On the final straight at Broadway

Monday under the new canopy.

The weather has been more disturbed this week, but luckily we have closed off the roof and are now able to work in the dry, or more or less.

Neal spent half a day sorting out a last few dagger boards, which needed to be made to fit around the gutter on the car park side.

While the making fit is in the dry, the fitting itself wasn't, as it was outdoors of course. We had some heavy showers, with touches of sunshine in between, so that's when they got installed.

At least the showers told us where we still needed to plug a few leaks. The guttering needs more mastic on the joints, but we need a dry day to do that as well.

Working 'indoors' as it were enabled us to address one thing that we never finished in 2018, which is to undercoat the white beam here, which runs all the way down the roof. It bothered no one, until we built the steps. When you go down them now you see a long white beam going along the roof, and that should be dark stone, so we corrected that on Monday.

Last time we mentioned our desire to add two collectors to the valley gutter, to make sure that the water flowed correctly into the normal gutter below.

Neal bought two collectors, and fitted them.

As it was a bit of a last minute purchase, we're sorry to say we bought plastic, but no one will know. Unless they read this....

 

 

 

 

A second collector has been fitted to the car park side, and it all worked swimmingly.

This picture shows the main area where we still need to finish off the canopy end, weather permitting. The upper corrugated iron panel is temporary and needs to be replaced with a wider, permanent one. Then we need to finish off the lead flashing on top, and finally the dark stone moulding needs to be attached on this side.

When seen from the end, this moulding, together with the gutter running underneath, makes a big dark stone triangle when seen from the end.

 

 

The last shot for Monday shows the 'interior' as it were. It's a little attic room with a scaffolding floor. We spent quite some time tidying our 'room' here, moving out tools we no longer need, all the off cuts lying about, scrap steel and some off cuts from corrugated iron sheets.

The sheets that were unused as well as 3 or 4 glass panels were moved to the main roof (where the camera is) and stacked there neatly, waiting to be used for P2.

Tuesday under the canopy

Fearsome rain on Tuesday, but we were dry! The new canopy is working, just a few joint issues to sort out along the platform side of the guttering.

This picture shows quite well how fast the water was running. We haven't quite finished this corner yet, so a temporary fix was an odd length of guttering straight into the street!

Unfortunately the water ran so hard at one point that it was overshooting the target, so we had to creep in and out and move it according to requirements.

Here is the drain out into the road. The bucket underneath was full in seconds of course.

 

 

Working 'indoors' was a cinch, and you can see on the glass how hard the rain came down.

Yours truly spent most of the day painting bits missed on the original part of the canopy, while Neal made a start on the conduiting for the big hexagonal lamp, which will be suspended with a fake 'gas' supply pipe from the ridge purlin just about where the G clamp is in the picture.

During a break in the weather we took out some left over pieces of corrugated iron, passing these piles of building material waiting for a start on the platform 2 building. Fingers crossed, maybe later this summer.

Here's a little cameo of Neal with his pipe bender. Have you got one too? Neal has everything...

While painting under the station roof, we came across evidence of hasty decisions in 2017. The little canopy over the entrance is not what it was intended to be: a wider one, supported by two plinth stones.

At the last minute a much smaller canopy was put up, simply a little roof put over two raw C section steels laid across the building under the canopy. They were left unpainted, and are now rusting badly. It's a crude construction, in no way worthy of a railway museum.

This picture shows how small the entrance canopy is - it's a mere postage stamp. So small, that it's always wet underneath when it rains. Not a place where you'd put your suitcase while you paid your taxi fare.

 

This picture shows the very basic internal construction, some plywood on top of the two C section steels left and right. Even the 'WAY IN' sign is not protected from the weather.

The unused plinth stones can be seen underneath.

 

 

 

One day the canopy gang would like to rebuild this in the way it was intended. It would be about twice the width, covering the two windows left and right, with diagonal uprights resting on the plinths. 

 

 

It would look something like this. This is a contemporary GWR building at Wilmcote, just north of Stratford, on the same line as ours into Birmingham.

 

Back under the new canopy, Neal can be seen using his pipe bending frame to cut a thread into the end of a length of conduit.

At the end of the day, and after a lot of rain, the main part of the conduit was up. In fact there are two in parallel. One to feed the hex lamp, the other for the modern security camera that is wanted on the end.

On the PWay at Toddington.

With photographs by Walt and John (with thanks), on Tuesday.

We've only had our new RRV toy for a few days, and already it is being put to the use for which it was intended.

We haven't had the chance to train our own drivers yet, so this is Ben, one of the team of contractors that rebuilt the crossover at Toddington south.

Here is Ben in the RRV and our new spreader bar, about to pick up two new rails for the turnout at Toddington north. Rebuilding this turnout is the last item in what has been a very busy session of PWay winter works indeed.

