Miserable Days

 Week Commencing 27th November 2023

Monday

It was a why do we bother day , it was cold and it was raining all day ..thoroughly miserable.

Something we hadn't noticed before was a new hole in the hedge , signs of another nearby Badger sett ?

The only person to brave the weather was Pat  , picking up the pine needles from the track bed in the rain . His wet weather gear only kept him dry for so long !

Sheltering and working in the dry were , Brian who was in the warmth of the ladies toilet varnishing one of the benches , and Dave and Ian starting the construction of wooden waste bins for Cheltenham Racecourse Station. 

First the frames.

Wednesday

A bit dryer but still on the cold side.

A newly varnished bench leaves the warmth of the Ladies toilets.

Vic was with us today , working on the small garden.

Pat was at the bottom of the cutting doing the places the Robo mower wouldn't be able to do.

And Dave almost finished the first bin.

Cameras are still out of action , I looked at the Router trying sort it out , why are they getting more complicated , is it a cunning plan ? Just be patient we will get there in the end , there's nothing to see anyway. 

Dave

More Odd Jobs

 Week Commencing 20th November

Monday

Just the 3 of us on a miserable weather wise morning.

Brian was having trouble with the Gents toilet lock again !.

Dave and Ian were putting strengtheners on the ramp that sits outside the Broadway Goods shed.

An attempt was made to fix the table that sits outside the shed too , but alas it was too far gone and ended up on the bonfire ! one of our not used benches ( made redundant after erection of the new scales shed ) was modified  to fit and sit outside The remainder of the benches have been put into winter storage under the canopy.

Wednesday

Up to seven volunteers were around.

Dave did a trial fit with the surrounds of the new notice board. before taking it over for yet another coat of black.

The repaired bin lid was given a coat of Primer / undercoat.

As were new strengtheners on the ramp.

Main job of the day was giving the goods shed another coat of wood preserver , 3 started the job , then up to 4 and eventually 2 finished the job !

Brian on the bottom bits, whilst Ian doing the high bits .

Elsewhere Pat was brush cutting around the signal on platform 2.

Vic was working in the small garden.

Pat was also seen spraying the moss on platform 1 with moss killer ( aka white vinegar ? )

Dave

Ps Cameras still out of action , IT were on site and unfortunately couldn't   sort it , when I'm in the right frame of mind I will have another look , no promises .

Odd Jobs days

 

Week Commencing 13th November 2023

A sunny sort of day but too wet for most things , and just Brian , Ian , Pat and myself .

Only the Santa special sign left on the fence at the bottom of the drive now , the Broadway Museum sign had been removed.

In container 3 Brian and Ian gave the new signs a quick coating of black paint.

All the benches now dry were put undercover.

Pat was seen attacking a rotting tree stump with an axe.

Wednesday

A different 4 volunteers , Vic joined us to work on the small garden and then over onto the car park side.

Pat was heard in the distance with the brush cutter , whilst Dave and Ian did some bin Maintainace , first bin had a problem with its last piece of tongue and groove  , easily fixed with a few more screws.

The next one was a bit more of a problem, one of the slats had split and water had got in and rotted it away . No spare wood was left so bit of wood had to be shaped , now one will notice with a bit of paint on it !

PS IT guy was on site today , so we are getting there with the cameras going back on line , so more patience required.

Dave

End of the season at Broadway Station

 Week commencing 6th November 2023

That's it for the season for this year at Broadway , the lads are down at Stanway Viaduct cutting us off from the rest of the railway till next year .

So just the 2 off us today  , time to put the station furniture under the canopy to keep them out of the worst of the winter weather.

Where it used to take 4 people to move the benches the trolleys make it now a one man job , first the benches and then the bins.

The morning was interrupted by the little diesel shunter delivering some trucks onto platform 2.

Over the closed season there could be a possibility of the footings for the Platform 2 building being dug out , not being able to remove the spoil the conventional way , it was decided to fill the wagons with the dug out material and depose of it at a later time some where on the railway.

Brian and myself had a little trip to Winchcombe to pick up the scaffolding and use it to take down and remove the none working station clocks.

Wednesday

A few more folk around.

Chris and his son Dave joined us , Chris had a go at removing the Moss that seames to grow under the benches.

Whilst Dave assisted Brian and myself , building additional  racking for our shop

It was too damp to cut grass or brush cut the big stuff , so Pat fettled the existing machinery. 

The previous day he had gone down to Hayles Abbey Halt to give their grass a pre winter cut.

Back on the drive Chris was clearing up the leaves dropped from the garden trees.

The bottom of the drive notice board had its first coat of black paint , before being fully painted I managed to paint a picture of a famous Locomotive !!

Dave

Between Openreach and our IT guys our Broadband is out of action , hence no live camera feed , apologies .

Not Enough Volunteers for a game of Cards !

 Week Commencing 30yh October 2023

Into the last week of the regular season , the week after our Autumn Showcase weekend which where I was standing on the crossing at Cheltenham Racecourse seamed to be well patronized.. Plenty of happy faces which is always good to see.

Not so many faces were seen around on Monday and Wednesday , just Brian , Ron and myself.

Down with the posters as per the norm , first the 2 on the road bridge  , just leaves the Santa special and the one for the Museum.

Otherwise it was a day for doing the new signs .

Brian was working on the sign for the bottom of the drive showing the way up to the station , whilst Dave and Ron were putting together a new notice board to replace the board also on the fence at the bottom of the drive.

Ron working on the sign , this was Ron's last day as he heads home to Hong Kong , where in that neck of the world he will celebrate his 80th Birthday . Our volunteers don't get any younger .

Wednesday

A different 3 , Brian , Pat and myself.

A bit of removing an old sign start to the day . The Old Station House has been sold and is no longer a Bed and Breakfast so we can now take down the sign which has been at the bottom of the drive foe many years.

Down it came.

Pat got the brush cutter out in between the showers

Brian releived Julie in the shop for 5 mins or was it 10 mins or 15 mins !!!

Dave give his board a lick of primer and undercoat.

Whilst later in the day , Neal appeared and was seen over on platform 2 measuring up ?

The trains on duty today were the " DMU " and a welcome return of  " 2807 " after its overhaul.

Dave