Undercoat complete.

Thursday at Broadway.

A dry day (we thought) so an opportunity to be seized for painting more of the steelwork on the Broadway P2 roof. 

No painting pictures though - what could we show? It's repetitive work, not very interesting. It wasn't easy on Thursday though, as it had rained hard overnight and although the sun was shining on arrival, the steelwork was wet all over. Can't paint like that. We removed as much of the water (in the angle iron particularly) as we could with a rag, leaving just a damp film. We then went down to the cafe for a cappucino and a bun, to let the sun do its work.

The result for the day was a whole bay painted, one of three. So we're 2/3 of the way there to giving the whole structure its second undercoat. 

 

 

 

There was evidence of work from Wednesday (our usketeering day) as there are now three arches in (out of the 8), and John has been filling in the bricks in between, and above.

 

 

 

 

 

Also interesting was this supporting woodwork that Neal has put up. This will support the dagger boards and the guttering in due course. All the fascia boards need this sort of woodwork, so there is still a way to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neal also bolted some of the wooden supports for the roof sheets along the purlins, and here is a large piece of timber at the end.

This is the bottom of the structure for the dagger boards that close off the roof from the end. 

 

 

 

 

Friday gang at Toddington.

Four of us on 'operation clean up the greenhouse yard' at Toddington.

 

This is the size of the problem (picture by Paul). 

It's true, a lot of the piles of material there are from the PWay.  A gang of 4 met with two vans and two Telehandlers to take it away, or as much as we could in a day. Actually, it's at least the third day of taking it away. But it's working! There is a lot less already.

 

 

 

 

The first job was to remove the stacks of heavy rubber pads for crossings, and take them to Stanton yard.

Both Transits were used, in a shuttle service. We waved to each other, as we crossed on the B4632.

 

 

 

 

 

At Stanton we already have quite a few piles taken there on an earlier tidy up day.

The new piles went in on the opposite side. Brambles and rain won't hurt them, they're pretty much indestructible. If we need a set, we can always dig them out.

 

 

 

 

 

We also took 10 - 12 bags of accessories for these pads. They're in dumpy bags.

We got them there - just. Some were creaking badly on being lifted; they decay quickly under the sun. 

 

On the other hand, here was also an opportunity to take away 12 pads for a crossing that we want to build. That's why we have LT storage.

This crossing is for the top of the Working Lane approach, where Stevie Warren once laid in a sleeper crossing, that we had to take out again later. But it was useful, so we will now construct a proper one.

Here are the 12 pads being dropped off at Winchcombe, from where our RRV will take them to the work site through the tunnel. 

 

 

 

Next came a vast collection of cast iron chairs, removed at Toddington from expired wooden sleepers. We took those down to the PWay yard at Winchcombe, where we have others.

 

Two pallets of GWR throughbolters were taken to the 2807 foot scraper site. 

 

 

The final two van loads were sundries - more chairs, a pallet of bearers, another of chair scews, an old sack truck, a picnic table, and a bunch of cheap suitcases. All have been found a new pupose, and on top of that, they are off the greenhouse site.

 

 

Here is what we left behind (we also took that last pallet) - a nice tidy corner of the site.

There is more to go - piles of concrete sleepers and FB rail (Ex Bicester) mostly, a much slower job.

There are also a couple of hundred 'wartime economy' sleepers, out of the nearby Didbrook relay. Sixty of these are scheduled for the final part of the 'siding 2' relay at Toddington.

 

 

House and attic clearance - Man with a Van!

 

 

In passing, we took a snapshot of the 'new' drive, which is due to be moved left here, up against the fence.

 

Some prepatory works for this were already done at the top by the entrance 

 

 

Now a post and rail fence has been erected across the intended new line. Strange.

The all important gas main is marked by the red and white post lower centre, and it pretty much runs along the white line on the right. 

 

 

Last thing for Friday: An advertisement.

 

We have a small trailer and a turnstile for disposal. 

 

 

Small trailer, surplus to requirements

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the turnstile, in good condition, with maker's plate. This used to separate the garden centre from the GWSR entrance.

Any interested parties, please send a blogger contact form. 