The RRV then made its way to the main line via the yard throat, having 'railed' itself on the unloading road.

One of the two new rails was then picked up and here we see Walt walking it along platform 1 just north of the station. Destination: the turnout at the north end of the loop.

You may have noticed a tiny spot of rain on Tuesday, but it did not deter the PWay gang at Toddington. The job is certainly a lot easier with a bit of mechanical handling.

Here the RRV has turned back south and is about to drop off the new rail on the turnout in question. Note the fishplates in the foreground, already removed in preparation.

Wednesday with the Usketeers.

A cracking day, warm and breezy, and we got lots done. That is, after a coffee in our 'welfare facility', the cement hut, and a good chinwag about things. When a group of 70+ year olds get together and chat, the topics are not about Partygate, the Ukraine or global warning. No, we have more pressing issues - delicate personal health problems and, a first this morning, recommendations about over the counter medicines for bed time issues - have you tried these, they're very good? Oh, do they dissolve in water, or are they suppositories.....?

So no, we didn't solve all the world's problems this morning, but we are mates and had a good time.

 

Yours truly was finally back at work with the gang. Bout of Covid long forgotten.

Straight away a number of new blocks of stone were laid out, including this 13 1/2 inch high example, which we needed to 'lose' before things got too high. It sticks out among the 6 inch blocks, so we will build around it.

We kept the trestles where they were (on the SW corner) and decided to build up here until we got to the level of the future lintels across the windows.

In the middle by the bucket is the top of the fireplace. We have just spent £80 of our scarce funds on a stainless steel flue pipe for this. Some argued 'the fireplace will never be used' but we do not want to handicap a future generation with a dummy, so our fireplace will be restored to working condition.

Here Dave is using the 6 inch blocks laid out by yours truly an hour earlier, whittling off a corner to make a better fit.

The corner facing the signal box has also been laid out with suggested blocks. The trestles currently do not cover this corner, so these blocks will be mortared in next week.

Having been away for 3 weeks, it was a pleasant surprise to see the progress made. OK, it was blogged, but there's nothing like a personal look.

In this overview you can see how the NW corner is fully built up to the top of the door. The nearest end is ready for a lintel, the farthest not yet. The lintels have been cut, and are currently being galvanised,  cost unknown at the time of writing.

Later in the morning Dave had done the stretch with the big 13 1/2 inch block on it. Sorry about the thumb...

Intermezzo:

While the block layers were adequately supplied with material, we had a quick shufty up the station forecourt and up to the road bridge.

As you may have gathered, the Broadway canopy gang has been roped in to rebuild the entrance canopy of the Winchcombe station building. It should have 6 cast iron brackets, but was built in 1990 with only 4. This is because someone ran a dumper over 2 of them, and they broke.  We have been asked to rebuild the canopy to its full original length, so we need to find two more brackets. One has been taken down to serve as a sample.

On the left of the picture you can see where the two missing brackets would have been - the plinths are there, and so are the threads, sticking out of the stonework.

This picture shows where the sample bracket was removed, a few days ago.

Then, further up the road, an update of the slip repair. Since we last looked the yellow drains filled with stone have been created, and the Lego blocks moved back as promised.

The trackbed is still under the protective layer of ballast, and of course S&T need to reinstall all the point and signalling connections once the contractors have gone.

This overview from the road bridge illustrates how the trackbed is still covered, and the Lego blocks moved further back. No doubt they will be invaded by brambles, like everywhere else, so you won't see the white colour after a while.

Back at the Usk hut, and Dave has now moved to the other side, by the housing estate, where the blocks suggested by yours truly have been rolled back, and a bed of mortar laid in front.

It's hard to see now, how every block was numbered back in 2018. Recognise any of these markings? No? That's why we had to throw that idea out of the window, and start from scratch.

 

While Dave is adjusting each block, (so that it is perfectly vertical) with wedges from behind, Paul was working lower down on the front of the fireplace.

Mid afternoon, and the second row of 6 inch blocks was in place, here leading right up to the top of the window on the left. So this side too is ready for a lintel. 

This overview from the end of the afternoon shows Dave completing his row of blocks that now stretches from one lintel to another.

This shot, taken at the same time, is from our traditional vantage point, giving a summary at the end of the working day. Those walls are now well over 6ft high, most of the way round.

We may not be fast, but we do get on with it, and progress is relentless.

At the end of the day we moved the trestles round to the next corner. We want to build this one up, so that it gives support to the end of the arch over the big window. The stones were laid out for it earlier today, so it's ready to go.

This picture was taken as we packed up. We took it, as it illustrates the state of the build now, with the Usk hut looking like one big cube from this angle. Hessian covers today's work area on both sides of the corner; the trestle that stood here today has been moved around to the other side.

On the way home, one more picture of the PWay gang, who are throwing all their efforts at the rebuild of the Toddington northern loop turnout, which has a damaged nose.

