Low numbers

 Week Commencing 2nd August 2026

Monday

Just 2 and a half today , we really could do with some more volunteers just for a change in the conversations ! 

With another hot day predicted we saw an early morning attack on the cutting behind platform 2 .

The strimmers are now out of their depth , time for the brush cutter , we are into Ash , Hazel and Bramble territory . This was all I could do before it either gets too hot or my Knees say enough ! 

Ian fixed another wheelbarrow and was in the process of putting BMT on each of them .

Kevin came in after lunch to give the flowers a soaking , far play he pops in every other day to keep them looking good in this weather.

Wedneday

Just the 3 of us on a much cooler day .

So lets try and finish that B-----y Cutting .

Had a hand this time , after I did the tough stuff with the brush cutter Kevin used the battery brush cutter on the top where there are less brambles etc

And that's it for another year we only go as far as the signal , as beyond down to Springfield road bridge is far too much for us to do. 

Now we only have to do platform 1 side cutting !!

Some flowers in the pots have succumbed to the hot weather , but Kevin has a few spare which are used to refresh the dead and the dying .

A planter has been made for some lavender that he grew from scratch., just needs a coat of wood preservative.

Still Dieseling on the railway , this week it was the turn of the Class 37 and class 20

I forgot to take a photo of them but we had a welcome return of Lynne and John ( after many months of illness ) to our sales shed .

Dave

Who do we sent the bill to ?

 Week Commencing 27th July 2026

Monday

3 of us on the Monday after the weekends Diesel Gala . One biggish problem was one of the locomotives ( not found out which one yet ) had a turbo failure and it carried on running .

The whole of platform 1 was covered in spots of oil , just like the running in board , the lamps, electrical boxes and the seats.

The platform where it stopped had a liberal amount .

Kevin applied some sand on the area and Ian and Myself got the old towels and gave everything we could find a clean up . Which all took a few hours out of the day.

Little and often on the bank behind platform 2

Having given away one of our wheelbarrow ( as we have too many ) to Winchcombe , we then acquired another one . Peter K put a new wheel and axle on a found scrap one. Looking smart

Photo Charter pulled in to break the day up !

Wednesday

I got to the end of the wall before the sun got going.

The neighbours had the gardeners in cutting the hedge , and Kevin had a go on our side mainly cutting back the brambles and ivy .

Ian now in charge of our fleet of wheelbarrows had the idea of painting BMT on them in case they wandered off .

Due to the dryness of the trackside we are still running Diesels , today was the turn of 26043 and 47105

Over on platform 2 the blocks between the Joists were being fitted.

Dave

Gala week

 Week Commencing 20th July 2026

Diesel Gala weekend coming up so a quick tidy up all round .

Monday

3 again , myself , Ian and Chris.

Chris took to the car park garden , removing dead flowers and weeds .

Billy had a turn picking up the many pine needles on the drive and pavement , the hot weather makes the trees drop their needles more than later in the year !

Wednesday

Up to 5 volunteers today , day started cool but it soon got hotter.

Managed to get the bank behind the containers cut.

Kevin tackled platform 1 , Chris was working on a new project , whilst Ian did a few odd jobs around the place !

No Steam engines around today due to the fire risk so it was the turn of the Diesels .

Both should be out at this weekends gala .

Dave

More the Same !

 Week Commencing 13th July 2026

Both volunteering days started off the same coolish mornings and hot afternoons ! so it was a case of do the hard stuff first thing and relaxing jobs in the afternoon.

Monday

Myself , Ian and Mark .

Top of the bank for me 

Bottom of the bank and the drive way for Mark .

And the Fuel store Roof for Ian.

Wednesday

Myself , Ian and Kevin.

The signs needed taking down to gain access to the other side of the fuel shed roof .

Roof done now the sides in the future coming months ?

My effort was the back of platform 2 before the sun got going .

" steamers  " on today Betton Grange and 3850.

We are hopping to show our Model railway of Broadway station circa 1940 ish ( Little Broadway ) at the model railway show in September , there has been a few mods to it since we acquired it , one is the fitting of a back scene .

I know its not exactly correct but I think it looks okay.

Ps why does the camera decide to stop working on the day after we were there !!

I will be back on Monday to sort . Have patience

Dave

Getting warm again !!

 Week Commencing 6th July 2026

Monday 

Hot

Wednesday 

Even Hotter !

Four of us around on Monday , some managed it into the afternoon , it was warm .

A badger had been around on the platform 1 bank looking for a snack in the old tree stump !

Chris wont find the badger in that pipe! there is no water for 50 yards but the old mess hut had a sink which has long since been taken out but water is still nearby  so he had a go ta fitting a tap .

The 3 of us headed down to the embankment to give it a tidy up .

Weeds and wild flowers are a growing faster than we can cope with .

Wednesday

Up to 5 at least till lunch time when the heat got too much for some.

Takes awhile to water the flowers , some like the creeping Jenny done seam to need any watering !

Some flowers in the pots haven't survived the heat , and Kevin had a some spares which he swapped .

Chris finished off the 2 A boards , just ready to be sign written maybe ?

Neal was on his own moving bricks off the platform 2 , it was back to the old days of brick moving for some ! move this pile of bricks 2 foot to that pallet , just like we used to do.

Over on platform 2 , drainage for the stairs has been put in and the 3 Stanchions for the canopy have been erected.

 

Locomotives on duty today were the Black 5 and 3850 .

It was with great sadness to hear of the passing away of Margaret , a Wednesday stalwart in our shed for may years , our condolences to her partner and family .

Dave

Too Few

 Week Commencing 29th June 2026

Monday 

Just the 2 of us , the keyboard warriors are having an effect on volunteer numbers .

Ian and I after watering the flowers decided to give the Memorial garden a cut and tidy up .

But first a wheel barrow was rebuilt , what The steam department think is scrap we fix and after a few hours of work its virtually good as new .

Wednesday

Kevin and Chris joined us .

Chris worked on the 2 new A boards varnishing the legs and blackening out the centres.

The remaining 3 of us moved on past the garden to try and clear the embankment . 1 at the top 1 in the middle and 1 at the bottom.

Locomotives on duty today were the Black 5 and 3850 .

An interesting train at the end of the day , saw the 2 Class 37 pulling 3850 on its return journey to Toddington

Dave