Work in Progress - Thursday 5th February

Heavy snow settling on Western Exmoor early this morning almost resulted in the cancellation of the weekly volunteers work party.

However four volunteers did manage the journey from Barnstaple, Braunton, Combe Martin and even Exeter, supplementing the two members of staff from Ilfracombe and Parracombe. The roads were clear by 10:00 although the snow lay thick and even all over the site at Woody Bay.

With the March 1st date (first trains of the season) looming, the priority was to continue with regauging the turnouts for the shed  project. Despite snow lying all over the rails and sleepers, more work using the Jim-Crow to bend the rails was just about possible. We also managed to re-fix a check-rail back to the stock rail on one of the turnouts. Back in the shed, some grinding to the nose of the other turnout was successfully completed. 

Other work undertaken today included further clearance of materials from the back of the rolling stock shed, ready for the extension bay which is scheduled to be built and added on to the shed next week.

 Photos by Nigel Thompson:

1. Woody Bay Station after the snow fall

2. TITCH and works train in the headshunt within a snowy Exmoor landscape

3. Looking from the coaling stage and water column towards the station

 4. Alistair Hall trudges through the snow across the car park

5. Alistair using drilling rails in the car park for the turnout regauging project

6. Nigel Thompson after helping clear the rear of the shed