Raining Cones !

 Week Commencing 26th June 2023

After last weeks departure of Peter Q it didn't feel the same at Broadway on the Monday , we were now down to just the 3 volunteers but later Pat joined us to help out on a lovely Summers day.

Wind was in the right direction so Ron got a fire going.

The recent dry weather had caused the trees to start dropping their cones , Ron did the drive and Dave did the platform

Funny we did all the a couple of weeks ago , at least 2 / 3 wheelbarrows full headed to the fire , if only we could sell them for a pound each we would soon have enough money to build the platform 2 building !

The bank behind platform 1 had been cut the previous week and after the cones had been delt with , the three of us headed with rakes to collect the debris, only to be joined by Pat with the Brush cutter making more mess.

Yet another barrow full heading to the fire .

Pat soon got tired on the bank , its far to steep to stay on it for very long , the track bed is much flatter and easier for picking up yet more cones.

Ron left us early to get ready to fly back to his house in Hong Kong , so Dave and Ian started finishing off some Trugs that Peter had started.

Elsewhere in the new shop an IT man had been connecting up , probably in readiness for the up and coming opening of the shop,  maybe before the Diesel Gala ? 

Wednesday

Half day for me , so not much to report , plus we were down the just the 3 of us !

 Myself and Ian took over Peters Trug making job , Its now beginning to find enough scrap wood to use .

We managed to cut enough to make about 10 , we just need to put them together , maybe on a rainy day.

 

Outside Pat had fixed the small hover mower and was testing it behind platform 1, then later he was seen over on platform 2 .

Foremarke Hall and Dinmore Manor were out today , 7903 seen above pulling in the first train of the day.

Dave

Bye Bye old Friend

 Week Commencing 19th June 2023

Monday

Another bright and sunny day at Broadway a few absentees but that's what you expect at this time of year for us retirees !

Even I had to have last week off to recover.

I did notice one or two things had happened in my absence , the two cement mixers had flown the nest and it now gave us room to split the benches which now give us two working areas.

Real Ales festival from the previous weekend had passed so Dave removed the old sign and passed it to Ron and Ian who put on the Herras fencing on platform 2.

New lamp tops have been ordered and are being made for platform 2 , unable to remember the type of bulb fitting Brian had to get up the nearest lamp and check it out.

Dave put a new waterproof leaflet holder on the board at the bottom of the drive, at the end of the season this board will have to have a referb as its beginning to look a bit tatty.

The platform clocks were having a look at , one of the problems were that the switches that you could adjust the clocks with was getting hit , so putting them out of action , Brian seen above made a cover to put over them to stop further interference.

Wednesday

Myself and Ian hit the toilets early on to erect these signs , before any customers turned up.

We did notice on arrival that more conduit had appeared on the footbridge , it brings Data and Telephone cables from the Station masters office to the new shop.

Talking of the new shop , there was a lot of activity today , first the floor had tiles fitted and then shelving appeared and was fitted inside.

It was all hands to the mowers , Ian on the small seating area , Dave on platform 2.

And Ian then joined Brian and Ron down the drive.

Before being put back into storage all mowers then had a good clean

Locomotives on duty today were P and O , and later Dinmore Manor seen above leaving a " slight " smoke screen behind.

It was a sad day for us to hear from Peter Q that he would no longer be volunteering on the railway , apart from our group he and his wife Sally were also seen in the café at Broadway. He cited old age and family commitments as the reason. 

Peter was one of the longest serving volunteers we had left in our group and we will all sadly miss him. I wont say any more because its beginning to sound like an Obituary ! which its not , so best of luck for the future.

Peter with the Carpentry team after the erection of the Running board back in 2015 .

Dave

New Shed on the Block !

 Week commencing 5th June 2023

Monday

A not so bright but dry Monday saw the usual magnificent 7 turn out for a day of activity at Broadway Station.

But first , on platform 1 a new shed had appeared last Friday where our seating area used to be, .this is going to be the new controversial shop. It had been connected to the electrical supply all it needs is an IT link and a few shelves and it will be ready to go. 

Pat and I had to do a gas bottle change so we left to go to Toddington , but on the way down the drive Ron was already hard at it .

As we returned Ron and Ian was giving the drains a clean out , we are finding that they in need of an empty quite a few times every year now.

Brian was finding it hard pushing the mower harder uphill than down on the drive.

With a the mower and drains clearance creating a bit of a mess , Ron got out the " Billy Goat " to clean up.

The sun came out in the afternoon and saw Brian strimming the top by the fence.

Elsewhere Dave was still sorting out Container 1 , with yet another trip to the scrap container on the way home, Peter was on Trug creation and Pat on the clearing of the Vegetation  somewhere !

Wednesday

Only 2 volunteers were expected but 6 turned up. Pat found and fitted a new blade for the mower.

We managed to shuffle around the table benches and return two to the space between the sheds , Chris made full use of the area to have his break.

Chris and young Dave was down at the drive entrance doing his best to make it look tidy.

Chis was also weeding over on platform 2

The sun and heat were making strimming on the bank a bit of a struggle , a few rests were needed .

Dave and Ian did another large item scrap run on the first train to Toddington , whilst we were there it seams thier was a get together of Rolls Royce's and Bentleys , this one caught our eye.

Locos of the the day were Foremarke Hall and Dinmore Manor , below seen running around its midday train.

Dave