Work in Progress: 5th September

The work undertaken by the 'Exmoor Enterprise' team in support of our extension plans is usually very much behind the scenes, but this week a very necessary and visible job was undertaken by the regular volunteers at Woody Bay.

As part of the Planning Application - vital to our plans to extend the railway - the task this week was to carry out a traffic census of all the vehicles entering and exiting our car park. On a daily rota basis and at half-hour intervals, the volunteers had to observe and record each and every vehicle and which direction they came from and in which direction they left - to Lynton or to Blackmoor Gate.

1. Graham Bendell (left), with the clipboard, records the traffic today at the Woody Bay car park entrance, whilst assistant, Nigel Thompson takes a break to read a 'Heritage Railway' magazine (Photo - Tony Nicholson).

Thursdays results showed that in the morning a steady stream of traffic entered from the Blackmoor Gate direction with departures heading off towards Lynton. After lunch the direction appeared to reverse with traffic originating mainly from the Lynton direction and departing towards Blackmoor Gate.

The Shearings Coaches were also recorded, as were a couple of delivery vans and the weekly North Devon Council dustcart!

Thanks to all the volunteers who gave of their time each day this week to carry out the essential task of recording the current traffic movements at Woody Bay, vital information required in support of our planning application.

It was of course a 'normal' operating day at Woody Bay and the other regular volunteers were busy around the site operating the train, serving in the shop/cafe, some signalling maintenance, some painting, some electrics, and work on the other locomotives.

2. AXE arrives at Woody Bay past Green Hunslet diesel D6652 stabled with the wagons on the headshunt.

3. Heritage carriages No.s 7 and 17 were shunted into the loading dock for visitors to admire. Buffered up to Van 23, this is the first time since 1935 that these three vehicles could be seen marshalled together and at least 90 years since they were last seen together in L&B livery.

4. Carriage 17 with its Observation Coupe of red buttoned-in leather looks stunning in the afternoon sunshine.

5. On the scaffolding the restored roof sections are having their final coats of white paint by Martin Williams and Dave Evans.

6. Inside the shed today - almost resembling a diesel locomotive depot - is the Baguley, PILTON (being worked on) and Hunslet, HEDDON HALL (available for service).

7. Outside Maffei 0-4-0WT No. 4127 SID also available for service, basks in the autumnal sunshine.

8. General Manager Martyn Budd's 1950s Fordson Major tractor - completely overhauled and restored over the last couple of years - was in use at Woody Bay Station today. 

9. A very attractive rural scene: Martyn cutting the grass in the overflow car park field in preparation for the Autumn Gala. whilst AXE passes with an afternoon service from Woody Bay.

Words and pictures (except No.1) by Nigel Thompson.