A summer week, and a special train.

Saturday out along the line.

A gang of 8 on Saturday - very good. We split into two units. One stayed behind to service the Robels, the other went out along the line with the Interflon equipment.

Bert Ferrule in between the platforms.

 

Four of us then went up the line through Winchcombe station, greasing the fishplates with the Interflon backpacks.

Last year we removed the fishplates on each occasion; this, the second, year we can do it more simply by injecting the grease around the fishplate, and it will work its way in. Interflon is expensive, but the process is now much faster and the team more productive.

We worked our way up the line to Greet tunnel, where Bert took a snapshot of Tony.

These backpacks have been giving us trouble, as at some point they cease to work, we think because of some internal blockage due to the Interflon separating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neal from the canopy gang - he's really good with his hands, as readers surely know - kindly volunteered to examine the backpacks, and on Saturday we got both back again, in 'running condition' as it were. Thanks, Neal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the tunnel mouth we noticed that the sign for Greet tunnel had been refreshed. It looks much more authentic now - we like it!

 

 

With two operators equipped with the backpacks we were soon finished with that stretch of the line, so turned northwards instead. The job was to grease from Greet tunnel to Chicken Curve.

As we passed through the yard area, we stepped aside for a passenger train, here headed by P&O.

 

 

The crossing train was headed by Dinmore Manor, blowing off steam as it left the platform.

The safety valve stayed open all the way to the other side of Chicken Curve, which seemed strange to us. Was it stuck perhaps?

During our early morning tea we learned that check rails on turnouts are best keyed up with oak keys, as these do not compress and don't give way to sidewards pressure. We had never seen that before, but an hour later we saw exactly that - new oak keys on a check rail. You never stop learning on the railway.

Chicken Curve was easy to grease, as the rails were all of 120ft lengths, so we went twice as fast. We were soon back by the mess coach, where we met team 2 servicing the Robels. They were getting special motor oil, and the bottle explained what fun it was to ride on a fast motorbike. Oooh - can't wait to use the Robels again now!

 

As we paused for our lunch, Dinmore Manor rolled to a stop by the bracket signal, once again blowing off.

As it was much cooler on Saturday (16 degrees) than on Friday (30 degrees) you could see the smoke and steam particularly well.

 

After lunch we went to Broadway to grease the first section there. We just managed to dodge a large shower, so it was still dry out, but large clouds swirled around.

Dinmore Manor backing into Broadway by the bracket signal.

Up by the goods shed you should be able to get a good shot with the bracket signal in the picture. There were also some fine marigolds in patches in the grass.

We lined up this shot with the Peak.

Photographer's luck - the driver sounded his horn on seeing the PWay workers, and we are required to acknowledge the signal by raising an arm.

That caused the camera to wobble, and a late shutter release.

Oh well.

Tuesday at Broadway

A week of lovely sunny days. We've decided to work at Broadway on Tuesdays, when trains are running and the cafe is open. We are on the P2 steps and out of the way of the public.

We had the pleasure of a visit from the Ivatt, 46521. It's nice to hear a different whistle in the distance and rush up on the footbridge to see what is going to arrive.

Neal wanted to see it too....

One of the things on our to do list is a set of fire buckets for the northern end of the building. They will fit neatly under the window.

While we found quite a few of the specially shaped fire buckets (and then expertly painted and lettered by our friends in C&W) the winkling out of the correct shape GWR brackets proved a lot more difficult. Over a number of years we had accumulated no fewer than 4 different ones, of which one a pair. Which one (if at all) was the correct pattern?

It turns out that the GWR used castings with a pattern number on it, and the base is pointed on top, flat at the bottom. We did indeed have one of those, but only one. A friendly auctioneer pointed out another pair, and for a fair price we now have a correct set of three. The brackets on the board now need attaching to the wall. The buckets will not be filled with water, as that puts too much weight on our (modern) cavity wall, with just one course of bricks in front.

On its second trip up to Broadway we caught the Ivatt running round in front of the box. We like that BR lined green.

To get it from the front you are talking about a shot into the sun, which is not as good. But here goes, anyway.

In between times Neal was working on fitting the P2 steps handrails. He's drawn a yellow line of masking tape here, to establish where all those brackets need to go.

At the end of the day Neal was a good way to finishing the first run. We still need to rub it down, then varnish it. 

And we got a spontaneous compliment from a pair of visitors on Tuesday about our handrails. People notice quality.

Wednesday with the Usketeers.

Another hot day, but luckily we had the shade of the oak tree.

We made an early start, as it's cool then. We were up to full strength (5 of us) and that meant several points of attack at once.

Jules went indoors (with those thick walls it must be several degrees cooler in there, so a wise choice) and worked on bringing the internal wall up to the trusses. That's how it was, so it will look as if the legs of the truss sort of dive into the top of the wall.

Paul went round the outside and trimmed the ends of the trusses, and attached a number of pieces of damp course (purpose unknown...).

Dave worked on the outside wall facing the signal box - it was hot there. His mortar went off in the sun faster than he could use it.

Jules is a quick worker, and an hour later we can see him on the other end of the internal wall where he started first thing.

 

 

Of course there was regular train traffic - no strikes here - and knowing that visitor 46521 was about we left the site for 10 minutes to catch this interesting locomotive come in from Cheltenham.

Ivatt 46521 enters Winchcombe with the maroon rake from Cheltenham.

Here is the Ivatt at the end of P2, waiting for the crossing train from Toddington.

Paul in one of his usual expansive moods. Probably about fishing in Tewkesbury...

Then we had one of our (many) coffee breaks, and the usual argument about whose cake we will eat first.

After coffee we see Jules stepping back inside (nicely in the shade) to look at how his backing up along the top of the interior wall is looking.

We've go to do something about the chimney area, that is now looking lower than the rest, and the liner is flopping about.

'Pour encourager les autres' we put up some dry blocks under the chimney area. You can see a little row of 5 eight inch high blocks here - now they just need bedding down.

Dave spent his day on the opposite wall to Jules, with the same mission - build the wall up around the wall plate, and up to underneath the trusses. Here he is doing the corner, where the was a hole which once held a stack of loose bricks holding up the end of the wall plate there.

 

 

Outside, Dave did very smart work, building the wall up to the level of the trusses.

Neat, and smooth, isn't it? Now we need to cover all this in Hessian, so that it can go off quietly, and not dry out. With this hot weather that is a clear risk at the moment.

Post scriptum:

Tim Bazeley Memorial Train

As you will have read in an earlier blog, our co-founder Tim Bazeley, one of the originals from the very early days, died suddenly a few weeks back. The funeral was a quiet one for family only, but today his wider circle of family and friends were invited to participate in an early evening train to spread his ashes.

The train ran the full length of the line, starting and finishing at Toddington. It did not stop at any of the intermediate stations.

At CRC we were able to record the headboard made for him specially.

On the way back the train stopped at Hayles Abbey halt, his most recent achievement. Although many people participated in its construction, Tim was instrumental in obtaining support from the board, and the funding.

Now, 5 years later, it is still looking as good as new, and well cared for.

The first two carriages of the train stopped at the halt, and we got out to remember how we all worked together to achieve this.

Members of the same team are now rebuilding the Usk weighbridge, the natural successor to Hayles Abbey halt.

We are open to suggestions for the next project after Usk!