The finishing touch.

Saturday out with a small gang.

Holidays are starting to make an impact, and on Saturday we had just six in the crew.

 

 

Our chief doughnut supplier was on holiday, leaving an immediate impact - no doughnuts!

Well, just tea is better for the waistline, but still...

We repaired to Toddington to finish off the siding and stop block. The ash was a bit lumpy for walking over, and there were many rocks and bits of concrete lying about. Now all is smooth.

 

 

 

In the distance the Telehandler was seen loading an extra pallet of bricks on to one of the Broadway supply wagons.

Cleaning up the siding was fairly leisurely, but satisfying. It looks great now. 

After that we moved on to the more serious matter of packing the centre of the south end crossing, which was seen to move a bit under load.

We stared intently at the crossing as various trains passed, but nothing obviously bad struck us. Maybe the centre? We gave that a good robelling. We didn't get a great deal of time as line blocks were required, and there was a lot of traffic in the area on Saturday.

When Dinmore Manor arrived we heard the starter signal move to clear, but later we noticed that it was still on. Strange. On the other hand the advanced starter was off. The footplate crew were seen standing by the telephone to the box, and the safety valves started to go as the departure was delayed.

Eventually Dinmore Manor did move off, passing the signal at danger (but see below). There was loud whistling too.

 

 

 

From the vantage point of the platform outside the mess room we were able to have a chat with Dan, the signalman, about what was behind the starter at danger.

 

 

The explanation was a simple one - the wire snapped! That explains how we heard it go off, and yet stay on.

Dinmore was then allowed to pass by means of the green flag.

All part of a signalman's interesting day. They live for that.

Also interesting was a shunting move. After Foremarke Hall had cleared the platform line heading north, the yard shunter made off for the N headshunt to pick up a rake of Dogfish and a Shark.

 

 

 

Here it is back again, outside the mess room terrace. We were still up there, as we were unable to get a line block. 

The Shark was propelled up the parlour road, to be attached to the Broadway supply train, ready for its move in early May.

 

 

 

 

 

A member of thr S&T dept came out to look for the break in the wire (rust on the wire near to the signal) but in the meantime life went on, with a token being handed to the driver of Foremarke Hall.

Finally the area was clear, and we were able to resume work.

 

After examining further wheel movements over the crossovver, we decided that the heel end could do with support. Here, the insulated joint was badly dipped, but this wasn't in fact part of our remit, so we didn't have the necessary jacks with us.

We packed the area as best we could, but this rail really needs cropping.

 

On the way back to base we stopped for an update of the S&T building.

As you can see the roof trusses are in, so it's doing well.

 

 

Tuesday on steels

The canopy gang is back in action, working on the steels while we wait for the supply train for Broadway. Last week saw the final length of angle cleaned and protected with undercoat. However, as we are effectively assembling the canopy outdoors - no indoor spaces are available to us - we are fighting the constant threat of rust.

 

 

These gusset plates were actually indoors, in that little cupboard in the background. We had cleaned and primered them, but the rust got them nevertheless. When we transferred the stack on to the pallet in the foreground there was water between the plates. So they all had to be cleaned again, Kurust applied, and this time an extra layer of undercoat. Hopefully that will seal them for good.

 

 

 In the meantime Neal made a start on actual manufacture again.

 

 

We've already made three purlins, and on Tuesday Neal made a start on the first of four fascia boards. This one is 7.25m long, and will fit in the middle of the building on the platform side.

As it's very heavy and rather floppy we resorted to lifting it on to three trestles with the Telehandler.

 

 

 

 

We then added a similar length of angle ('here's one we prepared earlier') and Neal then tack welded it on.

The fascia board was then turned the other way up, and a second length of angle tack welded on. These will give the fascia board stiffness.

The angles will now have to be drilled for rivetting, but bolts will be used in the first instance as usual.

This one shows Neal drilling the bolt holes - there are lots and lots of them.

 

You might be interested to know that a campaign has been launched for sponsorship of commemorative plaques along the inside of the viaduct parapet, the one which cost us £250.000 to stabilise. This excellent initiative could raise up to £60.000, so is well worth supporting.

Have a look here:

https://www.gwsr.com/support-us/stanway-viaduct-commemorative-plaques

Wednesday with the Usketeers.

Just two of us today - Dave on holiday and John elsewhere. Our enamel plaque unveiling day is nearing with rapid steps - it's Wednesday May 8th at 11am.

As the building is now complete we are finishing off the site in the last time available. It's been very cold overnight recently, so the grass has been a bit reluctant to grow, but as you can see from this picture it is making progress.

