Work in Progress: 21st November

Dry but cold and overcast!

This week's report - with another bumper selection of photos - comes from Roger Bye

Due to a misunderstanding, last week Nigel and I both thought the other was doing the report!  Sorry about that.  Here is this week's report of activities at Woody Bay today with some reference to last week's efforts.

1. The weather at Woody Bay today, in sharp contrast to the persistent rain last week, was mainly dry but cold and overcast. The station in winter can be very different to how it is in the summer.

2. Carriages stand empty, works wagons occupy the station roads and the platforms are deserted.

3. However, around the station work goes on. Under grey skies lone volunteer, Don, greases points...

4. ...whilst up in the car park CHARLES WYTOCK’s boiler - which will be used as a pattern for a new one - is loaded onto a lorry for transport to the boiler manufacturer.

5. CHARLES WYTOCK’s frames and wheels were loaded onto flat wagons which HEDDON HALL hauled to a storage siding pending remedial engineering work.

6. & 7. HEDDON HALL was the only locomotive in service today with PILTON in a siding and all the steam engines “on shed”.

8. Phil, Jim and Geoff continued their carriage body rubbing down in preparation for varnishing.

9. & 10. Last week, the removal of the plaster from the internal walls of the old Gents Toilet was completed. Despite the  “basic” construction, seen here, the walls have stood for well over 100 years! Will modern buildings do the same?

11. In the workshop Pete has produced the working prototype of a track cant indicator. Currently to set the track cant (where on bends, one rail is higher than the other) we use a combination of spirit level and a stepped wedge. Pete's ingenious device will roll on the rails and the pendulum will continuously indicate the cant.

12. There was activity today on the down platform where it was suspected one of the platform lamp posts had succumbed to the North Devon climate.  As can be seen the suspicion was well founded! .After removing the post from the ground Don, Dave and Dave removed the lantern for reuse...

13. ..and, Dave (a different one!), Dave (the same one!) and Don dug a hole for installing a heritage cast iron post which has been in store.  The white lines visible on the grass in these pictures are to define the areas of the platform from which the grass is to be stripped pending resurfacing with chippings to create a proper platform surface.

14. As the evenings draw in early at this time of year, especially on dull days like today,  work comes to a halt and silence returns to Woody Bay by mid afternoon.

Other work going on today included assembling materials and equipment for the work party this weekend.

Text and photos by Roger Bye.