In direct continuation of last week's work, this week found us extending the little culvert under the steps, and (hopefully) making them a bit more tidy and secure. This included digging away many more wheelbarrowloads of soil, and finding a larger-than-usual collection of interesting discarded items. In fact, the shelves are now so full of rusty artifacts, that we need to start thinking carefully about what is of historical value, and what isn't.
Among the finds this week:
* A wagon plate (MOT?)
* Electrical fittings
* Another gravity-lock, and three covers for the same
* Milk bottles from Leicester, broken plates, mugs and teacups
* Unidentified iron brackets
* A bicycle mudguard
* ...and most excitingly, an original enamelled lampshade from the building, still in good condition.
Needless to say, the latter will be restored and refitted, when the time for interior work comes along.
Less pleasingly, we also picked out two buckets'-worth of broken glass from the soil as we were digging through it. There is much more down there, too.
I've included a photo of the steps are they were a few months ago, showing just how much higher the ground level was then than it should be!
Now we've comfortable access to the culvert under the railway towards the gypsum works, I got a view looking down it (with the aid of a torch). How many modern structures will be in such good condition in the 22nd century, I wonder?
Next week, we'll continue excavating at the foot of the bank, aiming to get it all down to the level of the field adjacent. The steps themselves may need revisiting in the future, perhaps with straps to hold the timbers in place, but should be good enough for the moment.