The RRV is already showing its usefulness. On Tuesday it took the replacement rails and crossing up, and today it brought the old rails and crossing down for disposal. The damaged crossing is just being dropped off here. The turnout has been dismantled as far as it needs to be (not all will be removed, just the crossing and the new rail associated with it) so it is now ready for rebuilding.

As time is now getting tight - we have had so much to do this winter - this job is getting some help from the contractors that rebuilt the crossover just to the right of the picture.

 

 

 

This last minute picture (thanks, John) shows one of the new (brighter looking ) rails roughly laid in position, with the darker old one in the cess behind.

The job in the picture is plugging old chair screw holes with wooden dowels. The sleepers are being re-used, but as the geometry of the new crossing is different, all the chairs will need to be re-drilled.

It does look a bit as if Mike is holding a dowel, while Doug is considering a (hopefully) well aimed swing with the keying hammer. 

So that's why they are wearing hard hats!

Playing catch up.

Thursday at Broadway.

Free of Covid at last! The last LFT was negative, so no more lounging at home with the paper and writing articles. It wasn't really a big thing, we felt slightly feverish, a dribbly nose for a day or two, and that was it. All thanks to the vaccinations we've had. The last 3 days were spent at home still, feeling well now, but still with a positive test - until yesterday. Phew! The whole process took nearly two weeks, from infection to the last, negative test.

So what's been going on? Mostly guttering and shuttering.

Both downpipes along our replica 'cast iron' posts have been installed. There's just the little connection at ground level into the gulley to go. Luckily Neal had all this in mind when the site was bare, and the drains are in there, underground.

Up above on the scaffolding most of the glazing sheets have been laid in. It adds a lovely antique blue-greenish tinge to the light.

The arched ridge purlin in the middle has been drilled in the middle to accept the 'gas' pipe, to which the big hex lamp will be attached. Conduiting is ready to be built into runs to supply it from the station building.

As you can see here many of the end daggerboards are already in place, and work is going on to fit the guttering, which will come in from both sides, stop, and then run down along the posts, just visible in this picture.

Here Neal is sawing a big round hole so that the gutter on the right can be routed through the dagger boards to the downpipe behind.

 

How's this for a trial fitting? It gives you an idea of what it will look like when it's all bolted up.

The route of the gutters is carefully calculated with a level to make sure that it has a fall.

The next job was to lay in a sheet of lead into the valley gutter. As Neal explained, it will have 3 layers of waterproofing - the lead sheet, the steel former underneath, and finally a waterproof membrane. That should hold it!

The dark stone timber in the upper picture was used to help shape the lead sheet, and is temporary. After a lot of beating with a plastic mallet, the finished sheet looked like this.

We then had an intermezzo, as our supplier of aluminium profiles constituting the replica GWR style glazing bars came with a second delivery. This is not for Broadway, you will be surprised to read, but for Toddington. Yes, Neal has been awarded the honour of being 'volunteered' to replace completely the glazing on the original Toddington station, which is life expired. 

The big bundle of glazing bars was redirected from Broadway to Toddington, where it was off loaded and stored, ready for use.

Nearby, the old garden centre buildings were being taken apart by a team of contractors. Recognise the place? Well, it was just a collection of wooden huts on wooden platforms.

The Malvern end being taken down, and materials sorted into usable piles.

Glass canopy at the Cotswolds end.

Progress was swift, leaving only the glazed canopy still standing. If we have heard correctly, it will be dismantled for future use elsewhere on the railway. However, we do hope that it will not be in sight of the public. Our publicly stated mission is 'To build and maintain a railway museum', and the half greenhouse from an old garden centre will significantly detract from this, if rebuilt anywhere within public sight. Better to sell it on Ebay and raise some cash!

Our men from the S&T connecting the new turnout to the box.

After unloading the new glazing bars, we had a quick look at the progress made by the contractors on the new crossover installed at the southern end of the loop.

We can report that the job is complete, and the contractors have left.

The job involved the laying of two completely new turnouts, front to front, here seen between the nearest and farthest yellow lines.

Another piece of news that we can talk about is the 'new' RRV, bought second hand from the Swanage railway. This is a brilliant piece of kit, one which will upgrade the capacities of our PWay team. Previously we had very little mechanical assistance, and were heavily dependent on brave little Stevie and his JCB, which was not a piece of equipment specifically designed for PWay use as this RRV is.

Another piece of news is the placing of the Frome yard lamp, here seen on the right.

It will light up the path to the water tower, as well as the path to the lighting up pile, which can be seen behind it.

A replica lamp top, the same as the one on the left, is on order.

