Thursday, 27 June 2024

Aint Half Hot

 Week Commencing 24th June 2024


2 very hot days this week , which saw 2 attend on Monday and 3 on Wednesday .

Monday 


Over on platform 2 , metal work has been moved ready for erection and piles of bricks have been moved into position !


Our old mess hut is beginning to show its age , not that we really need one now due to the low numbers ( not like the good old days when we used have 2 sittings every break time ) we can all sit on the one bench now. we had noticed puddles of water on the floor after a long period of rain . The reason a dent with a crack in the corner.


A short term solution was  after a scrape and a brush down was to fill the area with bitumen , hope it solves the problem.


A job in the dappled shade was the on going strimming of the drive embankment.


Neal and his team were over on platform 2 , and whilst Jo was not helping them he was shifting the new lamp tops for platform 2 into storage , 


Another problem on platform 1 was the gate by the Kitchen . It stopped closing properly and required the hinges to be wound in a turn or 2 , we need to keep an eye on this area !.


Wednesday


Not a cloud in the sky and Platform 2 building has the rest of the iron work in place and if you look closely some bricks up to damp course have been put down.


3 of us today , and a welcome return to Broadway to Bob . he soon was shown the ropes and how to use the Strimmer . and we got going down the bottom of the drive .


All this cutting down of vegetation creates heaps of debris that needs taking away , Todays count was 3 barows of grass waste and 1 of pine cones.


Bob had another training session , this time on how to use " Billy " after a few ups and downs he soon got the hang of it .



Locomotives on duty today were 2807 , Foremarke Hall and the Class 20 137






2 Broadway volunteers of long standing , and for their own reasons have decided to step down from volunteering , firstly Julie who manned our Broadway  Goods shed for many years .She was very good at getting people to spend their money and will sadly missed.


Brian has also stepped back from volunteering , one of the famous 3 with myself and Peter . he too was part of the "  Broadway Furniture " and will also be greatly missed.


Dave






Thursday, 20 June 2024

Warm Days at Broadway

 Week Commencing 17th June 2024


Monday 


Just Ian and Myself  , Pat had a doctors visit and then problems with his car so just the 2 of us.

Saturday I was down at Winchcombe on crossing duties , but before my afternoon shift we ( Ian ) picked up the new sign written board from carriage and wagon , and delivered it to Broadway .


Before getting to Broadway on Monday the empty gas bottles on train 1 needed changing. 


I had to disturb this lovely moth to get to the full ones. The trains get reversed in the platforms at Toddington for cleaning purposes , so  this time is,  the difficult changeover !. 


Back at Broadway the Steam and Ale sign came down , but nothing to relace it , Diesel Gala coming up ?


Ian and Dave put up the new sign opposite the public car park entrance , directing people to the station.


After that we did a bit of grass cutting.

Wednesday


or Tuesday in Pats case , he was at Hayles Abbey Halt cutting the grass and making the halt look tidy..



Back to Wednesday , back to 3 , My turn to cut the driveway grass , it would be a straight forward job it it wasn't for the Trees , Tree Stumps and metal posts


Ian was in the sun applying white paint to the frame and letters.


Pat was on the top of the bank and myself followed behind with the strimmer.




Train on Duty today were 2807 and  " Betton Grange " on its last outing on our railway.






Dave







Thursday, 13 June 2024

Summers Just around the corner !

 Week Commencing 10th June 2024


Arriving at Broadway early in the morning felt like a late winters day and its back to the big coats until lunch time.

2 short days for me.

Firstly the shot of Platform 2 , nothing happening here yet .


Over the weekend another manhole had been run over at the bottom of the drive. they are only rated for pedestrians , so if anything over the weight of a small car they tend to break. Maybe an upgrade ?


All hands to the various jungles ! Pat on top of the embankment , Brian and Ian below , then after break Pat and Dave had to go and change the Gas bottle's on both Train 1 and Train 2 at Toddington.


Wednesday


Just 3 Today , first job before the customers arrived was to change the tap washers on various taps in the Ladies and Gents toilets.


Pat took to platform 2 , whilst Ian and Dave sorted out a rotten post in the small garden. 


Ian applying water to the postcrete ( I'm not going to say what I see !)


Pat had a good go at the area behind the fence on platform 2 .




The  " Lady of Legend " and 2807 were the Locomotives of the day .



Dave









Thursday, 6 June 2024

Platform 2 shenanigans

Week Commencing 3rd June 2024 


Monday


4 today at Broadway plus the platform 2 people.

First view shows a small bridge has returned , installation has be relayed and tape applied. ready for concreting.


Brian was on it , mowing the driveway grass .


Back on platform 2 Pat, Ian and myself gave a hand with the laying of the concrete slab



After a couple of hours it was virtually finished and time to discuss !

After Pat the hover mower onto platform 1 and Dave did a bit of clearing up of dried grass.


Wednesday


Down to 3 now and also nobody manning the Broadway Goods shed !

The sun shone on the new base for the station building


Pat whist mowing behind platform 1 discovered a newly dug hole ! 


Judging by the smell coming from it  , looks like a foxes Den has been dug ! Needs a bit more investigation.

Dave and Ian tided up behind the platform after sorting out a drain problem.


Then tried to fix the garden gate , where the bolt didn't meet the latch , reason the post at the bottom had rotted away. Monday job !!



Locomotives on duty today were GWR 9351 and GWR Betton Grange 6880





With the Class 47 D 6948 


Just a shout on , does any body like to join our small team at Broadway , this time of year its mow mow mow so nothing too strenuous. we could do with some new faces Just fill in the application form on the Web site !

Dave