It was a very relaxed day today, with 13 Volunteers focused on the to-do list and all the objectives being met by the end of the day. The cold wind and heavy showers did not diminish the enthusiasm and good humour among the troops.
Jim Hitchen used his contacts to obtain five location cupboard doors. These are generally as scarce as hens teeth, being the first thing that's chuck away when the cupboards are decommissioned.
I must thank Network Rail and Invensys staff, working
on the Reading Re-modelling Project, for their kind donation of the cupboard doors. Also to Jim for taking time out to collect them.
Jim and Roger set about a fitting process to see which doors were a best fit on our cupboards, and then removed them to the container for painting.
They will then be returned to cupboards which will also get a coat of paint. Its all going to look a tidy job and I was well pleased with progress.
Over on Platform 2 Clive, Steve and Bob J were making headway on the brick and block laying.
Clive was a pleased as punch to get 2 courses on the first stretch, despite being interrupted by the rain.
At the far end Bob and Steve finished the block laying. Only 6000 bricks to lay now lads!
On other fronts John Simms touched up the primer on the newly fitted lampposts and then managed an undercoat on each before the end of the day. This in between mowing the front drive!
Also Keith Gurr managed to cut back a fair bit of undergrowth from the Platform 1A embankment. With any luck we will get it finished for the Open Evening.
At the northern end brick cleaning continued, with Robin and Roger plugging away. I checked with the Costain's Site Manager at the Mythe and all the paperwork has been cleared for us to receive the bricks including delivery, FOC. Brilliant!
Dave Bowie sorted out some important signage on site and we ended the day feeling that it was a worthwhile session,
Finally we had an unexpected visit from Malcolm Temple this afternoon. Its not often we see Board Members (Alan Bielby apart ) and its always good to see the head honcho. We had a pleasant chat and he left.
The Open Evening raffle tickets are available to purchase now. The Prizes are really good, with dinner for 2 at the prestigious Russells Restaurant in Broadway, A meal for 2 on the Elegant Excursion and Tea for 2 at the Lygon Arms. There many other prizes as well. Buy them in advance from Marguerite's or on the evening.
The bricklaying gang could not resist the challenge of reaching corbelling height on the current section of Platform 2. It really does look magnificent!
I might get some statistics on the number of bricks laid today, but I'm sure it exceeds the 600 mark.
On the brick cleaning front, we had a bit of a conflab as to which bricks to proceed with next. We are rapidly running out of red backing bricks.
Finally, last but not least Gord and Chris levelled out the signal box area for Friday night. There is also another interesting sign going in,( in the background). A photo for another day!
I might get some statistics on the number of bricks laid today, but I'm sure it exceeds the 600 mark.
On the brick cleaning front, we had a bit of a conflab as to which bricks to proceed with next. We are rapidly running out of red backing bricks.
Finally, last but not least Gord and Chris levelled out the signal box area for Friday night. There is also another interesting sign going in,( in the background). A photo for another day!
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