Wednesday 21st October a wet Autumnal day at 12 degrees C but feeling colder with the damp.

                                                

A quick look in the shop shows we are steadily shifting stock and adding to the Trusts funds.

                                                

                                         

                               It is raining but we need to get the fencing done and tidy up a bit.

The wire anchors on the end post are rusty and nuts seized so getting them red hot with the gas torch then wire brushing the threads got them free luckily we got all 8 easier than thought it was going to be.

The last couple of old posts got the ivy freed from them so they would lift out and after a raking the last bit of wire was removed it was then possible to run the mower over the rough stuff.

The 5 Kg roll of wire gives us plenty of spare as the fence is about 50ft long with 8 strands originally but if we leave the lower one off the mower will have access any foliage growing.

So the first 2 are on and stretched.

The wires wind on to a pin with a hole through for wire location and there is a ratchet and pawl one end to retain the tension after it is set using the winding handle some pawls were sized and needed heat to free them. However a few pawls were broken or missing so new ones had to be made.

As we had no thick metal plate a trip to the skips was required so time to load the car with rubbish as we continue to tidy the area up.

On our way to Winchcombe we stopped off at the Honeybourne signal box as it had flooding around the path and thus required some action with the drain rods to remove a blockage or two.

A success at Winchcombe waste metal skip some 6 mm thick stuff which looked ideal so back to the workshops and out with the angle grinder using a 1mm cutting disc to shape 2 new ones.

After cutting and drilling that went very easily one needed a slight bend on, so in the vice for a quick tap with  a hammer and it snapped off luckily in the right place ( what we had was a smooth finished piece of cast iron)

So time for digging a post hole as we have one original GWR post but need another 6 setting the 6' 2" post centers using tape on the top wire.

There was time to add another 5 wires to the job and then using staples fix them to the post.

Walking up the steps off platform 2 it now looks more like a railway boundary rather than a jungle.

It was then time to get dried out and admire the tidy looking area all we need now is 6 more GWR wooden fence posts, hopefully the GWSR may supply these as it is their boundary fence.

 

 

 

 

 Wednesday 14th October a lovely warmer than usual Autumn day and the sun is rising later.

                                            

                                 Nature  has been busy again dropping leaves so a quick tidy up.

Then it was time to get on with ivy removal so the final fence posts and wire anchor points could be accessed.

Once the staples were cut the stock wire fencing was removed, folded the best it can be and put in the skip we also decided to remove the original wires as they were rusty and any bending caused it to break.

Most of the old half round post are now out ivy stumps removed or cut off at ground level so now we need some original GWR wooden posts if we can source them along with a new role of wire so we can install a fence as GWR would have done in the day.

Mike has been busy in the new shed gluing down carpet tiles so it is ready for filling with books and photos that are in the archive office and house.

As the weather is warm and dry some more time on the museum mail coach body work is needed before the weather changes, the hot dry summer has caused shrinkage in some parts and expansion with other materials thus paint is peeling and screws are popping out. So a complete rubbing down with orbital sander and knock out any filler that has moved or cracked.

The West facing side has been sanded and painted so looking good above the waist line.

Greg is busy with the sign writers paint and brushes doing the yellow line, the brown needs some paint coloured to match so it can be patch painted rather than a full repaint.

                                                            And plenty left to do for another day.

 Wednesday 7th October the heat has gone and steady rain appeared with a cold front as I pulled in today I spotted two visitors sat quietly in the car park.

                                          

The new forge has been put to use with clean aluminium to cast the first GWR warning sign, There is a bit of flashing to remove and tidying to be done but not bad for casting novices..

After an attack with a hacksaw, file, dremmel grinder and a large flap wheel it looks fine.

The wire brush finished the job off removing any residue before using and etching primer and black paint.

Mother nature has been flourishing there are brambles growing into the buildings and the ivy is on growth overtime.

After a few hours in the rain using the hedge cutter, secateurs and scrapers we have a tidier area with 2 rotten fence posts removed.

The Beckford building paint is showing it's age so a sand down and repaint is in progress.

A sweep around the workshop floor resulted in a rather large pile of debris to sort through as sometime important little things get dropped on the floor and lost.

Last week Mike dug up a rusty tap holder this has been shot blasted and painted to go on display in the tool shed.

At the end of the day it now looks more presentable and welcoming for visitors and we are hoping the plant growth will slow until the spring.

Wednesday 30th September a warm day but with a heavy shower before the sun came out.

                                             

Time to get the woodwork on the new shed finished off  so the last 8 boards inside, fit the remaining screws to the door hinges, panel the top front and make a timber to go above the doors to stop weather ingress.

                                             

Then it was time to clear out the tools and consumables along with the left over timbers followed by a good sweep up. It is now ready for a vinyl floor to be laid before the archives start moving in to free up space in the main building and house as they are crammed with books, photo libraries and written  records of railways.

The lamp hut near the toy museum has been abandoned recently and need painting so today the walls got a coating of brick cleaner/ fungicidal cleaner in preparation for some light and dark stone paint. We need a ladder to clean the roof though.

On the way back to base a quick look in the museum coach found the video not working and when the laptop fired up the tv said out of range but fiddling with buttons and connections it now works.

One chair from the office required gluing to make it safe to sit on.

Whilst Mike was leveling the soil from siting the shed he dug this up so a job for another day in the shot blaster.

The railway was busy today so a great deal of time has been used talking to visitors the Californians being the furthest traveled to get here.