A longer pavement

Work at Broadway is reaching a crescendo, with almost every day now seeing activity both inside and outside of the new station building.

Days before the first train - 13, and counting....



Here's the opening shot for the day, showing the northern half of the station building where the pavement will run.

An incorrectly placed drain in the foreground has had to be moved from under the pavement to outside the kerbs, and its fall adjusted. Once this was completed, the trench for the foundations of the granite kerbs could be continued northwards.

A row of kerbs has already been placed close to their intended positions.

The first of today's kerbs was then ready to be placed on its bed of mix. The trench looks deep, but most of that is for the mix. The relocated stormwater drain can just be glimpsed behind the plank. The slabbing behind the kerbs is being done by both B&S and the Broadway gang, depending on availability. By the toilets, front right, there are several inspection covers and this will need a lot more cutting of the slabs when they reach here.

The first slab is now down

Hard labour in the camp

Before thinking of putting any of the base mix into the next section, it had to be bailed out by Pete as it was full of meltwater from the snow. The Heras fencing makes it look as if Pete is some sort of a convict, but no, he is a willing and loyal volunteer! 

Here is the full kit required for laying granite kerb stones:

Bobcat with Pete in it
Two wheelbarrows with mix
Man with a shovel to poke the kerb

The row of kerbs here is approaching the end of the building.

The last one of the day goes in, with the corner of the building visible.

The machines required for tarmacing between 12th and 14th March will need to pass over the line of kerbs north of the building, so no doubt a pause will be inserted here until they are done.

On opening day, the forecourt and drive will not yet have been done. The level of the forecourt is too high (build up of demolition rubble and old layers of tarmac and years of patching) so it will be scraped down, whereas the drive needs building up.

In the meantime the gap in front of the slabs will be filled in with ballast to level the site for when the Heras fencing comes down.

Here is another view of the last two slabs going in at the northern end of the building where the toilets are. A single gate will be fitted to the spearhead fencing that is due to go in on the right. This will give access to the dry circulating area under the canopy overhang and footbridge steps, and was the original, sole access to the station in 1904.

And now - toilets! We knew you'd be interested in these...

Mike G has done a very professional job indeed, and pretty much everything is now installed, with the exception of the baby changing shelf in the disabled area, still to go. This picture shows the Gents. On the right are two cubicles, the third having been converted to a bay for the cleaner's sink.

This is a front on view of the modern cubicles, described by a heritage supporter as GWR meets British Airways. Touche !

Ideally, the cubicles should have looked like this (seen at Kidderminster) and it may still be achievable in a second stage.

The modern cubicles were ordered quite some time ago and with the urgent need to complete in time for opening it was not possible to achieve a last minute change in a heritage direction.

Here are the three sinks in the Ladies. Originally the GWR toilet had an open fire, but that was a step too far! We are having a fairly discreet white radiator, with a temporary one in front. The red stickers should peel off. Seen from this angle, the toilet looks very much of the period.

Here are the gents urinals. Due to the height of the waste in the corner we have had to go for the suspended type, but the little dividers are a nice touch.

The copper and brass will be varnished to preserve their colour.

The central heating boiler has been fitted to the store room, and will be out of sight. After much debate the flue was not sent out through the roof but directly through the outside wall in front, seen in the picture below.

A final picture shows the slabbing in progress, now by the BAG team. A bit hard to spot, but the pavement and kerb drop down in front of the doors. This drop has been expertly catered for in the cutting of the slabs, as can just be seen by the diagonal line in the foreground.