A quick update

What with the opening day marching towards us with huge steps, three of us volunteered to put in an extra day, which we spent mainly on preparing the shelter for painting. You can't see much, but it took us all day!

One small but important thing we did today was to mount the GWR Trespass notices, one at each end.

This is the northernmost one. It's the actual one we found in the grass, with the corner broken off. The corner pieces, about 8 of them, have all been welded back on, but it's fragile, so don't beat it with a stick. The notices go for about £100 on Ebay so they are not worth a great deal, but we have nonetheless secured both with shear nuts from behind.

Jim H came equipped with two barrowloads of painting material, as well as two ladders, all hauled in the back of his car / annex painting shop. It enabled us to make a fine job of the preparation, everything was there.

As trains were running today, most of the snapshots for this blog post have a train in them. Well, painting is not that interesting...

We always stop to say hello, so here are Jim and Dave giving the driver a cheery wave.

It seems that this year the DMU will stop at Hayles Abbey Halt by request; we even have a fare for it.

Here's a shot of the new sign with the DMU on it. We think it adds something to the reality of the scene.

Let's try the other end, Winchcombe side. 4270 chugs by, new sign on the left, very nice we think.

The three of us spent the day rubbing down the southern side, and part of the westen side of the building. We also cleaned and Kurusted the window frames, and painted underneath the eaves. More Kurusting of the inside, which is now ready for primer (on the steel angles, the rest will be left as it is). 3 interior notices are being manufactured by Jim.

BTW, accidentaly spilling paint on our nice new platform is frowned upon. Will it rub off with Turps?

Then 4270 came by once again, this time with the sun in the rear, making this passing shot the more colourful one. It now also has some black and white in it. Pity they shut off just about here, it seems they can coast from here back to Toddington.

Now you can see some more primer on the shed. There's already a layer of Kurust underneath, the rest was scrubbed down to get it clean (there was once ivy growing up it) and next time we will give it a light sanding down so that the undecoat will take. We have secured a big tin of GWR light stone for the top coat, it won't be banana yellow for much longer.

This shot was taken at the end of a long, sunny day at Hayles.

The platform is neat, the handrail freshly painted, and now the two trespass notices are up. If only it would rain some, so that the grass can grow.

The last train of the day drifts by (steam shut off again, have they no feelings for photographers?)
The running in board is about half finished, and it will go on the far LH end of the platform. There are many layers of paint still to put on it, that is the main reason for its non appearance until now.

We will be back on Monday.