frame, as part of the ongoing signalling equipment restoration programme.

6. Dick Gunn prepares seized-up signalling gear for treatment on the bench.

7. The blow torch is used to free up this point rodding turnbuckle.

8. The heat treatment should help to free up the heavily rusted screw thread.

9. Then, a Stilson wrench is used to unscrew the loosened fitting.

Other jobs today including work in the concrete signal cabin, and painting of the newly-cleaned signalling gear.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson

As this will be my last report for 2012, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dave Bloomfield, Graham Bendell and Dave Blencowe for assisting in compiling this weekly progress report during times of my absence and holidays. Also I would like to thank the many members and other website viewers for their informative and grateful feedback for this past year.

Finally, I wish the Volunteers, L&B Trust Members and all the other L&B supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2013 - a year which will bring even more substantial progress with the heritage carriages, the extension moving forward, and a general air of optimism for the success of the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway.

Nigel.