Another interesting find is this cast iron bracket. Know where it's from? It's actually from the canopy over the entrance to Winchcombe station. Neal and his team will be rebuilding this next after Broadway is done, and as two such brackets were never fitted since they were damaged during the build in 1990, one has been taken off so that we can find, or commission, two more. Then the entrance canopy can be restored to its original length as at Monmouth Troy.

Interesting little fact: The upper part here is thicker than the rest as it contains a channel for rainwater to be piped to the gutter! Notice that the slope for the corrugated iron sheets that make the roof is curved. Tricky wrinkle, but we think we can handle this. (NB in the picture the bracket is upside down)

Back to Broadway for lunch then.

Here's a shot from underneath to show the glazing sheets fitted, with just two each left on the end to allow for work on the apex from outside.

Looking the other way, you can see the upper moulding on the end of the canopy now in place, the gutter across the picture, and the little hole through which the downpipe will pass. Then along the canopy support post underneath to the drain underground.

The above shot is to show the mousehole through which the downpipe will pass, and the lengthening dagger boards where the footbridge steps meet the canopy.

Above is the valley gutter, being shaped to enter the black guttering on the right.

From the outside, this summary shot shows the last section of the canopy now pretty much in place. Try to imagine away the scaffolding, as it obscures the effect of the glazed circulating area that will appear underneath.

Last picture for Thursday is this shot by Broadway volunteer Phil, who popped by on a day we had off, unfortunately. But it's a brilliant shot that he did, which illustrates well how four more panels of glazing need to be fitted, and the rest of the dagger boards on the end.

Friday at Broadway.

Cold and bright, but the forecast for Sunday is dire - lots of rain.

Work today therefore concentrated on getting the roof closed up and as watertight as possible. We had 4 panes of glass left to place, the associated lead sheets and finally the small sheets of corrugated iron on the end.

The first few hours were spent by Neal and John in shaping the last couple of lead sheets - one over the top, and two more facing downhill, left and right.

The sheet is roughly dressed off site, lifted into position (it's floppy and quite heavy) and then gently beaten into shape to mould itself tightly into position.

The majority of the glass panels were already fitted (while yours truly was languishing at home) so we missed that. But today there was a re-run with the last 4, so here is a picture for you. Can't show you the whole process, as it took 3 of us to gently lift each sheet into position. They could crack, or worse still, slide off down the roof and onto the deck 10 feet below.

Note the deep green colour, when several sheets are stacked.

Here the sheet then is in place. There's a little catch at the bottom of the glazing bar, which stops it sliding down. The sides are held in place with an aluminium strip, which has to be clicked into position all the way along, which is what Neal is doing in the picture.

A spare panel comes with the order, but we didn't need it - no breakages from this team!

At the top of the glass pane is the lead sheet that wraps around the 'mop handle' along the apex. The bit sticking up is a lead strip which is nailed to the mop handle at intervals, and which, once the lead sheet is placed on top of it, is folded back upon itself, and in that way it holds the top lead sheet on.

How does Neal know all these things? He's not a builder... but he is very experienced. 

Originally in 2017 the glazing company both supplied and fitted the glazing, but this time said they could only supply. So we did it. Then we contacted the roofers who fitted the lead flashing, but they did not answer our call, so we did that ourselves too!

Ad interim, here is another sideways shot which shows all the glazing now in place (about lunch time). You can see where the last sheet of corrugated iron needs to go.

The complete run of dagger boards is also in place here.

Here's a similar shot from the other side. In this picture the last sheet has already been fitted. There's still a gap on the end where not all the boarding has been fitted.

A small but important job today was also to treat the fitted lead sheets to a polish with pattination oil. Every heard of that? We hadn't, but are now experts! If you do not rub this oil into the lead, it gives off nasty white streaks over time. Doing that was strangely satisfying, like rubbing leather food into a horse's saddle. The lead, a metal of course, seemed to absorb it gratefully.

The last corrugated iron sheets are not quite perfect in this picture, but will be rain proof for a while (i.e. Sunday). But what the picture shows is the near completion of the end boarding. The dark stone timber is not part of the assembly, but was simply used to achieve a straight bottom edge.

At the end of the afternoon there was time to fit three sheets back over the top of the staircase. All nice and snug now.

Our final shot of the day shows those three sheets in place, thus making the intersection between staircase and canopy end water tight.

The end of the valley gutter still needs sorting out. We are thinking of fitting a collector here, so that the water from the valley gutter enters the normal gutter below in an organised way.

The construction of the last part of the canopy is now approaching its conclusion. We are actually ahead of schedule. The guttering needs finishing off (mainly on the car park side, John just about finished the Malvern side today, and this now works). Some sort of return needs to be added to the end of the corrugated iron, and we need to finish off the lead at the very end of the gable. This is currently only loosely fitted. And then there is still a lot of painting in topcoat around the inside, but this can now be achieved in the dry, so we're no longer afraid of a little rain. It is February after all, but by March we will be out of here.