Too wet for enjoyable volunteering today!
Here is Jo's report
Here is Jo's report
A damp day
today, with squalls and quite a lot of wind. We had to escape to the cabin for
a compulsory cup of tea and some of Bob’s excellent mini Swiss rolls, but
slowly the day became drier, and quite a lot got done nonetheless. We laid
about 550 bricks all told.
7 people on
site, but no Gloucester lads. Paul was in festive attire… he was our new brick
laying apprentice, so we let him have a go at backing up with reds, which he
did very well. In this way, the brick layers attacked three different sections,
and put two layers of reds and blues on each. We are now at the 40, 50 and 60m
mark, out of 220m. Starting to look quite good !
Richard
came and delivered a ton of cement, and a pallet of corbelling blues. He came
just in time, as we were on our last bag of cement and wondering how to make up
the next load of mortar. Then the cavalry came…. Hooray for Richard!
Towards the
end of the day, another visit from the Class 73 ED, which is always a pleasure.
At the
beginning of the day, there was what I now realise was a bad omen. We found a
dead mouse on site, drowned in a bucket of water. When I got home, my computer
mouse was dead ! That can’t be a coincidence. I had to resort to calling my son
at his holiday cottage in Wales to sort that one out. How embarrassing. Dr.
Eldest Son recommended a computer reboot, which brought my mouse back to life
with a squeak, and enabled me to write these notes.
Best
regards,
Jo
7 comments:
No "Gloucester lads"?
What a surprise.
But what a shame. The implication is that they were expected and, just like Worcester college lads last year, didn't fancy it... and let the team down.
How about Wiltshire, Oxfordshire or Warwickshire? Surely there is a college out there with students possessing some degree of commitment and tenacity?
Or is their failure to engage in a worthwhile community project just an accurate reflection of our over-indulged British youth with their staggering sense of entitlement - detached from any responsibility or requirement for hard work - and vacuous obsession with the superficial?
Wonder where the volunteers for GWR will come from in 20-30 years time!
Maybe no students from Gloucester because term has ended, or assessments going on? Don't write off the good work!
Anyone know whats occurring with the Broadway signal box cam it seems to be pointing the wrong way!
The signal box camera failed last night. I switched to another view as an interim.
Re the Students, it is very often the College System and associated regulations that let us down, not the students themselves. I have no reason to believe that any of the students, Worcester or Gloucester were not committed to doing a good job.
A good chance the students have wound up for Xmas.
73 was delivering wagons to goth skew bridge for Pway to load up another 125 shc sleepers for the hailes relaying planned for the closed season.
These have to be loaded and got past jjfarms bridge prior to it being removed for replacement, on sat 4th Jan 2014.
The comment by Mr anonymous about 'over indulged British youth' seesm unnecesarily critical of a group of students whose college has no doubt closed for Christmas.
Cheer up, Mr anonymous. Christmas will come to you as well one day.
Whilst undertaking my PGCE course at College about 3 years ago (never too old ya'see) I got to know one of the construction department instructors, who was also on the course to formalise his qualifications. Let's just say that teaching in an FE College can be like herding cats as the students will invariably have to undertake other tasks (including key skills and such like) as part of their courses and, when it gets to late November, there is always a rush to get all these Govt-imposed "boxes" ticked whilst students will have assignments to get submitted - even brickies! So, from my limited exposure to College life as a student, I am aware that there are many diversions which get in the way of trying to actually teach the students what they're supposed to know. This is not a criticism, its an observation. I do hope that you can get some help from College students in the New Year as such practical experience is invaluable and gives the students a sense of pride and fulfillment as well. Be careful how you treat youth for they willst payest thy pension.
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