Work in Progress: 7th January

And a Happy New year to you all!

This week's report is once again provided by Roger Bye:

Although the Thursday Gang were back in action today, the New Year continued much as the old one had ended.

1. Jim Pounds continued with the carriage painting – although the good news is that he is now in the final stages of preparation and is nearly ready to apply the varnish.

2. & 3. John Uphill was still in the "bearing manufacture business" – this time replacing the motion bearings on AXE

In order to assist the Thursday Gang to overcome the effects of any over indulgence during the Holiday Period, L&BR General Manager Martyn Budd had arranged a suitable exercise programme.

4. Taking advantage of the recent cessation of passenger service, Martyn and Graham have begun the work of lifting the track in the down platform. Today the Thursday gang lifted the rails and temporarily stored them on the up road.

5.& 6. The cinders were excavated from the foot crossing and will be reinstated when the track is relaid. The excavator is on the down platform ready to remove the ballast and then level the trackbed.

7.& 8. In a surprising burst of sunshine Graham handles the works train while Don starts freeing the sleepers from the ballast. Others of the Gang were moving some of the old sleepers to increase the height of the raised vegetable bed. The gang then set about the arduous task of raising the rest of sleepers and lifting them on to the well-wagon.

9. All were lifted and placed on the well-wagon....

10. & 11....only to be transferred to the car park and lifted off again! The pea gravel and concrete inspection chambers in the foreground are destined for a new track drainage system which will be installed during the track relaying project later this month.

12. Dave, who had been attending to lighting in the shed, is not kneeling to perform some ancient mystic railway rite, but is actually attending to signal electrics, overseen (!) by Trevor.

13. Signals were also the subject of attention from Don and Dick at Rowley Farm. To make their work area more comfortable, Nigel Thompson brought some facilities from Chelfham, where he has spearheaded the restoration of signalling equipment. With the construction of this signal, he is now seeing the results of his labours.

14. Today Don and Dick were working on the installation of the lamps, counterweights and operating mechanisms of the signals. To the right of the picture can be seen the photograph of signal which is being used as a reference.

15. This "doctored" photo gives some idea of how the signal will look against the blue skies of Exmoor!

16. Back at Woody Bay, Martyn Budd added a little light ballast raking to the fitness programme to ensure that the Thursday Gang post-holiday-exercise was complete and the work for the day could come to a ....

Words and photos Roger Bye.