THURSDAY 01^st.

The vertical wheel that had previously been stripped down and had all traces of paint and rust removed, then repainted all in between other jobs, was finally rebuilt and put into storage. This will add to our 'stock' of wheels for the fitting out of Broadway signal box. An afternoon visit to Toddington signal box with the railcar to take measurements for making mid-locking tray fixing bars. These will be made at Winchcombe before being fitted sometime next week. Back onto the railcar for a trip south to Gotherington. The purpose of this visit was to test the operation of the motorpoint at the south end of the run round loop. All passed O.K.

TUESDAY 06^th.

All the lever lock covers were removed to make the task of hand painting the appropriate signal numbers on each cover an easier one. By early afternoon the last was painted and each one carefully refitted to its lever lock. A refurbished large electric lock (for signal T33) was drilled and fitted to its timber mount under the lever frame.

Trackside jobs included applying an undercoat to the Annettes Lock shed, and running a cable from this shed to the electrical cabinet next to the banner repeater signal.

Whilst at Toddington, the ground under the Stow Road Bridge was cleared and levelled to make room for a 'gardeners hut' to be erected. This will allow the gardening staff secure storage for the tools of their trade

WEDNESDAY 07^th.

Following on from the refurbishment of the road crossing behind C&W, a new warning sign for vehicle operators will be installed. The reclaimed point rodding that will be used to mount this sign was cut, drilled, cleaned and painted. A quantity of angle iron was also cut and cleaned for use as an edging to Toddington 'box locking tray, and a further two guide bars were cut and filed to make 'check' position slots for Gotherington signal G15.

THURSDAY 08^th.

A mounting plate and contact box were removed from storage, cleaned, drilled and fitted together. These will be taken to Gotherington 'box and fitted to the FPL (Facing Point Lock). The electric lock was dismantled to enable a thorough clean of the bar and contact box couplings. The angle iron cut yesterday was drilled ready for fitting.

An afternoon visit to Screwfix and Leyland paint shop resulted in some general housekeeping chores sorting and storing new bolts, nuts, washers, spanners, wire rope, thimbles and paints…..should keep us going for a while!

FRIDAY 09^th.      

A trip in the railcar to Gotherington to fit the above mentioned guide bars to G15 on the locking tray. This was followed by checking and stripping down G7 lock and removing G10 guide bars. These were all taken back to Winchcombe where new check positions were cut in the guide bars, a new contact block fitted to the contact box and cut new contact box coupling bars.

After a late lunch all the above were returned to Gotherington where the guide bars were refitted and G7 electric lock was rebuilt. 

TUESDAY 13^th.  

After standing at the end of platform 1 since end of March looking ghostly in its undercoat, the Annettes Lock shed finally had a coat of gloss paint applied. To match other platform furniture around it, the trim was painted in a caramel colour, while the main body was painted a light stone. During the afternoon our painting skills were applied to five line side electrical cabinets, with a fresh coat of aluminium silver. 

WEDNESDAY 14^th.

A second coat of light stone gloss was applied to the Annettes Lock shed, followed by a coat of black gloss to the lids of the five electrical cabinets painted yesterday.

THURSDAY 15^th.

Undercoated six sign brackets (ex point rodding), and one electric lock cover. A quick trip to Toddington in the railcar to repair AJT section track circuit feed, then to Gotherington to repair three track circuit feeds, black gloss bracket and detector cast, and to dismantle/cut a lever leg and bar.

Dad (John P.) and I spent the day erecting a new fence at Gotherington station in preparation for the GWR 175 Gala. This just goes to show the diversity of tasks one can get involved in on 'our' railway!

FRIDAY 16^th.

Malcolm assisted with a morning of shunting wagons around Winchcombe yard, followed by applying black gloss to the six sign brackets. After lunch it was off to Toddington to finish the mid-locking tray bars and covers, then fitting T33 lever leg and marking up for modifications. Neil fitted the Annettes Lock into the shed and electrically connected back to the signal box.

MONDAY 19^th.

