The panels go in at last.

An extra shift for our correspondent on Saturday means more pictures for the blog. Here's what the team did that day:

 

In the workshop at Winchcombe two items were being manufactured by Barrie.

This one is a storage box for a disabled ramp. Although big and boxy they do hide the very modern yellow ramp when it's out on the platform. The buggies used are getting bigger and bigger.

 

 

The second item being made is a new running in board. It's destination was not known to the blogging team, although we do know that Hayles Abbey was crumbling (if you know what we mean) and the remains of Toddington were seen in a skip by the loco shed. The previous use of low quality plywood lies at the root of this.

 

 

 

 

 

Then, on to CRC. Here preparations for the future fence continued. The time is near for hanging the gates and panels!

Ken tamping concrete on the last post.

Heights of two posts being set by Ken (rear) and Rob.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rob & John top up with Tarmac infill

Concrete infill of penultimate post

 

On the platform itself Roger continued with the long and slow job of grouting the new slabs along P2.

In the foreground you can see what a neat job he has done. He was helped after lunch by Ken, kneeling in the picture.












Wednesday, the big day.

It was that big day we had all been waiting for, the day the fence panels and gates were finally lifted into position.

The panels were lifted out of their storage area one by one, with Pete on the mini digger.

Each panel was then slowly walked over to its place in the fence, steadied by two members of the team.

Nearly there - a panel is swung round, and is steadied by two volunteers on ropes. Note the locating jig on the top right. They've given this some thought, evidently.

And here's the first panel going in, at the southern end of the fence. The panels are made of wrought iron and steel, so are quite heavy and hence the need for mechanical help.

Once a panel had been hung on each side of the two gate posts, it was decided to lift in the gates.

Here is the first one arriving. The spearhead gates are made in house, using parts available commercially, and assembled by a member of the Broadway maintenance gang. 

If this appeals to other GWR railways, we can pass on the details of the supplier of the spears.

(breva2011 at hotmail.co.uk)

The first gate was hung without problems, but turned out to be on the wrong side. Who knew?

The first gate was then hung a second time, this time on the right hand side, and the second gate hung on the left, as in the picture.

Here is a view of the job almost completed, seen from the railway side. It does look very professional. Check out how the panels drop bit by bit as the terrain falls away. This will have been considered when the posts were planted, hence the use of the laser level. Very clever.

This is the view from the race course side. A couple of smaller panels remain to be fitted. Mike R was painting, but managed to avoid the prying camera.

The team consisted of Pete, Rob, John, Jim H, Mike R and Barrie.

In other news the mini digger was used to load approximately 4 tons of material and two return trips were made to Stanton where it was discharged for use by our lineside drainage colleagues. We all help each other.