Wednesday 22nd January 2014 and a Record Attendance!

Looking back over the  seasons, today, with 23 volunteers in attendance, was a record number during a winter season.  The weather was pretty fair and allowed brick laying on all fronts.

Firstly however I must record the progress made down in the ditch in the car park. Rarely have I seen  four blokes (Rod, Terry Brian and Jim H) shedding quite so much sweat when they came back for lunch. Here is Rod's report and picture:-

Hi Bill

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As you'll see from the photo, at end of play we had reached the gate at the Childswickam end. Terry and Brian looking pleased by the fire which had burnt an enormous amount today, Jim H helped this morning and chain saw Brian helped immensely with some of the bigger stuff this afternoon. We finished off by rodding the road piping, there is a blockage of sorts although we did get the corkscrew through eventually and improved the flow. I'm hoping we may be able to get Andy P to check it out for us. Still a bit of work to finish it all off completely but the main part is completed. Cheers Rod

Terry sent through a further post  contribution and pictures:-

Hi Bill,

I attach two photo’s I took nearing the end of the day yesterday. One is of”chain saw”  Brian after felling a rather large tree, he is in the ditch and is cutting the tree into sections so we could remove it. The other is of Rod and Brian T adding the cut off’s to our fire, which had burned most of the day.

Brian getting to grips with a rather large tree

Rod & Brian T restocking our fire

I am pleased to say that the water is running very well now and is flowing into Badsey brook, and we received many compliments from passers by walking their dogs. There is just a bit of “tidying up” to do, but the main work has been completed. Thanks today to Jim, Brian T &  Brian for their help today, we would not have finished without them. I understand from Roger that next week we may be sorting the platform slabs out with Richard from Fairview, with a plan to lay them the following week.

I can highly recommend clearance work as a great way to loose weight, having lost about 7 lb over the last few weeks!

  

Terry

Its been a remarkable achievement over the last 8 weeks or so. The hard work and pleasing appearance of a neat and tidy ditch has drawn positive comments from many passers by.

Back on the brick laying front a full team of 6 were working on the remaining part of of Platform 2B. The corbelling is always an extra challenge - your laying  a third of the 10 lb brick on fresh air and it's the vital final alignment before the coping slabs are fixed. In the background you can see the four brick cleaners on the go.

 Clive and Peter Q here, reaching the end of Platform 2B - 172 m from the start of 2A!

Talking of 2A the Signal Box rear wall rose by 2 courses along its full length.

Here Clive gives Bob W a few tips on the finer points of backing up, having finished the  first course corbelling on 2B!

Now comes the first exciting part - laying the rescued plinth headers on the rear wall - a job for next week!

And, right,the panoramic view - fantastic!

Vic continued with his landscaping and seems ever happy in his work.   I was remiss in not picking up Vics full Volunteers story so please read it again by clicking here:- Vic's Story

Also Julie and Doreen kept the visitors happy in the Shed (that doesn't sound quite right!) There are new and interesting items coming in for sale all the time, so please come along and visit us.






Remember the Broadway Area Group still have to earn  significant amounts of money locally, to support the ever increasing costs of sand, cement and consumables. We can't do it without your support!