Work in Progress - Thursday 27th August

Taking advantage of General Manager, Martyn Budd's holiday this week, the Thursday gang of two (Nigel Thompson and Richard Willey) were able to have an extra tea break or two during the busy day at Woody Bay. (Don't worry - I won't say anything! - Ed.)

In between these relaxed tea breaks some track maintenance was carried out including fishplate bolt tightening at Killington Lane and in the afternoon completing the programme of fishplate greasing by doing the transhipment siding from the loading dock to the car park at Woody Bay.

Signalling engineer Dick Gunn also worked with Stuart Wells on the construction of further complicated point rodding for the facing point lock and rods for the Lynton end crossover at Woody Bay. Richard Drewer was also on site strimming and tidying areas of undergrowth in the woodland area.

The weather was cloudy but with sunny spells and once again many visitors flocked to see us. Over 330 passengers were carried today with well over 1000 so far during this near record week. 

The locomotive crew today was the Ilfracombe neighbours of Robin Edwards and Jim Price.

1. Driver Robin Edwards using the water column to replenish AXE during a run round......

2.  ........whilst Fireman Jim Price loads more coal into AXE's bunker. 

3. Guard Martin Andrews tots up the passenger total figure in the Guard's compartment in Coach 1.

4.  Assistant guard today was young volunteer, Toby Manfield, working the signal cabin lever frame as required.

5. Nigel Thompson begins work on cleaning up the frames of the bogie flat prior to painting.

 Photos: Nigel Thompson