Spring cleaning

Here's the spring and now it's clean. End of post...

Not really, today we had a film crew at the signal box filming for a new TV program about holiday locations (about as much as I feel comfortable to say). In the mean time, I continued to clean up and paint the metal work required for the GWR signal. This includes the bracket to hold it to the post, the aspect plate and the crank. The spring above is used in the cushioning part of the bracket to stop the signal breaking a casting.

Also, all of the parts for the levers for the ground frame have finished being painted  and the ladder for the smaller lattice post has been returned to the signal box after painting. A small platform now needs to be made

I have also started to manufacture a few parts required to make the GWR signal work (the parts we don't have for lower quadrant operations). 

And finally, today's uses for a signal artefact that you wouldn't think of, use the lense of a lamp box to focus the sun to start a fire (for survival reasons of course) 

Don't forget, this Sunday is our regular work day, all member who would like to attend but have not been to the signal box recently should get in contact before turning up. 

THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC OPEN DAY, we cannot accept visitors.

Sorry for the inconvenience, we'll be opening to the public as of September 

- Jamie

Recent Work

Ground frame base and GWR aspect plate

The past two days, I have spent some time over the signal box. Most of my time has been spent working on the ground frame restoration. The levers and catch mechanisms have all had two top coats. However, because one lever is to be a demonstrating a distant signal and is therefore yellow, it will require a third coat because the primer can still be seen though the paint. All the parts that are required to be painted black are now complete, but the lever tops and catch handles need masking and parts painting black to give a neat finish. The GWR aspect plate has also had a 'rough' coat of primer as I was running out of paint.

Spacer and washer on pivot

Spacer on pivot

A spacer has been made and fitted to the back of signal No 5 because a part is missing from the rear of the signal pivot. This means the pivot pin slides forward and we were concerned that it could damage our signal or injure someone walking underneath. This spacer seems to work and the signal is functioning normally.

I also found, whilst walking to the station, that a sign has been placed by the canal walk at the plaza end about the history of the canal. It is an interesting read, and I was hoping they would put one by the signal box, about the signal box, but I am doubtful this will happen.

Also, whilst moving the compost further back into the compost heap, I found a couple of slow worms warming themselves. We've found slow worms on various parts of the site, but in the developing of the site, they lost their home. But it is good to see they have found another home.

 A few various other jobs were completed today, I started work on various other parts for the GWR signal that will be connected to the ground frame and found one of the two key missing pieces, just one more to go. I also sorted out some other bits and pieces that will be needed to reconnect the ground frame.

Its all coming together!

Jamie

New Building Update and Car Park Barrier

The new building decoration is finished...

The interior decorating of the new building is complete - Well, apart from small bits of touching in.

This is the Cowley Bridge end, before the Southern end was painted.

The Southern end is now complete.

Considering it was just bare plywood I think the end result is quite pleasing.

To distinguish between the GWR and Southern ends a vertical batten has been installed and painted GWR brown, along with the tongue and groove boarding at that end.

The upper walls above the dado rail are all painted Bamboo, the same as the outside of the signal box.  The lower walls are Buckingham green, also the same as the box.

On my next visit the dust sheets will be removed and the touching in done.  The floor then needs to be sealed as we are leaving it bare timber.

The other news is that the new car park barrier has been fitted.

...and very good it looks too!

It is very solidly constructed and should look good for many years.

There has been a lot going on recently, as you can see.

Dave

Quintinshill accident

To mark the 100th anniversary of one of the worst rail accidents in the UK, the BBC have created a documentary to show what went wrong and tells of the sad death of hundreds of troops who were destined for the fount line in world war 1.

This is the link to the BBC Iplayer where the documentary is available until Sunday, 21st of June

BBC Iplayer link - Romsey signal box is not responsible for the content of the linked website or the videos found there.

Be sure to bring your sun glasses

A quick update on Cowley bridge signal box (our miniature signal box):

The block bells had to be re plated because they had been damaged (yes, even polishing with brasso didn't solve the issue). We have just received word that they have arrived back from the process and look brand new and extremely shiny. So be sure to bring your sun glasses when we re-open!



 

We look forward to welcoming Cowley bridge signal box back to Romsey in the near future.

 

Thank-you Alan Johnston for all the hard work you're doing and for these pictures.

More work

Dick Hewett spent some time over the signal box this week and completed some key tasks.

Firstly the guttering was altered to route all of the rain water to the soak away.

Then the soak away was covered up with soil

Once competed, Dick moved on to cement broken pieces of slab to the base of the new building, this is to stop the more fragile parts of the foundation being washed away and also help protect it, once we level the path to the new building.

MAY WORKING SUNDAY PROGRESS

Sunday the 3rd of May saw several of us at the signal box, despite the unpromising start to the weather.

Soak away filled with rubble

I cracked on with fitting out the Cowley Bridge building (more in a minute).
Ben put some more paint on the level crossing gates.


Colin relaying the slabs

Jamie dug the soak away pit for the new building and collected gravel and rocks etc from around the site. Tom broke up the larger pieces with a sledge hammer (and now has larger muscles!).
Neil did various gardening things and spent time clearing out more rotten wood/rubble from the old crossing gate post holes.
Colin continued his work on replacing the paving slabs to the rear of the box and has now got around the corner.  It's looking good Colin!
Gavin tidied the large shed which is use to store tools and artefacts waiting for restoration. James helped various people throughout the day, including me inside the new building.

During the morning it dried up and the sun appeared, which even made it quite warm.

Tom took advantage of this and cut the grass.

Things are progressing inside the Cowley Bridge building, as you can see by the following photos...

Two of the windows have had "hockey stick" edging fitted around the reveals.  This covers the edges of the ply wood and gives a very neat finish.

Not all the work shown above was carried out today (I'm not that fast!).  To date the two uprights have been installed. These are to create a division between the Southern and GWR parts of the building.  All the dado rail has been fitted.

About 80% of the tongue and groove boarding has been installed, as has about 80% of the skirting boards.  I need to buy a little more T&G boarding to finish off (I never was any good at estimating!).

The next visit should see all the initial fitting out completed.  T&G boarding, window edging, skirting and corner quadrants should all be completed.  This means that the priming of all the wood can be finished.  It's then on with the colours, which will make a big difference.

Dave