Work in Progress: 17th January

Colder today, but not in the shed!

This weeks report comes from Nigel Thompson and Roger Bye

A superb turnout of the Thursday gang volunteers today. Just about almost every regular came along to assist in the variety of projects and tasks on offer. Each week, several volunteers continue their specialist jobs, whilst keeping warm in the shed.

1. & 2. Peter Wainwright is machining up new pins for ISAACs coupling rods and motion.

3. The steel bar is soon machined into a pin.

4. Resident Engineer John Uphill is also busy machining parts on the milling machine.

5. Next door in the paint shop, this week's unusual view of Jim Pounds painting Carriage 17 is taken through the ducket window - a view usually reserved for the Guard of the train.

6. Geoff Long inside a compartment varnishing timberwork.

The other regular "Paint Shop Boy", Barrie Cann had a good excuse this week for his absence as he was 'snowed in' whilst returning from a model railway exhibition weekend in Germany. The flights throughout central Europe having been cancelled due to the heavy snowfall.

7. Graham Bridge has taken on a redecorating and painting project in the visitors toilet block. Graham roller paints the walls and ceiling in the hallway between the separate toilet rooms.

8. This building was constructed in 2008 in the style of the original goods shed that stood here from 1910 .

Roger Bye was in action down the line and has sent us this part of the report.

9. A beautiful but cold winter's day on the line today. Two track gangs were in action - indeed action was essential to keep warm!

10. & 11. One team continued with the almost never-ending sleeper replacement programme, managing to change another 20 sleepers today.

12. Further down the line at Killington Lane, another team were levelling the track. The rail on the Welsh side had subsided slightly. The track was jacked up to the correct level and then small stone chippings were forced into the void. This technique is known as stoneblowing and is less physically demanding than traditional packing.

13, 14, & 15. A nozzle - fed by air from the wagon-mounted compressor - is inserted under the sleeper and then chippings are fed (carefully so as not to clog the nozzle) into the hopper. The air forces the chippings under the sleeper.

16. All was going well until the fan belt on the compressor failed bringing the stoneblowing excercise to an abrupt halt. The gang had to then resort to manually packing the ballast under the sleepers - a job that is very hard work!

17. With track levelled and sleepers replaced the gangs headed back to Woody Bay as the sun began to set.

Words and pictures by Nigel Thompson 1-8 and Roger Bye 9 - 17.