Wednesday 18 August 2021

Find the Signal Wire

 Tuesday 17th Aug

A good turn out today with a total of 5 of us. 

Report of signal 33 (advanced starter) at Winchcombe not returning to normal without a lot of lever jiggling. We suspect that a significant amount of vegetation growth is resisting the return of the signal wire - the balance weight at the signal is not overcoming the friction.

So off we go armed with bill hooks and clippers in the direction of Greet tunnel.

Smoke was still seen to be billowing out of the tunnel portal some 15 minutes after the train had gone towards Cheltenham - - nice breeze blowing it out. 


For most of the way between the bridge and the advanced starter the signal wire is invisible, pretty well buried in dense vegetation.



We cleared the wires but this will need some further strimming to make a job of it. Anyway we reached the signal after a good hour of clearance


This seems to have resolved the problem.

Then it was back to base for (guess what!) more Ground signal restoration.

I shall just pop back with a catch up of last Tuesday's work on dismantling the GWR signal which we had removed from Toddington. In order to get the balance weight arm out of the casting both the pivot pin and balance weight have to be removed - both were well seized and required concerted hammering before they yielded



So, today with all parts dismantled we proceeded with the continuous round of cleaning, restoring and painting. 

This lamp case getting the piece work treatment



The balance weight arm primed


The spectacle plate primed


The casting primed


And the boss inspecting the days work


Carl S found this paint brush in our store - it has an afro haircut - can't imagine what it has been used for - not much use for painting! 



Curly

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