New post (1)

Two little setbacks to report: Last week the pictures taken were unfortunately lost, as the camera card proved unreadable once back home, hence no report. Sadly the lifting in of the first post, which was quite an event, was lost to posterity, but the post is in now, anyway.

Secondly it was a lousy day, weatherwise, at CRC on Wednesday, but the team such as it was did move on ahead.

We can show you two pictures of the first post now in the ground and bolted up.

Some of the Team were delayed by attending a Personal Track Safety Course first thing, but the two pictures above show how the post and its base were on arrival late morning on Wednesday.




It was too wet to grout the base for post 1 on Wednesday, so most of the time was taken up with removing the template for post 2 and tidying up the bolts for same. 

This picture shows the foundation ready for fitting post 2, hopefully next week.

Last week the team also finished lifting and re-laying the slabs under the second bench to avoid the ponding problem. You can see the bench in its slightly higher position in the picture above.

Finally the Team did further preparatory work enlarging the holes and sorting out the levels for the first two fence posts which will go in towards the platform.  They also had a good tidy up and loaded up a lot of spoil to take back to Winchcombe. 

 

This picture shows the team in action: Austen, Rob, Jim M, and Pete, with Jim H behind the camera.

On Thursday members of the C&M team are off to Tyseley to load the large blue bricks that we have purchased. These would be suitable for topping off the pit of the turntable that is planned.  We should be able to show a picture of that little operation in next week's blog post.

A sunny day in Cheltenham

Following on from last week the Saturday Gang mixed and poured concrete around the template and over the securing bolts for the two gateposts at Cheltenham Race Course.  

 

 

The two photographs above show how this had gone off at the start of Wednesday.

Pete about to lay a slab back on new sand.

The last slab about to go back in.

 

A start had also been made on relaying the slabs under one of the platform benches on P1, also at Cheltenham.  The photograph on the left shows where this had got to on Saturday.  The reason for relaying these slabs is to lift them up by about 30 mm so water doesn't settle under the bench.  We have two to do on P1.

 

 

The heat of the day was illustrated by the first train of the day, pulled by 4270, which set fire to some brush in the four foot by the water tower.

 

Jim H was pressed into action to douse this with water. While the sleepers are concrete ones, there are plastic clips which can be damaged by such fires, so it's best to put them out asap. 

Behind the dashing firefighting action the slab laying continued unabated, and here we can see the pad for the bench back in place, now the necessary 30mm higher.

John tidies the site up after the tarmac had been tamped down.

And here's the job completed. One raised bench, if you please. Another neat job, signed off by our C&M department.

Note that our friendly on train catering representative jumped out to give it a once over, before it was tested by our neatly uniformed colleagues.

The small team of four then continued with preparing the holes for the two gate posts at the northern end of P2. You can see the two posts lying in the grass in the picture.

Rob here checked the template for the first post, before it was removed ready for the post to be be fitted.

Template removed showing the fixing bolts in position

Mounting plate in situ on the fixing bolts

On Saturday we will be in a position where we can make a start on relaying the second bench slabs, and hopefully set up the template for the second gate post.  Then on Wednesday we hope to lift in the first gate post subject to a mini digger being available.

A template for CRC.

A wet start to the day kept the numbers down and made working outdoors very unpleasant until after lunch.  There was also a H & S meeting for some.

 

A refurbished bench awaiting some muscle to transport back to Winchcombe platform.

Phil spent the morning modifying an old steel cabinet which we will use as secure storage for petrol in future.  

 

Gatepost template as constructed in the workshop.

 

 

 

 

 

Roy and Jim H went to Gotherington to survey the area around Gotherington signal box for a possible future job.  

 

Also in the workshop Phil and Roy put the finishing touches to a wooden template which will shortly be cast in one of the holes at CRC to provide the securing bolts for a gatepost.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gatepost template being adjusted prior to trial fitting.

 

 

 

 

Finally as the skies cleared we ventured out to CRC to trial fit the wooden template and to deliver materials in anticipation of resuming outdoor operations on Saturday, weather permitting as concreting is involved.

Template in position.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gatepost template is slowly lowered down the hole dug last week, and fixed into position at the correct depth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some further adjustment prior to the final placing.

 

 

Digging a hole at Cheltenham

Wednesday at CRC

The team was a bit thin on the ground today, but after what seems like weeks at Toddington work finally resumed on the replacement gates at CRC. These are for access from the north end, by the level crossing. The original cast iron gate posts removed from Broadway can be seen next to the hole in the picture below.

 

Barry Pete and John getting organised for yet more digging.

Ron, a new volunteer,  joined the team and took on the job of re-surveying the area where the new fence, gates and gate posts are to go.  As a result it was decided to modify the gate post foundations.  Unfortunately this meant removing the thin (6") layer of concrete already carefully laid in the bottom of both the holes, followed by further digging to remove another foot or so of very sticky clay.  This was then barrowed over the crossing to the rear of P2 for dumping.  

 

After lunch it rained but the team persisted, although not a lot of fun was had today.

John starting on the second hole

Pete digs out the old concrete which John has broken up with the crow bar

 

Since the previous blog post C & M have completed the re-grouting of the platform copers on P1 at CRC.  Mike R came along to recover the gap supports and to paint the edge of the recently installed replacement door to the Gents.  Sadly we have no photos of this 'enthralling' activity.

 

Ron doing some re-measuring

Pete in wet weather gear continues digging hole 1 deeper.

By close of play both holes were 1100 mm deep and just about ready for a fresh concrete pour next time.  Note the small ladder needed to get out of the hole!!