Leaks and concrete

Some jobs done at Winchcombe on Wednesday, with apologies for the delayed posting, caused by a well deserved holiday for your poster.

Wednesday was that day with heavy showers, but nonetheless 7 members of the gang turned up. Work proceded, interupted by cloudbursts and ducking and diving for shelter as they came down.

Mike and Ken took the Transit to Batsford Timber to collect even more wooden fence rails and palings.

Jim H and Barry changed a tap in the Winchcombe Ladies, which was stuck in the 'open' position. No more wasted water now.

The visitor centre has a plan chest in it, but its drawers did not function well. Sagging caused by a heavy book case on top of the chest caused the drawers to stick. Jim and Barry emptied the drawers and stuck the bottoms back into the side frames.

Then a leak in the awning over the Gents toilet was investigated.

The rainwater here had been leaking for some time already.

A short length of fascia board was replaced, but all in all this is a temporary fix until the roof dries out and can be permanently repaired.

Work also proceded on laying the concrete connecting footpaths from the new concrete roadway to the C&W shed.
In the background is the blue S&T coach. It's a rather dilapidated Mk1 which has been their home for many years, which the railway intends to replace with better and more permanent facilities in the near future.

These two pictures show the shuttering placed by the gang in front of the C&W shed. One in front of the main entrance, and another in front of a fire door. These were due to be concreted on Saturday, weather permitting. There are two others still left to do.

 

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Should a volunteer need a holiday from the railway? He's retired, after all. Why yes, he has a family. But it proved irresistible to 'look over the fence' and see what other railways are up to.

 

A narrowboat holiday along the Mon and Brec provided the opportunity to visit the Torpantau tunnel site on the former Brecon to Merthyr railway.

Isn't this stunning scenery? This is just 90 mins from the GWSR, and you are looking at an American Baldwin barking up a steep hill to Torpantau summit station.

This plucky little loco was comprehensively derailed in South Africa, declared a write off, but was shipped back to Wales and restored for service on the BMR.

Here it is shortly after leaving the southern terminus at Pant.

The Baldwin is a surprisingly noisy locomotive too. Hear for yourself on this video:

https://youtu.be/naapXctI_IM