 

 

Sunday and Monday at Broadway.

Painting, and on Monday, riveting.  

We came in on Sunday, exceptionally, as it was a bright and sunny day, and a good opportunity to get more painting done. It's going to be a wet winter, they say. 

Expecting two steamers on Sunday, we were surprised to see the 'Bubble Car' arrive first thing. We overheard a snatch of conversation from down on the platform - 'why do they call it a bubble car?'

A good question - who knows the answer to that? Was it because it was much smaller than a two or four car unit?

We painted all day, a rather tedious job. Most of the steelwork already had an undercoat of sorts, but under the greenhouse it was impossible to get every bit painted, as some of the steelwork was piled on top of each other, and other (heavy) items could not be turned over in the small space available. Then there was blowing sand, sawdust billowing, oil spatters from drilling, and steel drilling residue going rusty. So what turned up at Broadway wasn't brilliant, in terms of paint. On top of that there were a lot of holes in the paint due to transport, lifting and handling damage.

Monday saw three volunteers back on riveting the platform side fascia board. Here is a rivet being heated to just the right temperature. The hot rivet is then grabbed with a pair of pliers and handed to one of the two riveters, who insert it into the hole. Seconds later there is a brief Rat-a-tat-a-tat, and the rivet is in.

While painting undercoat on Monday, we also kept a wary eye on progress with the rivets, and would dart in with the green undercoat to apply it to the bare heads, once cooled. Later in the day we were even able to apply undercoat, so this is what it all looked like.

On Monday riveting of the fascia boards was completed. As an example, there are 20 rivets attaching the fascia board to the truss, of which there are 4. So all in all we just did 100 hot rivets. Another couple of dozen await doing, then that job is complete.

 

Tuesday at Broadway.

More good weather, so back on top to finish off the painting. This we did, and the entire steel structure now has a protective undercoat on it.

 

Doesn't it look magnificent, in its new coat? Only the platform side of the fascia board is as was, and it's not at all clear how we will paint that. Maybe when we fit the dagger boards there?

 

 

 

Neal had made up some more brackets for the woodwork. Our remaining materials, after the big lift, were suddenly cleared away from the Toddington greenhouse area. This comprised new angle iron, woodwork, and two 5 inch steel pipes for the future modesty screen. We had no idea.

All the steel was sent to the metal skip, while the woodwork ended up at Winchcombe.

By a miracle Neal was able to retrieve it all, after some detective work. Doesn't help your morale though.

The brackets, made up out of the new steel nearly scrapped, still had mill scale on them, so we spent the day grinding that off, and painting them.

Neal is making really good progress with the woodwork.

The idea is to get at least some of the roof on, so that we have a dry area to work under.

The timber on the end is for the triangular end panel of T&G.

 

 

 

 

Here he is drilling fixing holes for the chamfered timber that supports the corrugated iron sheets.

We don't have the glazing yet, but have found an acceptable supplier, after the previous one (P1) ceased trading. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This corner shot shows the other extremity of the end panel support, as well as the support structure along the rear fascia board for the dagger boards and cast iron guttering.

 

 

 

At the end of the day the 8 brackets (on the floor) were primered and in undercoat. Only a short length of chamfered timber remains to be fitted to the purlin on which Neal is working.

 

 

 

Usketeers.

Cancelled this week, due to personal circumstances, and the poor weather foreacast. Back next week though.

 

 

Wednesday on the PWay.

 Pictures by Paul.

 

 

 

 

The poor weather may have deterred the Usketeers, but the PWay gang wrapped up in their best winter gear and got to work nonetheless.

Today it was at the north end of Gotherington loop. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's a pity that the Usketeers weren't there, because the two groups could have met up - they were working only 100 yards away.

In fact in this picture you can see the little ground frame hut centre right, but no one near it. 

 

 

 

 

Usketeer Paul was considering getting his frying pan out again for some bacon baps, and on this wet day he would have had several eager takers, next to his own gang.

By lunch time in fact the rain was starting to die down, and PWay gang lunch was taken on platform two, in full view of Bryan's lovely Gotherington station.