Foremarke Hall passed by as we took this picture of the site, not having seen it first hand for two Wednesdays. The diamond paver path has been extended to the road, and the grass has grown.

 

 

On the other side of the road John finished of the reinstatement of the ditch, and today we fine tuned the grassy island by raking it level, removing any stones and seeding the rest.

Grass has already started to grow in the foreground.

 

 

 Paul busied himself indoors by removing items no longer needed, and then sweeping out the floor.

Over the winter the window frames had swollen a little, and Paul planed them back to size and reinstated the paint.

From next Wednesday we will be on a new job, for which we have volunteered, when we heard that contractors were going to be used for the work. This is the erection of 20m of featherboard fence at Toddington. That's perfectly within our skill set, so why pay a contractor? We will be in good company, as Neal will be working next door on the Broadway steels.

 

After lunch we left the Usk hut enclosure to deal with the remainder of the soil that we had shared with the drainage gang.

We spread this soil out around the inspection pit cover, so that the area could be seeded. We're not sure if this grass will be mown in future, but at least the grass will get a head start on the bramble, convulvulus and mare's tail that usually grows here.

Behind us the Telehandler was working away, stacking economy sleepers, ready for the next job. That could be the rest of siding 2 at Toddington, but it's not yet confirmed.

At the end of the day this once derelict site around the inspection pit looked like this, with grass seed already raked in.

We then took some of our kit up to Toddington, ready for the next job.

Now a little rant, as we were saddened to see that several plastic barriers were being skipped.

The railway bought these say 6 or 7 years ago, a big pallet full of them. We were uneasy about the purchase at the time, so much plastic, where will it end up at the end of its life? That life proved to be short, and here they are, adding to our pile of non-recyclable waste. These will eventually break down into micro-plastics and one way or another end up in the ocean, or in our food chain.

As a general observation: when you buy plastic, think of its end of life.

Another non-Usk item is to mention that we have 4 cast iron street lamp posts that are surplus to requirements. They are the same type as fitted to the station drive at Broadway. We could probably let them go for a friendly price, so if interested, send us a message (contact form at the top of the blog).

Away from the Usk hut, the PWay gang were working on the Gretton straight today:

Lifting and packing joints at Working lane. This is the stretch with the oldest sleepers and probably some of the older rail. There are many sleepers that need refreshing, and dipped joints attending tio.

These are the dipped joints in question. There used to be a run round loop here, long since lifted as we pushed south.

As a result of the sleeper replacements, we not only have the new ones to insert, but there are old ones to collect from the lineside.

This picture shows the start, as the white Transit is filled up, twice today in fact.

An impressive total of 41 sleepers was collected during the day, a big effort by the gang, lifting them all out of the undergrowth and into the van.

Finally, Jim of the PWay group shared a picture with us, reproduced with his permission, of a rare diesel locomotive that some of you might find intersting, as pictures of it will be scarce.

This is a Rolls Royce engined Barclay, seen here inside the MOD at Ashchurch where Jim worked. It was one of 6 built to the Berne gauge. Five were black but this one was painted in an alternative colour scheme, but sadly saw very little use. The BAOR was shrinking and with the peacetime bonus there was no need for them, although today it's not impossible that there might be once again. Where are they now ?

Stop block installed.

An interim blog. We've had a few days off, but life on the railway goes on.

Here are some notes from the last 7 days:

PWay:

With thanks to Paul, Walt, Jim and Bert Ferrule for pictures.

 

 

 

STEVIE went out across the viaduct, seen here with Bert Ferrule at the controls.

You can just about make out the parapet on the left, coming into view.

 

In the area of Little Buckland some concrete sleepers were picked up from the lineside. These won't exactly enrich the PWay as they were discarded as broken during the extension build, but their recovery will help the lineside clearance flail, which doesn't appreciate lumps of concrete hidden in the brambles.

With its booty of sleepers and two rails secured on the trolley, STEVIE trundled south again, and can be seen here on the approach to Laverton.

There's plenty more to recover, so we will be seeing STEVIE out and about, albeit on non-running days (which are scarce hereabouts, there always seems to be something on)

 

 

One of our colleagues - we can even say one of our 'Andys', as we have several - has volunteered to prepare for sale our rail cut offs (from the Manor Lane cutting and shutting, and also from the Stanway Viaduct welding).

We have sold several, and we had the brainwave of putting them next to the 2807 boot scrapers, so that you can have a choice if you'd like to buy one (or buy one of each).

They come in two sizes, 9 inch (£25) and 12 inch (£35). People use them for anvils, or door stops at home, or just for fun. Whatever you can think of, but it does help the railway.

These here are in the lobby of the Cotswolds Halt cafe.

