Work in Progress - Thursday 1st October

posted by Martyn de Young on Sat, 03/10/2009 - 21:03

The Autumn Gala is over now for another year, so the volunteers at Woody Bay can relax a bit? Not a bit of it! Trains continue to run and, in December, we will be running Santa Specials, so there is still plenty of work to keep everyone fully occupied.

As always, Nigel Thompson was on hand to record activities

SID returns to service.

After a major overhaul at the Gartell Railway, near Templecombe, and some running in on the freight train during the Autumn Steam Gala, SID returned to service to operate the passenger train today.

1. Fresh from overhaul and now back on passenger train duty, SID departs Woody Bay with the 10.30 to Killington Lane.

2. SID after arrival back at Woody Bay

3. SID prior to running round at Woody Bay.

4. SID leaves Killington Lane with the 13.30 return working to Woody Bay.

A full turnout of volunteers today completed a variety of useful tasks around the railway.
The S & T engineers continued their good work, managing to connect the cable that operates the shunt signal that controls movements from the shed (No. 1 road) to the up and down platfroms.

5. Diesel 'Heddon Hall' positioned the S & T tool van near the shed to facilitate the signalling work.

6. Dick Gunn working outside the signal cabin.

7. Rob Pym reaching down to connect up the signal cable.

8. After completing the signal cable the shunt signal is pulled off to allow SID to run round the train.

9. Close up of lever No. 1 which now controls the new shunt signal.

Whilst all this was going on, trains were running, and visitors and passengers were enjoying the experience ...

10. Tony Cross was in charge of the booking office and shop today ....

11 ....whilst Kim Cowling, Irene Cross and Gill Crowley served the visitors in the tea rooms.

... as for the volunteers

12. Every seat taken in the mess room at lunchtime as the volunteers discuss the topics of the day.

A drainage ditch was dug this week for a pipe to run from the A39 to the railway across the overflow car park field. This will make this field drier and permit use of the overflow car park during the autumn months.

13, 14. SID passing the volunteers in the dug trench after putting chippings down prior to the pipe's installation.

15 In the afternoon the Thursday gang took advantage of the fine weather to complete the tidying of the ballast shoulder on a 400 yard length near Killington Lane.