Wednesday 6 February 2013

Wednesday 6th February 2013

A great turn out today with 17 volunteers braving a very cold northerly wind. It was just about warm enough to do some bricklaying and a team of 6 continued with Platform 2. Great progress was made with 2 more course going on the remaining length of footing. Nice to see Roger B back on the line  after his sabbatical  at the Flag and Whistle, schmoozing  the directors!







Also Steve Warren and the JCB were in action, putting a mains cable duct across the driveway. At the same time we put a removable gate post in on the gateway so that wider transport can gain access to the track bed. Steve also graded off the ballast on the  track bed at the gate. It had taken some punishment with the amount of traffic recently.





In the new container work was in progress on the Platform 2 running in board. Peter Quick has masterminded this job and it is looking close to completion and looks a top quality job.

The brick cleaning was in progress and by the end of the day the die-hards pretty much had to be chipped of  their bolsters and hammers.




Gordon and I here trying to get the post to fit smoothly in the new gate post socket, and Terry terminating the new duct  at the electrical cabinet.


Finally Steve Warren took time out to fill  a lot of  low or muddy spots around the site. Its important to keep the site clean and tidy during the Winter months when it can easily become a bomb site!

Thanks to all who turned out today,  on such an inhospitable day weather wise.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know this is slightly off topic, but i was doing research, and discovered that Network Rail destroyed 3 signal boxes nearby in 2010/2011 (Shirley signal box and others on the Warwickshire Line) what complete B*******!! Why do they not offer pieces of history to the GWSR or other heritage railways. Makes me mad! What a complete waste of railway heritage!

Sorry Rant Over!

Anonymous said...

easier to bulldoze them

andrew said...

In fairness to Network Rail they are normally pretty good offering redundant railway stock to interested parties.
Possible the main problem may be the getting manpower as well as the large costs associated for dismantling and transporting large items such as signal boxes.
Maybe someone in the 'know' can confirm whether these boxes were actually offered

Jo said...

In a way Shirley box will re-live at Broadway, because we have used it as inspiration for the replacement box design here :-)

Bill said...

Well said Jo.
I don't think anyone will be disappointed with the Broadway Signal Box
Bill

andrew said...

I have not got a problem about using the Shirley box at Broadway. However when the track extends towards Honeybourne in the future, will not the GWR need more signal boxes ? In 10 years time there wont be any suitable boxes on main line routes to salvage

Dave said...

Andrew, we can build signal boxes from scratch if necessary, as we'll do at Broadway. We have the basic building design and hopefully can source and refurbish another lever frame mechanism (or even build one of those?). I'm not sure if another 'box would be needed, since we'll have only a single line terminating at Honeybourne Platform 3. There's no room for a run-round loop, and if we ever get a main line connection it would probably be signalled by Network Rail.