Over the last week the PWay gang has continued with refreshing the last 50 yards of siding 2 at Toddington, and installing a stop block on the end - it used to just sort of peter out.

Here, as a reminder, is what it used to look like, with the stock pulled back.

We last left the site with the bed dug out and one sleeper put in to get things started.

Next, the remaining 'new' concrete sleepers were all laid out. They are all ex Didbrook, and of the war-time economy variety. Too fragile for main line use (where some were cracking up after 40 years) but most were still great for use in sidings, so that is what we are doing here (and have plans for the rest too).

Here the rest of the economy sleepers are being laid out, brought in by Neal in the small Telehandler.

Neal? Isn't he on the Broadway project? Well, Neal can turn his hand to just about anything, so if you have a spare day, why not? Broadway is paused while we wait for the supply train, now re-scheduled for the first week in May.

This great shot, with Foremarke Hall just rolling in, shows many of the rails already laid back in. In the foreground is the site of the stop block, which still needs some thought, as it is quite big and there are services to avoid.

As an example, see the pit on the left which was constructed at an awkward diagonal angle. The sleepers need to be spaced around it.

 

 

 

 

The same view is seen here from the opposite side, taken by signalman John McMillan directly from the box.

Everybody is clearly taking an intererst.

 

 

Then we've got a couple of shots taken from the cab of STEVIE. The stop block was walked over by the RRV from the car park, dropped next to its intended position, measured up, the site dug out and obstructions dealt with, and then dropped in.

And there it is, in situ. STEVIE is such a marvellous tool for us. We could never have achieved this without a RRV.

The gang is just measuring up for the closure rails.

 

 

 

Here's the same shot from ground level - the closure rails are not yet in, but much of the ash ballast has been returned in between the sleepers.

In the background Dinmore Manor is just leaving.

This scene now looks very authentic. Stop block, Manor class loco, original goods shed, yard lamp, footbridge, signals.

So much has been achieved by the GWSR volunteers since we first took control of the site in the early 1980s. 

Below are some more snapshots of the new stop block in place, with all the ash filled back in.

This space is due to be occupied by 4 cosmetically restored vehicles, currently waiting at Winchcombe (see previous blog for a picture.)

Three Usketeers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the blogger absence the remaining three Usketeers carried on with lengthening the diamond paver path. Here it is started. We had a bit of money left in the kitty of donations so were able to buy a complement of blocks, but they are slightly different (there are many varieties) so you can see a break in the pattern.

 

 

 

 

At least the path is finished now.
 

No more taking a short cut across the grass (which is growing very slowly indeed, probably because of the low overnight temperatures that we are still seeing.)

 

 

 

 

 

John made himself very useful by completing the last bit of the grassed bed on the opposite side, which also reinstates the cutting toe drain channel that got filled in over the years.

 

Finally, a bit more topsoil was donated and we spread that out between the grassy edge and the spent ballast road. Now that needs seeding again. Hope it all grows before the opening ceremony on Wednesday May 8th (11am)

A look over the fence - RVR.

After a short holiday away from the railway we had the opportunity of a family event in E Sussex to take a look over the fence at the RVR - the Rother Valley Railway, at Robertsbridge. 

You may have read in the press that the company, affiliated to the K&ESR, has after a long wait now managed to secure the last of the trackbed necessary to join the temporary terminus at Bodiam with the original junction at Robertsbridge. This map will make things clearer: (Source - RVR)

We had a look at both ends, starting with the North Bridge Street level crossing, marked by 'Mus' on the map on the yellow road at the end of the red line on the left. That line represents track already laid from the yard, acquired a long time ago now.

 

This is the current end of the line from Robertsbridge Junction. It has already seen a lot of investment, as there were 4 bridges that needed replacing along a low embankment.

On the right was Hodson's mill, the place where P class Pride of Sussex (their product) worked just after closure of the line. Behind the camera is the North Bridge St level crossing.

This is looking the opposite way. The dark lump in the middle is the remains of a simple bridge across the river Rother, a water course which features a lot in the life of the railway, hence its name. Beyond that is a field, which leads to the A21 bypass.

This is that simple bridge. Just two RSJs and, if like many of the other early bridges, with abutments made of early and now rather crumbly concrete.

 

Turning slightly to the left we see the most recent news item, a line of fencing stakes that lead across the field up to the A21. That follows the tree line from L to R.

This is a shot from a few yards further along North Bridge St, but looking at the same line of fence posts. The little blue patch in the middle is some safety fencing, indicating the site of the future L/C. There's a roundabout nearby, and a Pelican crossing, so traffic is slow here. The L/C will be a modern, power operated one.

