Three stanchions.

Monday at Broadway.

Three of us on Monday - Neal, Yours Truly, and Steve, from the steam dept.

We had hired in a medium sized digger, in order to lift in the three stanchions at the end of the footbridge steps. 

 

 

The first job was to dismantle the temporary stanchions. These were held on with three bolts at the bottom.

Here Steve is trying to undo one - not easy, as the nuts are +/- inaccessible, and the threads are covered in paint too. 

But no matter, as we had the time. The digger delivery was late anyway.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the first RSJ being removed and taken away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next job was the preparation of the 'cast iron' replica stanchions that we had manufactured in the loco shed at Toddington.

The job here was to ream out the threads that Neal had prepared earlier. Now they were filled with galvanisation residue, and paint. 

This picture shows the area where the first two stanchions will stand. Left and right of the steps then.

A third one was requested by our engineer (not GWR design practice) to be in the corner on the left, to prevent the canopy twisting.

Neal has already removed the gutter and the bottom row of roof panels. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After quite some wriggling the first stanchion was in.

 

We were very happy with this; unfortunately, it was only a test fitting, as the stanchion had to come out again to have three holes drilled to take the stringer. 

 

 

 

 

 

This is what the bottom of the stanchion looks like. A broad base plate, 4 threaded bolts to hold it down, and another four bolts that go in the other way, to allow correction of the stanchion's bearing.

 

Once the stanchion had been removed again after the trial fitting, Neal drilled 3 holes in places that he had marked up.

The stanchions were also checked with a laser level to make sure they were the correct height, and with a plain level to make sure they were straight. That's a lot of variables to play with. 

Then Neal was happy, and he drilled the holes for the stringers. 

 

 

 

 

After drilling the three holes, the stanchion was lifted back into place and bolted down.

 

After lunch in the shade - it got increasingly hotter - we addressed the second of the three stanchions.

 

The bolts in the ground had been there for coming on to 10 years, so some were stiff and one was bent.

Luckily Neal had brought a specialist tool with him for that purpose: a length of scaffolding pole. It was just right. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second post was a lot more reluctant, and we missed Steve's calm wisdom in the afternoon (he had a doctor's appointment). The trouble was that the stringer wasn't entirely straight, and so wouldn't fit the slot for it in the back of the stanchion.

In the end we had to cut a piece off the box to make it fit. Then we got it on, and stopped for the day, a good point at which to do so. 

 

 

Here are both staircase stanchions in place. The one on the left is a trial fit at the time of writing, and needs to come out again to have the holes drilled for the stringer attachment.

The third stanchion can be glimpsed on the far left. That will stand on its own in the corner, and will need holes drilling in the concrete base. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was the view from the footbridge at the end of Monday. With the laser level at the end of the ladder on the building we were able to verify that each stanchion was exactly the same height as the steel framework of the building.

 

 

 

 

 

Clearing up at the end of the day we noticed that our staircases were not only used for someone's gardening project, but also as a notice board.

You can debate whether people need to be told to drink water when they are hot, but does the notice have to be stuck on to our replica footbridge? There were three more of these notices around the station already.

So that makes two things now that detract from the authenticity of what we built. 

 

 

 

 

And here is a warning from another, minor railway of what can happen if you allow random things to be placed on or attached to your historic station:

Picture: Tim Fediw.

 

Before you laugh, phew, not on the GWSR, we do actually have a pair of planters at Winchcombe with little wagon wheels on. It's what you can get if there is no style guide, or heritage oversight. It could come to Broadway too.

Tuesday at Broadway - back to the stanchions.

Tuesday was the second day on the stanchions.

The second stanchion was in place, but not yet marked up for drilling the holes.

Neal spent a lot of time with a level, a line, tape measure and laser level, getting the position just right.

Then he marked up the holes for the stringer bolts, and the stanchion was lifted out again. 

 

Neal has a replacement Mag drill now. You may recall that last year most of his tools were stolen.

Neal buys wisely, always second hand, so the financial blow was bearable. 

 

Here he is, drilling the three holes, which he then threaded. 

This picture shows an inside view of both stanchions in place at the bottom of the steps. The third stanchions still lies on the ground, centre right.

Tuesday being a regular running day, we saw lots of steam trains. Here is 3850 just running round. There seemed to be quite a few customers too. The heat had not deterred them.

Yes, it was quite warm, but it is summer after all. Many people book expensive holidays for temperatures like these; now we have them at home.  We had two breaks during the day - sitting in the shade of the canopy outside the cafe, with a tea and a coffee. Bliss.

After the break, and with the second stanchion securely bolted up, we took the third one and placed it on the concrete block that we cast last year.

That was the start of another long measuring session, until we were satisfied that it stood in the right place, and was high enough. 

With a few steps back we could show you this picture of all three.

This enlargement gives you a better idea of what the canopy overhang is going to look like.

The fourth truss will sit on top of these. Originally the GWR only had two stanchions, but our engineer advised a third one, in the corner. So there it is. 

The original GWR design with two stanchions still stands at Hall Green station. It hasn't fallen over yet.

The corner post is slightly shorter that the other two. Why is that?

Neal explains, using a builder's pencil.

 

It's all in his head... 

During one of our refreshment breaks we could see the result of our works from the other side. The digger is standing in the covered area of the canopy overhang, with a big (formerly) acetylene lamp to come in the middle. Yes, we have a second! All thanks to generous sponsor Paul Keen.

Once the position of the third stanchion was definite we drilled into the concrete for self tapping bolts.

Neal plans to replace these at a later stage with resin fixed threaded bars. 

 

 

 

 

With the first two stanchions also in their definite places, Neal attached the angle iron that was on the end, previously attached to the temporary RSJs.

 

The roof had gone a bit out of shape, so it was helped back into place with the boom of the digger. 

 

 

Broadway station was quite busy today. Here is one of the two steam hauled trains just rolling in, with the popular Black 5 at the head.

Did we hear it clank quite a lot? 

 

This being the penultimate train of the day it was diesel hauled out again, with a quick turnaround and no running round.

 

The 'Whistling Wardrobe' did the honours. 

The Black 5 trailed behind, allowing a nice shot with the sun just about managing to shine on it. Most of the day you are looking into the sun when photographing from P2, or indeed anywhere along the line on the Malvern side.

With the train gone, and the station almost completely clear of passengers, you can see what a lovely mottled light the riveted replica canopy casts on the platform in the early evening hours.

This is why we battled hard 10 years ago to have an original canopy, with its arched ridge purlins, and not the bricked in modern roof that was almost built, as at CRC. It was worth it.

Wednesday on the PWay.

No pictures this time - too hot to touch the track. But they were out nonetheless.

 

Preparations were made for a job on Friday, to deal with a thrupenny bit curve at Prescott. Ballast need removing - hence STEVIE with a narrow bucket - and the track needs pushing into a nice round curve.

Spare a thought for those venturing out!