This may not seem terribly exciting, but we have finally got that steel door to the point where it is ready to install. It came to Ruddington in June, so I suspect our fellow users of the shed will be glad to see it go.
They are likely to be disappointed, however, that our next job is to repair its mirror-image from the south side of Hotchley Hill 'box! We hope this will go much faster, as we have all the materials to hand now, and understand the process required.
Today, we drilled, tapped, and bolted-on the plate which covers the lock on the inside, and made holes for the key and handle to pass through it. This, and the inside of the door, were given a coat of Eastern Region blue, and the edges touched-up. Inspecting the paint on the outside of the door, applied last week, we weren't terribly surprised to find it was still slightly soft, and had a few other minor defects resulting from it being cold and viscous when applied. That's what you get for painting in unheated buildings in January! Come spring, with the doors installed, we'll spend a happy day rubbing-down and giving them a second coat.
Meanwhile, the repaired lock for the crossing gates at Asher lane (11th Jan) was reattached to the gates, with the handle painted bright red, to discourage future mishaps.
We turned our attention next to the new signal cluster for the big gantry at Ruddington Fields, with the help of a visitor from the far south. This meant cutting and drilling new steelwork which will hold a home signal, and accompanying "theatre" route indication box, high above the line through the country park. The plan is to allow as much test-assembly as possible at ground level, for obvious reasons.
Next week, we shall take the door back to Hotchley Hill and hang it, hopefully for good. This time we have a van, so there's less logistical juggling required. Without the windows being in place, it won't actually impede the entrance of vandals, which we hope will prevent it from being attacked itself.
