There were 15 of us on site today, waiting for the promised sunshine to appear out of the gloom. The treat for the crew was the installation of the rear window frame on the Signal Box. It really did look a splendid sight.
This allowed JC and Tony to run a couple courses of bricks the full length of the box. The moisture lingering in the bricks and in the air make the brick laying particularly tricky. Again JC had to use some heat from a propane torch to hasten the drying process.
Tony kept pace with the inner courses. By the end of play the planned fireplace had reached its full height prior to the arch going in.
On other fronts it was all about continuing with the embankment clearance. Here are the troops with a good blaze going - on the horizon you can see the rest of the clearance challenge!
Every so often there is the compulsory putting the world to rights rest, although here it looks as though Brian is having forty winks - a trick of the impromptu camera shot, me thinks.
The workers that didn't stop were the brick cleaners. Here Robin and Andrew start to see off the Paddington blues.
In other areas John B was spreading some ballast on the muddy sections of the driveway - but not too rewarding when there has been so much rain.
Finally Richards Johnson (plc Company Secretary and Director) paid us a visit to have a look at progress and discuss a few local issues. The Volunteers always appreciate such visit. It allows opinions to be expressed and questions asked in a pleasant and relaxed forum.
Pole Dancing..... |
This allowed JC and Tony to run a couple courses of bricks the full length of the box. The moisture lingering in the bricks and in the air make the brick laying particularly tricky. Again JC had to use some heat from a propane torch to hasten the drying process.
Tony kept pace with the inner courses. By the end of play the planned fireplace had reached its full height prior to the arch going in.
On other fronts it was all about continuing with the embankment clearance. Here are the troops with a good blaze going - on the horizon you can see the rest of the clearance challenge!
Every so often there is the compulsory putting the world to rights rest, although here it looks as though Brian is having forty winks - a trick of the impromptu camera shot, me thinks.
The workers that didn't stop were the brick cleaners. Here Robin and Andrew start to see off the Paddington blues.
In other areas John B was spreading some ballast on the muddy sections of the driveway - but not too rewarding when there has been so much rain.
Finally Richards Johnson (plc Company Secretary and Director) paid us a visit to have a look at progress and discuss a few local issues. The Volunteers always appreciate such visit. It allows opinions to be expressed and questions asked in a pleasant and relaxed forum.
5 comments:
Bill are the Westbourne Park (Paddington)bricks the oldest original GWR items being used in rebuild of Broadway Stn.
The area the brick came from was from the Westbourne Park area although when I worked in Padd area 1980's it was called Paddington New Yard .......... new as in it was opened as a Goods Depot in the 1930's!
Richard,
Probably - the turntable dates from the 1880's I believe, and therefor pre dates the Honeybourne Line by 20 odd years...
Can't say enough how much I enjoy reading your updates. The work of you and your team is amazing - looking forward to the blog post that's one day titled "Track Laying".
Keep up the great work
James
Hi Bill
Could this be the same site for the turntable at Paddington?
http://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2014/09/23/brunelss-original-rail-infrastructure-excavated-near-paddington/
The shot is a different angle
Graham
Yes - the same site.......
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