Tuesday 20th February 2018
A very nice day, with six BAG Members on site.Telephone Box
Bob W having finished the brick laying on the surrounding wall, allowed Vic to finish the work on the wooden fencing. First was the application of creosote for protection to the posts and rails. Later Vic was able to reinstate them in their correct position leaving one side open for now, where a manhole is being fitted.
Ballasting the Platform
With the digger and dumper busy supplying the ballast, four volunteers with shovels spread it around, then John S and Keith checked the level.
Visitor
Today saw the tamper arrive on the outskirts of the station. Leaving the ballast regulator in platform 2, the tamper went off down the running line setting the track to rights.
Wednesday 21st February
Another good day for the BAG team with lots of volunteers on site.
Painters
Three of our painters were in today: Graham supervising, Mike T careful with the paint and Mike S "Have I got to climb up there?"
Carpentry
Our four woodworkers, Peter Q, Dave H, Brian T and Neal C, were again preparing panels for the station rooms.
Station Front
Building and Services Team were laying more paving stones today. Later that afternoon, some of the BAG Team, Terry A, John S and Bob W joined them to do some levelling of the ground.
Platform 1
Terry and Bob brushing kiln dried sand into the joints between the paving slabs and the drainage channel.
Trackside
The tamper and Permanent Way crew were with us again today, going up and down the running line.
Driveway and Gardens
Vic and Chris H cleared away a lot of concrete rubble from the area next to the palisade fence.Vic also tended the gardens at the bottom end adding a bit of top soil ready for planting bedding flowers.
Another BAG Member
Seemed to be camera shy; only got his picture today.
Thanks for the update.
ReplyDeleteAll is going well, I see. And you seem to be getting better weather.
Go to it, gentlemen. The clock is ticking !
Peter
I suppose the telephone box is looking better now. Couldn't have left it on the platform, I suppose.
ReplyDeleteThe slabbing is coming along well.
Also the ballasting of the platform. - will it be tarmacked before services start?
And the rooms....THE ROOMS re the star attraction!
Regards, Paul.
Pity that the condensing boiler flue appears to be a horizontal one through the front wall as it will ‘plume’ and obscure the wall, would a vertical flue not have been better? Sb
ReplyDeleteBalanced flue.
DeleteIndeed. But vertical balanced flues are commonly available.
DeleteReally cracking on with the jobs there, just hope the cold weather doesn't slow you all down. Well done all for putting the extra time in to complete the new "lady".
ReplyDeleteRegards
Paul & Marion
what about theCAFE the phone box could have been left on the platform Ho well,,,
ReplyDeleteThe phone box is a K6 type, introduced in 1935. It doesn't fit the period of the rest of the station, which has been built to resemble its 1906 appearance. So it's best to shift it away a short distance.
DeleteI'm not sure why it was placed on the platform in the first place, since telephone boxes actually on station platforms were never very common. You'd see them sometimes at main stations, but at country stations the local phone box would normally be outside the station, or on a street somewhere nearby, where it would be accessible to everyone.
It does seem to be a thing that Heritage railways like to do, though. You can find telephone boxes on the platforms of Churston (South Devon Railway), Cranmore (East Somerset Railway), Bridgnorth (Severn Valley Railway), Quorn & Woodhouse (Great Central Railway)....to name just a few I can think of at the moment.
I think heritage railways tend to use telephone boxes as theatrical props, in a way - instant providers of olde-worlde atmosphere, regardless of whether their presence is original or authentic. I'm glad a bit of thought has gone into the siting of the Broadway box.
Phone boxes didn't exist in Edwardian Britain, which is the theme that the GWSR is trying to create. By moving it slightly they have maintained an historic artefact but it's not in the line of sight for photographers or viewers on the platform. Toddington Ted.
DeleteThe phone box is from Lelant Downs in Cornwall. It was put on the platform just as a place to park it 5 years ago.
DeleteWe knew it didn't fit the 1904 period and so a more fitting place for it was sought somewhere around the forecourt. Given that space there is very scarce, the current position was finally selected, which is fine. It's pretty much where it would have been, if Broadway had had a box. (which it didn't)
The telephone box (and the the cost of its restoration, to which we all subscribed,) looks perfect in its new location. Given the slope of the land at this point, it can't have been easy to relocate. But you've done it ! Thank you.
DeletePeter
CAFE any progress.🍴
ReplyDeleteNaturally all focus is on getting essentials like the toilets and ticket office ready for opening, so probably not much work done in the cafe. Once that's all sorted work can begin on fitting out the cafe so it'll be ready for the 2019 season. Hope that helps.
DeleteAlex
Yes.
ReplyDeleteIf all goes well, if staff are trained in handling foodstuffs, if H&S regulations are met, if a financially viable plan has been put to and approved by the GWSR, (on a provisional basis,) then the Refreshment Room at Broadway will, it is hoped, reopen in 2019.
Handling of foodstuffs course = Half a day.
DeleteH&S regs. inspection = Half day (or less)
Financially viable plan = 6 months or more
BUT, if fitting out is completed, it could be opened in 2018 surely!
Regards, Paul.
Yes, you'd think so, wouldn't you ? But apparently not . . .
DeletePeter
Obviously work will continue after the opening next month on the parts not finished. It will be awkward when open to the public So long as we won't have to wear high vis and hard hats when we visit
ReplyDelete