Work in Progress:17th October

posted by Martyn de Young on Fri, 18/10/2013 - 23:05

An unseasonably mild, but dry autumnal day greeted the volunteers (and visitors) at Woody Bay this week. The passenger train was operating as a top and tail with steam loco AXE and Hunslet diesel HEDDON HALL.

The Thursday gang kept busy inside and outside with a variety of tasks as required.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson

1. Don Newnham replaces the shunt signal lamp on the down home with a brighter LED one.

2. A chance today to do some track maintenance. Pete Colley, John Villers, and Dave Evans work on a dipped crossing sleeper on the turnout leading to the transhipment siding. The sleeper was repositioned, raised, packed and tamped to remove this minor defect detected during the regular track inspections.

3. AXE passes the siding track gang with a morning service ...

4. ...only to be rescued later by Hunslet diesel D6652 after problems with the steam air pump at Killington Lane.

5. Subsequent trains were therefore top-and-tailed. AXE with today's three-coach train approaches Woody Bay in good autumn sunshine.

6. The two Tyers' Tablet Instruments recently purchased with funds raised through the General Managers Equipment Fund. Thanks to David Hayball who obtained and delivered these historic pieces of signalling equipment.

7. The intact Tyers' Tablet Instrument after delivery. These, along with others, will be used throughout the single line sections of the L&BR as the railway extends both northwards and southwards from Woody Bay.