January to March 2019

Work continued on Thursday and Friday in order to get to the stage where cars are once more able to access the site.

 Today's task was to shift and lay the 10 tons of gravel that had just been delivered!

Nearly there.

The Friday team

A few pictures taken of the Tuesday working-party in action showing the great progress being made. It is not exactly model engineering as we know it, but most definitely an infrastructure project with a means to an end.

The sea of mud is finally giving way to a new permeable surface.
This is the extent of progress after just 2 days of hard work by a few members.

Three views of the work in progress to improve the drive-way onto the field.
(photos by Rodney Hodge).

By mid-March, the L&B loco is almost complete. It is seen here awaiting it's top-coat of paint on the boiler before re-fitting of the tanks.
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Bill about to cross "the sea of mud". This area has become very bad over the winter period and work is now underway to provide a suitable firm surface.
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Mark and Dave light up "Stafford" ready for a steam test.
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A bright sunny day in February saw several members in action. Here, Paul and John prepare their locos for a run.
 

Digging in the electric cable to the First Aid hut.

This sequence is also reminiscent of a scene from Porridge where the "in-mates" out on a working party abscond for a while whilst digging drainage ditches then re-appear causing great embarrassment to Mr McKaye..
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Meanwhile in the workshop, Mike, Steve and Brian work on one of the bogies off Great Northern. Whilst attending to a springing issue with the loco it was found that a drive-shaft and thrust bearing were badly worn. which necessitated replacement parts.