 

 

After lunch it was time for a bit more working, tamping with the Robels. It seems only fair, after all those doughnuts.

 

 

 

 

 

Some might ask: where do all those doughnuts come from, out in the middle of nowhere?

The answer is: this plastic box. It contains all the snacks that we have, some new, some a lot older. Those are for the bold, and the very hungry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately age got to it eventually, and the PVC started to crack up.

After a WhatsApp group appeal, Peter was kind enough to let us have a new one, a spare that he had. 

Today's yummy: Mince pies.

Already ??? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make hay while the sun shines.

Make hay while the sun shines.

Last week we had good weather, so a chance to catch up with painting in situ at Broadway. The whole roof needs another coat of undercoat, after primering all the rivet heads (... and there are more to come).

Painting steel doesn't lend itself to interesting photographs, so from our painting day on Thursday we have only the three below. 

 

 

But Neal has been working behind the scenes, and at the top of the footbridge steps we found the kit of parts for the ridge purlin extension.

Nearly there then. This one's for the south end, then they are all done, and Neal is starting to take an interest in fitting wood to support the roof sheets. 

 

 

 

During the day we saw BETTON GRANGE drift into Broadway, and on the next train it was a Growler. The driver sure gave it some (lovely) beans on departure, as there was a loud growl, and the train shot off (to a stately 10 mph).

We spent the whole day on site painting dark stone undercoat. The whole of the steelwork needs a second coat, and also one that covers all the primered bits of lifting damage we found, as well as the newly primered rivet heads.

Our achievement: 

One fascia board (out of 4)

Two purlins (out of 12)

Three purlin extensions (out of 6)

Two canopy end half brackets primered (out of 10) 

 

We think: Not a bad day's work, which we rewarded with a cup of tea from the two nice ladies in the cafe. 

 

 

This was the three o'clock train, also hauled by BETTON GRANGE. There were quite a few people on the platform, which was good.

 

 

 

Monday at Broadway.

A bridge inspection, and riveting the trackside fascia board. 

 

 

Monday morning we found a large tower scaffold being erected on the trackbed. Were these NR employees come to help us rivet the fascia board ?

Alas not, it was contractors doing bridge inspections, and on Monday it was the turn of the Broadway footbridge. 

 

 

 

 

But the Broadway canopy gang too was busy, aided by our steam department. They put rivets into the south end of the fascia board, into the southern ridge purlin extension, and into a corner brace.

Unfortunately no photographs available this time. You'll have to take our word for it.

 

As it was good weather still, Yours Truly set about giving the steelwork a second coat of undercoat. 

The result, after several hours, was the first 'box' completed. That means the area between the two northern most trusses.

Hope you can see the effect here.... a bit hard to see, as we are painting undercoat on top of an earlier undercoat. But we want to properly protect the steelwork, to take the pressure off future maintenance. 

 

 

An easier example is the ridge purlin extension here, at the south end.

Neal completed the fabrication of it, on Monday it was riveted on, and we gave it a first coat of primer. 

All the purlin extensions are now on. 

 

More flower boxes are being placed on the platform.

 

Tuesday at Broadway.

A complete canopy gang of three, on a warm, windy day, ideal for painting. We did the second of the four trusses, and part of a fascia board. Steady progress then, while the good weather lasts (but see below....)

 

 

 

Neal arrived later in the day (our compressor failed, and needed sorting out), and we see him here cutting pieces out of the top corbelling course for a set of brackets for the rear.

 

 

 

 

 

John was there too, and can be seen here building up the brickwork over the first two arches.

This was quite slow work, as many bricks needed cutting to special sizes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 Shortly after we finished painting the heavens opened, quite unexpectedly.

There was a furious downpour, and we had to run for cover and save our tools.

It was just after 4pm and the cafe staff wanted to go home, but couldn't without getting wet. You can just see them on the platform, waiting for Cleeve Hill and Breedon Hill to become clear again.

 

 

 

New lightweight wheelchair ramp 

We've heard complaints that our metal wheelchair ramps are very heavy. So how about this one, which weighs so little, you can lift it with one finger? It's made of glass fibre, and is so much lighter, it's amazing.

https://www.dunslopeliteramps.co.uk/c/products/dun205-205m-dunslope-glassfibre-width-folding-ramp 

It's not cheap, and the company has no spare cash, so how about clubbing together? 

