Sunny Days

 Week Commencing 4th May 2026

Wednesday

Just the Wednesday this week due to the bank holiday m and 6 in attendance .

Over on platform 2, front windows have been bricked up to the arches on most , some joists have been put in place but not fitted and work on the store room roof continued.

Ron had a go at the cold water tap leak  , but to no success , handed it over to C and M they have more tools than we have. 

One of the signal box window frames was loose , needed to be re fixed .

Its that time of year when the platform bank gets its first cut , Daffs and Primula have had their day , my self and Young Dave took most of the day to make it look like a lawn !!!

Over on platform 2 one of the slabs had begun to creep forward , it was prised back and recemented .

Cafe open sign is falling to bits , a newish notice board had been made years ago and Ron and Ian did a trial fit.

It was Betton Grange with the Bubble car day , Brown timetable  still, until the landslip has been finished. 

Some of us on Monday popped in on Monday , myself to fix the cameras , Kevin to water the plants and Ian,  we afterwards went for a ride behind our guest Gala Locomotive.

Dave

Grass Cutting with a Vengeance

Week Commencing 27th April 2026

Monday

Bright sunny day for the ones who turned out ,.

Vic carried on treating the front of the fence , whilst

Myself and Ian did a gas bottle change on train 2 the buffet coach , nice and easy for a change !

Chris and Ron did the weeding of the fence line .

From the inside of container 1 we spotted Kevin lighting up a bonfire.

The memorial garden had a cut.

Wedneday

Reports on the Tuesday that something had knocked over the stone wall and Notice posts by the station car park. This was the scene that we found on Wednesday morning !

The lads got stuck in , posts stripped of their notices and re planted , wall rebuilt , posts repainted , signs straightened and refitted

And voila , 

All because of a oil lorry attempting to turn around.

Mark , myself and young Dave grabbed the mowers and cut most of the grassy areas.

The easy grass banks and the hard ones.

Trains around today were " Betton Grange " and the bubble car .

But on the way home my path was blocked temporary by a delivery lorry !

Dave

Ps I know the cameras are somehow off line , please don't bother the railway . I will sort ASAP hopefully Monday , be Patience . 

 

Drains and Ants

 Week Commencing 20th April 2026

Monday

As you can see I am running out of Blog titles but onwards

Ron's back from his travels so the numbers on Monday went up to 5 .

The drains and manholes all needed a good clean out , quite a few bucket loads came out of each of the station car park ones. A smelly job 

A distance shot of Vic working his way down to the bottom of the drive treating the fence.

Another drain and another bucket full .

The taps nearest the door in the Gents toilets were dripping again , another set of fresh tap washers were fitted.

He`s here he`s there he`s everywhere Ron on the mower this time .

Wednesday

Due to the landslip being worked on during the week a different timetable was being run , a Brown one .

But no brown timetable tag, One was cut and then ian painted it up.

There had been a trail of ants coming from the outside pavement by the kitchen door , to prevent them getting into the kitchen a liberal amount of ant powder was put down and on the pavement side ant spray was used.

A slightly dampish brown timetable tag was put on its hanger for all to see , in full sunshine it should be dry bt the end of the day.

The pear tree garden had a good weed and topping up with soil.

Chris was treating the bank side of the fence .

Betton Grange was on duty today , on its trip to Broadway it needed to top up its water tank .

Problem it has is not being able to spray the embers in the ash box some getting out and causing small fires on the track bed.

Just like below when Ian and Kevin were in the right spot to extinguish so small fires after the train had left.

Trains operating on the brown table were Betton grange and the Bubblecar

Over on platform 2 , work has finished on the far end , flat roof could be finished by next Monday ,frames are being primed or undercoated at the front of the building, where the brickwork rises to the arches height .

Dave

Low In Numbers

 Week Commencing 13th April 2026

Monday

Just Kevin and Myself

We got round to fitting the toilet roll holder in the disabled toilet !

A donation to the FOB shed of a ladies push bike was dropped of , any takers ?

Talking of the shed , Kevin varnished the newly panelled doors .

Wednesday

Few more turned out today , Chris , Dave and Mark .

Mark and young Dave spent the day applying fence preserve on the mess hut fence , Chris was keeping the drive tidy , and Kevin and myself were kept busy around the gardens.

A steam 3850 and bubble car day

Dave

Another Short Week

 Week Commencing 6th April 2026

Just Wednesday

Nothing doing on Monday because of Easter

Wednesday saw just the 3 of us around. nice weather for a bit of weed  / grass cutting .

First job of the morning was to clear up around the bins !! Not saying much but what will the neighbours and visitors think !

Ian gave the Facia board one last coat of paint .

Then we all headed down the drive to give the corner a good mow and tidy up .

Over on platform 2 the window arches have been started

Locomotives on duty today were 3850 and 2807 seen below .

A quick video from little Broadway . saw a rare double headed goods train heading north .

Dave

Into April

 Week Commencing 30th March 2026

Monday

2 bright but still cool days this week . handful of volunteers around on Monday , including Vic on the station drive fence .

The drive was scruffy enough to give Billy a run out , still managed to pick up a bag full of needles and cones .

Peter K managed to get one of the mowers to go a bit better and then he fitted a bigger and also lowered the lock on the shed door.

Ian and Kevin were on the bonfire building a small retaining wall .

Wednesday

Into April and the trains are now running Midweek .

Chris and Dave had a general tidy up , Kevin was keeping on top of things and Ian helped .

Over on platform 2 and out of sight at the far end , walls have now reached corbelling height , and window arches are being put in .

An idea we have is making little Broadway a working railway , although it does work to a degree . some tight bends and point work doesn't lend itself for smooth running and some of our locos just wont run on it .An Idea is to add 2 end pieces and make it double running . work in progress .

Real trains running today were 2807 and 3850. A bit of a spot the difference competition.

Dave