May 2005
Salute Eboracumus, Phallus Excretus, Alexus et Lepus (Nil Ulmus!!) et legionnaire Villa Bostonium. Floreat DLXXXIX !!
Right, not content with riding around last weekend and ogling locos in the Lodge, WRG (feat. Rodney, SSP and Gavinicus Eboracumus), decided to have a working party. Lots of small tasks, which don't really make interesting reading. So no change there.
Mostly aligning, tamping, shovel packing and playing with pandrols between Cemetery Cutting and Lotties. Found some interesting graffiti from through the ages � recognisable was "W. E. Jones, 1956" but there were guys from Lloc Meurig, Boston Lodge and more Davies and Jones than you can shake a national stereotypical vegetable at. I think the "Joseph of Aramithea woz here" might have been a fake though. The Welsh Blacks are out in the fields around and sheep were having their bikini lines shaved.
Pandrols are funny things. The ones were normally put in when base plating are right handed � the ones we were tidying were both left and right handed. One of the duties on Freddies "Three Foot Long List of Things I Want Done By the Time I've Come Back From Holiday" was to turn these around. We tempered the revelry by saying hello to Ev and Bill.
Spooners was heaving on Sat. night � guys from the GCR, WRG, loads of people. Took a load of Ricket clothing and had quite a few satisfied customers at the end of the night.
Sunday was changing rails by Blodge Top Yard, which gave us the excuse to look around and play. Although things did go a bit awry when we realised we'd have to dismantle half the railway to replace the stiff point mechanism at #1 points with a similarly gunged up mechanism. Thanks to the Lodge for your patience while we reassembled. The fascinating art of pumping out a pit was supervised and Gavin and Diller held the rope while trying to teach Moelwyn to skip.
I believe Blodge curve is due to become flat bottom before too long, so the rails we put in won't be there too long. The "New" rails just need a few runs to remove the top patina and then they should give a nice smooth ride.
If you want to work with the gang, get photos from out of the way locations, see various historic graffiti, or just get a different impression of the line than that from a Tin Car or webcam, drop Andy Carey an email and have a go on the track. Bring enthusiasm, packed lunch and toe-tectors. Always a good laugh. Fresh Air, Scenery and lemonade cajoled from Simon gratis.