 

 

 

Wednesday with the Usketeers.

Without Jules this time, and alas also without the promised bacon rolls this morning, as since last winter Paul's electric frying pan has gone AWOL. We'll have to make do with Leek & Potato soup, our usual winter warmer.

On arrival, we parked outside the station, and just outside the old stationmaster's house.

 

We didn't have a record picture of it, so here goes.

It seems different from the others at Broadway, Toddington and Winchcombe. Strange. Could it be?

Below is the Winchcombe stationmaster's house. 

 

 

Gotherington is a different design! We wonder why. Maybe because Gotherington was only a small station?

Shame that it's not well maintained, and  there's a pile of old army vehicles in the driveway outside. 

After the usual coffee and lemon drizzle cake, we set about today's task, the placing of the second supporting sleeper at, the rear. 

 

 

It wouldn't go under. Drat ! The problem was the bottoms of the tongue and groove boards. They were all rotten at the bottom, having sat in the ground for many years.

Paul had a go with his electric saw to try and get a level line, a bit higher up. 

Today we had two steamers and a reasonable number of passengers - this being the shoulder season - and we saw both 3850 and 2807 chug by, out of Gotherington station.

 

 

Eventually, with a bit of traditional brute force, we got the sleeper underneath, so that allowed us to proceed with the next stage, the reinforcement of the corner post, also rotten at the bottom.

Here Paul is fitting the first reinforcement timber.

The supporting post, part of the old B&S shed since demolished, needed a bit of adjustment on Paul's sawhorse.

Next, 2807drew out of the station, with the sun a bit more in our favour.

 

 

To give you an idea of what the bottom of one of the corner posts looks like, here is one that Jules sawed off last week.

Not much there, is there? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sawing the new post to size got a bit more serious when Paul decided to throw his weight into the ring.

This made us tired, so we sat down for a little rest and a cup of coffee, allowing our passing passengers to see what the Usketeers were really like.

 

They sit down a lot... 

For the last picture of the train at Gotherington today we moved onto Bryan's little halt platform, and the sun had also moved round a bit.

 

Hope you like it. 

Finally for the day, a shot of the northern end of the little cabin.

Today we completed the stabilisation and lifting of it. You can see here how it now sits on higher corner columns (an extra three courses of bricks) and on top of these we have placed a second hand sleeper, one along the front, and today, one along the back.

The cabin is now almost vertical again, the best that we can do with such and old wooden structure. 

Back filling will be the next job. 

 

 

 

Trackside news.

 Pictures by Paul of the new weedkilling train, and work on Wednesday.

 

 

 

To try and save money on contractors weed killing along our line, we had the idea of building our own sprayer vehicle.

This was based on an old box van. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took quite a long time - we don't build very many of these - but eventually the van was finished, being fully converted.

Here it is on a test train along our 14 mile line, on September 21st. 

 

 

 

 

 Here you can see it actually at work, followed by a small cloud of spray.

 

 

 

 

Paul managed to photograph it at a number of locations, including these two here at Gotherington Skew Bridge.

 

 Here it is about to enter Greet tunnel

 

 ... and finally at rest in the platform at Winchcombe.

 

On Saturday the gang was out at Gotherington loop, where a dip in the line was lifted and packed. It was a glorious day, and there is nothing like sitting on a rail with your mates, watching the trains go by.

The last picture on the PWay was taken today, and that at Didbrook.

There is a recurring dip here, although it went quiet for a while after we resleepered this section a couple of years ago. Is that dip back again?

The gang wasn't visible today, so you'll have to imagine them.

 

 

 

A look over the fence - Rother Valley Railway (RVR) Part 3.

The last part of the week with the RVR track laying gang.

 

 

By Friday we had indeed laid an average of 4 track panels a day, leaving 4 to go to reach the target of 20. Only when we were within walking distance of joining up, we realised that it was nearer 22 panels required. Or another 6 to go, not four ! Both digger driver and the project manager said there was no chance. But - by now we were on the wider part of the formation, and it was possible to use the second 360 on site. 

