Work in Progress: 8th November

1. First of all we welcome back Jim Price to the Thursday outdoor gang. Jim had been keeping warm on the footplate all season being AXE's Thursday fireman. Jim now takes on the project of restoring more of the window frames around Woody Bay Station. Jim begins by scraping off old paintwork from the platform window of the former ladies waiting room.

2. The completed restored telephone box now has a pay-phone installed. It is hoped volunteers and visitors could use this phone as the mobile phone signal is almost non existant at times.

3. The gang's first task today was to collect the stored plywood sections of Santa's Grotto. An unusual shunt move resulted in HEDDON HALL hauling on loan locomotive LILLA with the wagon of boards on.

4. The boards were unloaded into the marquee tent. The Grotto will be assembled soon ready for the forthcoming Santa Specials.

5. Another job was to sort through the recently delivered signalling equipment (ex of Heddon Mill Crossing near Braunton on the former Barnstaple-Ilfracombe line -closed 1970). Some of this original Southern Railway style signalling gear has been transferred off site for storage, whilst other items will be restored up and painted in the shed at Woody Bay.

6. Taking advantage of a full possession of the line today, a works train was formed up to move a pile of scrap and rotten sleepers from the stacks near Bridge 67 down the line (up the line!) to Killington Lane.

7. Hunslet diesel HEDDON HALL with the works train at Killington Lane after the gang unloaded the old sleepers ready for eventual disposal.