We then went up to the junction, marked '2' on the map. The station was set out quite some time ago now, and has matured very nicely. Rambling roses and cherry trees grow along the fence line, behind which RVR volunteers are working on some of their rolling stock. The site was closed to visitors though.

This is a shot through the yard gates. On the left is the main line connection - with a shunting neck too short to take a whole excursion train, sadly dictated by the limited size of the site - and on the right the RVR line swings away downhill to North Bridge St. In the middle is the site of a future engine shed, and the recently opened Hither Green turntable, all but identical to the one we once took out of Ashford, and now on the Caledonian Railway.

Slightly to the left is the main line connection, and the turnout for the branch.

 

 

The station site is prepared for a station building and a toilet block in the KESR style, but so far only the toilet block has been built. The jagged line of bricks shows where the main station building will attach.

Towards the end of the line is a water tower and three well restored vans. A lot has been achieved on this otherwise cramped site, designed at the origin for a small branch line loco and two or three four wheelers only. The goods yard is also taken by the main line station car park, and let out to APCOA, so watch that you don't forget to pay.

There's a working level crossing by the station entrance, guarded by a still active little signal box. The line looked busy, and this train didn't even stop! It's a busy commuter line into London, from Hastings via Tonbridge to Charing Cross. Power comes from the third rail. (just visible)

The existing 10 mile KESR currently terminates at Bodiam, the site of a wonderful mediaeval castle, untouched by Cromwell's slighting.

Bodiam was built at a time when the sea came this far inland, and villagers were fed up by Norman raiders pillaging the local farms and villages. Once it was up the sea retreated, and Bodiam lost its purpose (and was therefore ignored by the Roundheads).

Ironically we saw a coach turn up to visit the castle. It was filled with French teenagers. Oi ! Is there no stopping you?

Bodiam station was the last station rebuilt by the KESR, and the station team, a bit like at Broadway, made a determined effort that it would be as original as possible. They did a grand job, we can report, it's a little jewel.

 

The USP of the area is hop picking, and the history of the Cockneys that came down from E London every summer to pick them.

On the right is a museum built in the local boarding and tin roof style, and on the left is a toilet block, as there wasn't one on site originally. It has been beautifully disguised as a coal office, only a small sign points tom its real purpose. No B&Q sheds on this railway!

 

Inside the little museum is a thoughtful display, with hop related objects, videos, and old photographs. This is for passengers to have something to do when the engine runs round.

Children get little plaques to fiddle with - eg What are hops for, you lift the knob, and inside is a beer mug.

We liked that. And the beer, Harveys in this area.

There's a map of the area, a video on a loop, and old photographs of Londoners arriving with all their worldly goods for a few weeks of hop picking and ribaldry. Long, special trains were laid on for them.

 

Outside a couple of cabins have been reproduced to show how people stayed during the season. Others were taken away on the back of lorries or carts to local farms.

Also on the site is a Mk1 glamping coach, run by an outside party. There are more at Northiam.

There were only three trains this early in the season. They weren't very busy (this one was the last of the three, it must be said). A modest refreshment room just about fits into the original station building.

The train consisted of Austerity No.25 and 4 carriages - 3 Mk1s, and one Maunsell nondescript, beautifully restored.

We are eagerly awaiting the relaunch of their GWR rail car No. W20W, possibly later this year. 

Could we invite it to the GWSR? They did run down the Honeybourne line, we have a photograph of one at Long Marston.

 

In one of the Mks there were interersting table tops, showing what there is to see along the line.

Several children besieged the engine driver, and he finally handed over what they had been clamouring for: a lump of coal each. Yes, it has become that rare that children want to take a bit home.

Here is the last train of the day leaving the charming station of Bodiam on the KESR.

And lastly, news of Cadbury No.1.

Remember Cadbury No.1, the locomotive that pulled our very first trains?

Here it is at Toddington, waiting to depart with one of the first trains, on 700 yds of track, later all the way to Hayles.

Another historic photo (both by Steve Hill) as the locomotive approaches the then end of the line near Hayles Abbey halt, later to be rebuilt on the right.

Cadbury No.1 was an Avonside 0-4-0, built in Bristol in 1925. It had a lovely marroon paint job, with gold letters over the tanks. Our needs for traction soon outgrew this little shunter, and it left the railway. It currently stands by the turntable in Tyseley, forgotten, uncared for, and with a tree growing out of the footplate.

Now someone wants to do something about it:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/y46Fq1LPAWU5jJRp/

It's a commendable initiative, and we wish it every success.

However, for a permanent future this little gem really needs to stand inside, out of the weather, otherwise it will quickly return to its current state, with a hole in the smokebox and in one of the tanks.

What to do....?