Work started on laying the red bricks on the rear corners of the Signal Box. It was something of a battle with water laying on an already slippery damp proof membrane. As a consequence great patience was needed and in the end this was rewarded with the 4 courses going on each corner. But doesn't it look great!
The other task on the Signal Box was to set up the shuttering for the lever frame beam pad stones. Here JC making the necessary calculations to set them in the right place. In the end both were set up, reinforced and poured ready for the beams to be delivered in 2 weeks time.
The Wychavon Building Controls Inspector came along to check out the damp course and confirmed all was well. He does't plan to come back until the roof is on - September maybe!? By the end of the day the Box just looked that bit further on.
At the northern end of the site there was much activity also. Clive, Mike T and Peter H were laying more blocks on the 1C foundation. Here we can see the cross drains being set out to move water from behind the wall across into the centre drain. |
| Peter, Clive and Mike in the background |
Whilst this was going on, our photographer was doing a selfie of his work drilling the holes for installing the rebars. Really great progress was made on platform 1C and weather permitting, more will be completed on Saturday.
Across the way more rubble was dumpered in and carefully distributed behind platform 2B, and then more vertical slabs were laid. Here Rod (slabber in chief), Gord and Keith S(back from Oz) try and get the height right.
Peter Q and Peter T continued to build the wooden temporary steps for platform 2. I for one am looking forward to these being in place - currently it seems like a three day trek to get from the mess-room to the top surface of 2B!
Talking of cabins Jim has continued to decorate the inside of our new cabin. When I see him bringing his own bed in I will know he has an ulterior motive!
Chris and David then started the task of cleaning them up. As Chris pointed out they may be mortar free but they still need cleaning!
Thanks to all who attended today, not forgetting Vic beavering away on the landscaping.
We had a visit from Chris Bristow, the GWSR Finance Director. Its always refreshing to see members of the Board taking an interest in the hard work being carried out in the outposts!
8 comments:
I'd be interested to know if the Wychavon Building Controls Inspector, and other officials are enthusiastic about the station - or are they diplomatically neutral?
As usual a fantastic report. It looks like Jim, in the cabin, is waiting to check Tickets!
Steven Bishop (Yorkshire)
Another interested in the stance of the Wychavon inspector, also, what needs doing to these avonmouth bricks cleaning wise if there is no mortar, a bubble bath?
Bill, fantastic the building controls are satisfied with the Signal Box build.
Regards the Board Members visit .... not so much an outpost more the frontline of the march north.
As always excellent work by the dedicated BAG team
Re The Building Inspector - He was very interested in the project as whole, was careful to only offer an opinion on matters within his own terms of reference and was a very pleasant chap.
Would it be possible to add a couple of simple diagrams to your excellent report. I'm not sure of the layout of the platforms, so 2C, 1B are a bit confusing. The building of the signal box is a bit of a puzzle to an outsider. A simple sketch held up to the camera? Thanks, your work is genuinely inspiring.
Many of the Avonmouth bricks were simply laid on the earth floor of the turntable pit, so need wire brushing to get soil off them, that's all
There isn't a sketch of the platforms. It's just the order in which we did the various stretches. 1A is the southernmost stretch, IB is in the middle opposite the main building (as was) and 1C is the northernmost bit. Platform 2 is opposite, with the same lettering. It just helps us identify which bit when we are talking about them. The platforms are over 200m long, after all.
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