Work in Progress: 2nd April

Where's the scenery?

It was a very misty day up on Exmoor today. No-one could see very far as the rain and low cloud enveloped Woody Bay Station.

1. The carriages in the mist at Woody Bay as they await the first visitors of the day. The scaffolding was removed last week.



2. Some of the volunteers tidying up and preparing the platform for today's trains and visitors...



3. ....whilst others are already drinking tea in the marquee!

4, 5, 6. AXE has been lined out and is in steam for today's trains.

7. AXE runs past the train as guard Bob Ayres observes.

8. Another view of AXE in the mist.

9. AXE backs onto the train. Despite the weather, it was quite a busy day with well over a hundred people carried.

10. Today's driver was Doug Mills, who is also the roster clerk for the L&B's train crews.

11. Among the odd jobs today was collecting the painted picnic tables from Rowley Moor. The tables are unloaded from the trailer and carried to their positions behind the station and on the upper lawn.

12. In the shed, Jim, Roger and Dave are busy painting, repairing and assembling other picnic tables.

13. Jim McFarlane and Roger Bye paint the table slats, with ISAAC stabled behind them.

14. Jim Pounds with Dave Evans cutting new wood sections for these picnic tables which are destined for Rowley Cross picnic area, which is looked after by the L&BR.

15. Dick Gunn in the mist by the down home signal. Note the new 'Limited Clearance' signs by the headshunt walling.

16. In the mess room, Trevor Buck studies the Tyer's tablet instruments' manual as the signalling team begin testing the two restored machines together.

17. Don Newnham - who has restored this machine recently - inserts a replica tablet into the Tyer's instrument during testing of the complicated apparatus.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson