Today, we made a start on painting the railings at Hotchley Hill, among a number of other tasks suited to a day too hot for digging.
As most followers of GCR(N) goings-on will have seen, 46010 ventured out into revenue-earning service this weekend. Although the rest of the working was quite different, watching her pass seemed like an echo of the peak-hauled gypsum trains of the 1970s, after the signalbox was decommissioned.
When not distracted by the diesel fleet, we rubbed down the tubular steel railings, and gave them a layer of oxide primer, in preparation for a coat of Eastern Region blue paint in the near future. Although painting the railings should improve the appearance of the building, the primary aim at this stage is to prevent further rusting, and give us time to plan proper repairs to the worst sections. Sometimes "good enough" is what you need!
Downstairs in the shade, the removal of the now-redundant point rodding has opened up a clear patch of floor. Our temporary conversion of the battery room to a junk holding area displaced two sets of shelves, and we've now put up one of them in the locking room, in an effort to keep the space tidy.
In one corner of the room, a water pipe protrudes though the timbers. I have it on good authority that, not long ago, this was still connected to a supply. In the last few years though, it seems to have been turned-off elsewhere - so we spent some time walking along the lineside, and nearby Bunny Lane, trying to locate a likely stopcock. We found many candidates, but nothing that really makes sense as a feed for the railway. We also noticed a few of the many signaling fittings that still occupy the cess in the Hotchley Hill area. Pictured is a set of compensating cranks, needed to ensure correct operation of (mechanically-driven) distant points in varying temperatures.
Meanwhile, back at the box, we began sorting and bagging the accumulating rubbish and scrap iron, ready for removal. This joins a queue of heavy items that need carrying to and from Ruddington. As the first leg of this is up the line to Rushcliffe Halt, we decided to see if the old Permaquip trolley (previously cluttering the locking-room floor) still works. With the addition of an improvised brake-release handle, we set it up in the locked-off goods loop, and found that it does. This will make our lives much easier in the future.
As always, contact me if you'd like to get involved. There's plenty to do!