 

 

 

As you can see from the picture it meant that one could lay out sleepers unhindered by rail moving, while the other could lift in the rails from the side. We also had a good gang of 8, and began to have a good feeling about the day.

We managed three panels in the morning, and suddenly the target seemed possible. 

 

The sleeper laying 360 lowly reversed towards the end of the loop.

 

 

 

The clipping up gang did its best to follow, while the second 360 brought up a pair of rails, as a gap had opened out in the pairs laid to one side a year ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even the RVR blog photographer joined in, cleaning up the dirty sleepers before the pads were laid down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mid afternoon the sleeper laying 360 dropped in the last sleeper, and made contact with the loop section.

 

 

 

 

 

Even so, there was time for a lunch 'Al Fresco', sitting on the chairs that one volunteer religiously moved forward each time a panel was laid down.

 

 

 

 

Then the last full sized rail was laid in. It had to be cut a little shorter, so that the final length was longer than the minimum 10ft required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This left two shorter infill lengths to cut, from one long one.

 

The clipping up gang was on the last full length rail. 

 

 

 

 

 

This picture shows what we achieved over the second half of the week - sweeping round the end of the S curve, and then down the wider straight.

 

This is the picture that we have all been waiting for: the final length of rail goes in. We did it, target achieved, and surpassed. 21 1/2 panels laid, and a length of continuous track achieved from (turntable) bridge 24 all the way to Salehurst. Within the following fortnight the fishplates will be on, and the gaps welded, to make 120ft panels.

Friday's team (there were other volunteers throughout the week as well) assemble for the winning photograph.

There is now a continuous run of a mile, and the % of track laid has risen from 27% to 39% as a result of our working week.

 

Well done all ! 

 

With a couple of hours to spare, we had a quick look at the Robertsbridge and Salehurst sites on the Saturday morning, during a bit of a dull spell. 

Quite recently, the first of three level crossings was installed at Robertsbridge, Northbridge street.

 

It's not finished yet, but the rails now cross the road, and the road surface is reinstated.

This picture, looking north, shows the L/C on the left, and a very old RSJ bridge just right of centre. 

 

Another shot of the old bridge. It has not been touched for at least 60 years. The line will then cross the field over to the trees, where a second L/C will be installed, over the A21.

 

 

The track laid down the hill from the main line station in the distance has now been joined up with the L/C, and a few feet beyond. The above ground structure of the L/C is still to come.

 

This shows the track projecting just over the L/C site, and pointing at the old RSJ Col Stephens era bridge, which has a tree growing out of it.

 

Detail of the Col Stephens RSJ built bridge, with original waybeams, no handrails, and what appear to be timber supports standing in the water.

 

Then a quick look at Salehurst, half a mile down the line. Salehurst is a pretty village, and has everything a man could need - a pub and a church. It used to have a basic halt close by, but it is not planned to reinstate that.

 A short walk down a leafy footpath takes you to a foot crossing over the line, where the halt once was.

Looking through the hedge on the left, you can make out the trackbed crossing from right to left. It's the orange strip, just beyond the hedgerow.

The site of the halt is fenced off, and not accessible to visitors. We took these pictures through the fence. We're looking up the line here towards Northbridge street L/C. Track laying is not possible here yet, as there is no sub base yet.

The WW2 pillbox is damaged along the corner of its roof line facing the track. It looks like someone with a digger has tried to demolish it in the past. The damage looks old. That's a shame, as these buildings are typical of the area, and should be classed as monuments to a certain time.

The KESR halt used to be along the RH side here, and it was just a very short walk to the pub from here. 

 

This wider shot shows just how close Salehurst really is. The church tower is just poking out of the trees. The halt was closer to the village of its name than any other on the railway, with the exception of Tenterden.

 

Our last shot is aimed through the fence in the other direction. Track here has been laid, and it now stretches all the way to bridge 24 and the future run round loop.

What a week that was ! 

This considerable project is still looking for funds, so if you want to know more, we recommend their website:

 

 https://www.rvr.org.uk/fundraising/