Work in Progress: 22nd May

  The end of an era...

... as the 'Thorpe Park Coaches' - now replaced by the larger Heritage Coaches - are sold out of service and leave Woody Bay for their new home:

1. Hunslet D6652 awaits to shunt Coach 2 ready for despatch as ISAAC approaches.

2. Jim Pounds puts the finishing touches to the new entrance signs partly installed last week.

3. Driver Pete Williams and Fireman David Carter show off ISAAC to visitors

4. Unusually, and for operational reasons, this train was directed to the down platform. Passengers alight and are escorted across the foot crossing ...

5. ... giving an opportunity for this evocative view of ISAAC in sunshine with today's "down" train.

6. Good progress this week restoring the dry stone retaining wall on the headshunt as ISAAC passes

7. Thursday Gang members move stones across the track for contractor Nick.

8. Close-up of Nick's excellent work in recreating this traditional Devon stone and earth bank.

9. Clearance looks tight, but sufficient, as ISAAC approaches Woody Bay.

10. D6652 and a short works train supplies Nick with topsoil to back-fill the new wall

11. Just resting prior to 'official' afternoon tea break are the Thursday gang of Jim McFarlane, Roger Bye, Jim Pounds and Mike Corner

12. A shunt move had positioned Thorpe Park coaches Nos. 1 & 2 on the transhipment siding

13. These carriages have served the L&B well over the past ten years. All have been sold to the Statfold Barn Railway. Coaches 3 & 4 left by road earlier in the morning, whilst 1 & 2 await the return of the low-loader from the Midlands.

14. A final view of Coaches 1 & 2 on the transhipment siding - its doesn't seem ten years since I and many others worked on this coach (No. 1) - first at Chelfham, then at Bratton Fleming - preparing it for the first passenger trains on the L&BR since 1935.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson