Work in Progress: 4th August

More Traditional summer weather!

A dull, dismal day greeted the volunteers as they assembled at Woody Bay, but this turned out to be a good day. Quite a few jobs were progressed, and passenger loadings were excellent with over 500 journeys recorded.

This made for a very busy day for the shop and tea room. The cooler weather was appreciated by the sleeper changing team as this is arduous work at the best of times. In the afternoon the weather lifted and the sun came out for a while.

1. A fairly full mess room. Some serious reading going on in the foreground.

2. CHARLES WYTOCK takes it easy between trains.

3. ISAAC is going nowhere! The loco is being prepared for its boiler examination, due next week.

4. AXE was in the paintshop...

5. ... for Tom to give it a good clean.

6. Two cupboards (stands for the tablet machines) ready for their second coat of undercoat.
One is an original SR piece. The other, built by Jim Price, is brand new. Another four like these will be needed for the first phase of the proposed extension. They had their second coat of paint later in the afternoon.

7. John Uphill, Trevor Buck, and Alistair Hall inspect the turntable being constructed for the 71/4" gauge line.

8. Today's guard, Bob Ayres, chats to a canine passenger as he checks tickets.
Loadings were so heavy that Jim Price acted as assistant guard, to help out with ticket checking and keeping a watchful eye.

Meanwhile, down the line sleeper changing was progressing:

9. Here, holes are being drilled for the track screws to hold the Pandrol plates..

10. Getting down to it. Pushing in a sleeper - sometimes they slide in easily, at other times they need some "help".

11. CHARLES WYTOCK approaches...

12. ... and passes the track gang. Martyn Budd expressed his satisfaction and gratitude for an excellent day's work by the gang.

13. General Manager Martyn Budd, about to take out the 13.45 train.

14. Dave Evans presses on with the painting of the mess room exterior woodwork.

15. Nigel Thompson, taking a rest from reporting, sorts out the mess room washing up - Well, somebody has to do it!.

16. Alistair Hall finds some ash to top up an ash path.

17. Jim Pounds continues retouching ISAAC's paintwork.

18. Reduced numbers for the tea break. The track gang were still hard at it.

19.Tony Cross was still busy in the shop late in the afternoon.

20. One of our older passengers (in dog years) in its personal carriage. Enquiries were made of the owner as to whether man-sized versions were available!

Words and photos: Graham Bendell; Track Gang (9-12): Roger Bye