Yes is the answer; the majority of the Monday gang turned up today, either refreshed after their Christmas break or glad to be back to normality, so there was a concerted effort to crack on with the station building construction.
Four brick/blocklayers were on site along with Jo mixing it with the sand and cement. Clive and John S were given the job of setting out and laying the first row of blocks working towards the southwest corner of the building. Intermittent rain was forecast during the day and it did appear from time to time but only once was it heavy enough to bring work to a halt.
John C started the day laying the second course of blocks on the first course laid on Saturday, seen towards the far end and later followed on behind Clive and John S extending the internal walls to connect to the outside walls.
Bob W, who had given us such a good start by chopping out all the blocks needed to fit over the stanchion base plates along the platform side has some more of the same to start the day. After chopping out a couple of these the job rapidly looses its appeal, we know this because Bob very sportingly gave someone else the opportunity to chop out the blocks to fit over the drive side stanchion plates.
The work went so well during the day that a start was able to be made on the walls nearest the station drive. This side is a bit more restricted and muddier that the platform side so has tended to be the poor relation. After a deal of cleaning and sweeping of the concrete base the first row of blocks were laid in 3 of the bays along the side of the refreshment room. Bob W is seen contemplating what the next step should be.
Near the end of the day this view gives a very good indication of the progress made today. The places on the right hand side where only one row of blocks has been laid is where the doorways will be installed. This is the north end of the building showing the gent's toilet nearest, followed by the disabled and the ladies.
Two members of the Monday gang not to be forgotten are Peter and Brian. Brian is the most proficient of our qualified chainsaw operators so spent the day, with Peter's help, clearing some of the trees in the car park earmarked for removal. The wood was moved to the station site to provide material for a forthcoming chainsaw course.
May I ask what that rather large tracked excavator was up to today? A handy way of digging out the footings for the other side of the footbridge maybe?
ReplyDeleteThe excavator did not have a bucket attached so digging out was not possible, instead, it had a flail attached and was on hire to clear undergrowth from the cutting and embankment sides so that the civil engineer could be satisfied that there were no nasty surprises hidden under the brambles.
DeleteMust have checked out the security cam 20x times today,looking at progress, marvellous!
ReplyDeleteWatching progress via this blog. You are all doing a great job.
ReplyDeleteIs there some way to donate to the Broadway Station Fund?
John, there is currently no mechanism in place to donate directly to BAG funds. The preferred method for anyone wishing to support us financially is to apply for shares in the forthcoming share issue (expected Easter), the Plc will welcome advance requests for the share document from supporters wishing to purchase.
ReplyDeleteAlternatively, send a gift aided donation to the GWR Trust stating that it is the donors wish that it is used for the Broadway extension & station
Thanks, I'll look out for the share offer in due course.
DeleteKeep up the good work.
At what stage/height in the block-work will you be installing drainage pipework for the toilet block?
ReplyDeleteWhy on earth do you need to know?
DeleteHe's bursting to go to the loo.
DeleteFantastic stuff - I was able to visit the G&WR for the first time in December, and it's amazing what you're doing. Tragically I now live on a completely different continent, but if I was still lving in the general the area I'd happily volunteer my meagre skills.
ReplyDeletePresumably the walls you are building are the inner skin of the external walls and there's an outer skin of bricks to go on to hide the metalwork. My question is, how far below the final ground level are the stanchion base plates (judging by the concrete blockwork it's a couple of feet) and do you need to concrete over them first to lay bricks on or will you cut a row of concrete blocks to fit over them like in the pics of the inner skin?
ReplyDeleteThe bottom of the stanchion base plates are approx. 20 inches below finished floor level. Cutting the blocks to fit over the plates is one possibility but may not be the method used.
DeleteI like the title of this episode.It was a good film.However I digress. I Enjoyed the posting but would like to know what purpose the red tile layer serves. Is it a form of DPC?
ReplyDeleteThe "red tile layer" is in fact a course of bricks that have been split in half and laid on the blocks to bring the footings up to finished floor level. The DPC will go on top of this.
ReplyDeleteJust wondering why there appears o be three rows of bricks at the end?
ReplyDeleteRegards