Work in Progress: 28th January

Working weekend preparations plus....

This week's report is compiled by Nigel Thompson

1. The track in the down platform line is to be relaid this weekend as part of the winter-working weekend. As the ballast has already been laid, the Thursday gang load the plated sleepers onto the well wagon.

2. The hardwood sleepers and plates are quite heavy - hence the need for two people to lift each one.

3. Inside the shed, Jim Price and Martin Williams are making another poster board frame.....

4. ....as Jim Pounds in the Paint Shop progresses with touching up the paintwork of Carriage No.16.

5. Meanwhile, in the workshop the engineering team are busy working on parts for the loco's. Pete Williams cleans up a valve for ISAAC.

6. The main task for the Thursday gang was to dig yet more holes! The lowered track formation means that where the point rodding runs under the rails, that also needs to be lowered. Cast concrete rodding pedestals are installed ready for the point rodding cranks and base-plates.

7. Four holes were dug in preparation for these newly-cast concrete pedestals to be used .

8. Completed job with all four pedestals installed and levelled. Dave Bloomfield inspects the results of today's digging.

Words and Photos; Nigel Thompson.

PS:  'The Thursday Gang' were today joined by a new recruit Dave Pratt who comments as follows

"I had a great day! They are a good bunch of guys and they made me feel very much at home. We all dug in and got a few jobs done - and I slept really well last night!"

I won't be able to make it every Thursday, but I can guarantee that I'll be back again before too long.

Dave P

PS - Dave must be a very common name for railway blokes - I was one of seven 'Dave's' on site today and it got very confusing at times!"