Signal Preparations

Tues 31st Jan

Six of us on duty today. Plenty of work to do to get the two new Down Starter signals ready for the re-positioned track work at Winchcombe. The two existing signals adjacent to the road bridge will be converted to Banner Repeaters (white discs with black stripe - looks like the one at the end of platform 1 at Toddington) These will be connected mechanically to the new signals and operate simultaneously. First task to sort out a pair of posts from our stock at the back of Winchcombe Box (these have all been previously restored):

These posts are all too long for this position - need to ensure that the signals are visible to the drivers on approach - so a bit of cutting off required, here's John P in action:

It's important to get the top end square so that the Finial will sit correctly,; wrapping and taping a sheet of paper round the post ensuring that the edges match up gives a good cutting guide for the cut-off wheel.  It worked out perfectly and after using the holes in the finials to mark out two new holes in the posts - here are the finials fitted:

  

Now the fitting of the concrete "Boots". These are approx 5 feet long and pretty heavy and will support the post in the ground without any further concreting. They are in 2 halves and are clamped round the post. Just needs Steve and the JCB to dig us some suitable holes to sink them in with just a few inches showing  above the ground once the trackwork is completed. The blocks are bolted together with 20mm Dia screwed rod. Here's John P in action with Malcolm W supervising

Next, the ladders. Four of us cleaning and painting. One of the ladders was rescued from the brambles at the back of Winchcombe yard and was in a pretty corroded state - two of us knuckled down with angle grinders with wire brushes while the second ladder only needed a token wire brushing before prime painting.

Outdoors wasn't very good for painting today so Carl and Len took to the Building Sevices Dept for cover and prime painting of the two ladders:

 

While Neil C had the Telehandler fired up we got one of the electric point motors onto the bench. This unit will replace the battery operated one at the re-positioned Winchcombe pointwork. Looks in reasonably good nick but will need a good clean up and testing. 

It operates on 110 volt:

I mentioned in a previous blog , the route indicator signal which will control entry to the platforms from Broadway north end - I remembered to take a shot of it today while it is still erected in Winchcombe  yard, so here it is :

Curly