A second coat of caramel gloss was applied to the Annettes Lock shed and a coded door lock fitted. This now completes this project ready for our trains to Laverton and beyond.

Back at Winchcombe, the new sign for the road crossing behind C&W was erected, and an assortment of palletised fittings moved and sorted for storage/restoration. Both railcar trailers were unloaded of signal posts and concrete blocks recovered from Gotherington.

TUESDAY 20^th.  

After the dreadful report of a possible land slip on the Gotherington loop, an immediate inspection was carried out this morning. Not a good day out! By 'prodding' the ballast with a six foot bar in between the sleepers, the horrible sight of this bar disappearing into a void was not what we had expected. The details can be read elsewhere on www.gwsr.com

After a 'shock-recovery' cuppa, the chance was taken to have a general tidy up in and around the signal box. After lunch, an old cable run from the Dixton cutting to Far Stanley was pulled out of the ballast, cut into approx. 12 foot lengths, and put onto the trailer. This will then be sold for scrap.

WEDNESDAY 21^st.

The job of unloading the railcar trailers was the primary objective for today. Scrap metal had to be kept separate from scrap cable, from scrap timber, etc.  This took up most of the morning to achieve.

The afternoon was spent cleaning a signal detector assembly and contacts, before reassembling. 

THURSDAY 22^nd & FRIDAY 23^rd  

Both days spent at Winchcombe using the trusty angle grinder with steel wire brush to remove layer upon layer of paint from numerous fittings including such items as hoops, brackets, post angles, balance weight arms, balance weights and ladder support brackets. Once thoroughly cleaned, first a coat of red oxide was applied, then an undercoat. In total, approximately 35 different fittings were worked on over the two days.

SATURDAY 24^th

Six lineside electrical cabinets between Toddington signalbox and Hailes Bridge were rubbed down and given fresh applications of black and silver paint. At some point during the summer, the intention is to spend some time removing weed growth from around each cabinet, and build a concrete base so as to reduce maintenance and ease access.

MONDAY 26^th   

One of the motor points in store has been moved undercover and near to our work area to be checked over and for any repairs to be carried out. This will then be used on the North Headshunt siding in place of the current groundframe, another job for the summer!

At the same time, a signal post for the replacement W36 (chicken curve) was brought out of storage and placed where it can be refurbished with relative ease.

A number of wooden sleepers and decking timbers were taken to Gotherington for the installation of a new foot crossing at the south end of the platform in preparation for the GWR 175 Gala.

And another batch of fittings was treated to a clean with the grinder and wire brush.

TUESDAY 27^th.

Three more lineside electrical cabinets were freed from weed growth and given a fresh coat of black and silver paint. Another 20 or so fittings had the wire brush treatment, while a rather stubborn signal post angle crank was freed up. Unless regularly greased/oiled, these rather tight fitting items can soon become seized solid, and since this one had stood idle out in all weathers for many years, had done just that. But with copious amounts of penetrating fluid and gentle persuasion with a lump hammer will usually come free.

A new delivery of single wheel wire casts were paired with the necessary nuts, bolts and washers ready for use.

At Toddington, John P, Carl Smart and I laid a new telecoms cable from the station masters office to a cabinet in the bay platform. This will be connected by Neil and hopefully return normal telecoms from the signalbox to the office.

Further up the line, a non-slip mesh was tacked to a small foot crossing over signal wires near to the ground frame, a small request from the rail inspectorate. 

WEDNESDAY 28^th.

Another batch of fittings for cleaning included downrod brackets, spec plates and signal post angle crank. A total of 15 were worked on today. 

THURSDAY 29^th.

Today the task of painting the numerous fittings cleaned over the past week began. Firstly, red oxide, followed by undercoat and then either white gloss or black gloss.

After measuring the signal post for W36, a ladder was sourced from storage along with a crows nest and top-end fittings. Along with the post, the crows nest and ladder are in need of restoration.

FRIDAY 30^th.

Another day of painting fittings at Winchcombe.