Work in Progress: 8th August

posted by Graham Bendell on Sat, 10/08/2013 - 23:32

Our thanks to Dorset based Thursday regular Graham Bendell for providing this weeks report from Woody Bay.

The Thursday gang assembled under blue skies with the temperature rising slowly but the usual Woody Bay breeze made for a pleasant day although it did cloud over later. Two Shearings coaches and a steady stream of visitors ensured that the trains were well filled. Business appeared to be brisk in the tea rooms, where Judy Williams and Irene Cross were kept busy, with many people taking advantage of the weather to sit outside. Tony Cross seemed to be constantly serving customers in the shop and John Uphill was working in the shed.

A variety of jobs were tackled, some ongoing from previous weeks, another given to us by the deluge experienced on Monday when the heavens opened for ten minutes and, but for the drains installed recently and in previous years, would have flooded the site.

First job of the day was to clear the channels and pipes which were almost completely blocked with silt washed down by the rains. Routine clearing helps to ensure that surface water is carried away before it causes a problem. Monday tested them to the full.

1. The drainage channel by the platform gate was all but full when we started. As can be seen it was cleared but the tricky part is refitting the grids which refuse to sit level unless the surface they bed on is completely clean. Here Roger Bye is close to completing the channel cleaning with some of the grids already refitted.

2. Pete Williams' effort to be best dressed footplateman of the year, but could it last for a whole day? (See answer later in report).

3. Behind bars at last! Director Brom Bromidge painting the railings at the platform entrance. Many of today's jobs appear to require kneeling.

4. Nigel Spencer painting the platform gate.

5. In preparation for work to the fence alongside the 71/4" gauge railway, the vegetation had to be pruned back. Lindsay Palmer clears away the cuttings. Lindsay and her husband, Julian, were surprise visitors and they were soon put to work - good job they had brought their overalls!

6. The cable for the telephone being fed through a previously installed duct. Dave Bloomfield pulls the cable through while Roger Bye keeps it straight.

7. Here's one they prepared earlier! The replacement sill for the windows, which have been worked on for the past few weeks, and the old one which can be seen to the left of it. The Exmoor weather takes a heavy toll on the station building and there is still much to do.

8.The second Shearings coach arrives.

9. More kneeling! Martin Williams, Dave Evans and Jim Price have worked on the window and gable end for several weeks and the results are beginning to show. There is no shade up there and they have worked through some of the hottest weather we have ever experienced at Woody Bay.