Following the interest shown in Block Bells and the expectancy of sonorous tones expected from Broadway signal box in due course, I can announce that we are going to install a "Church Bell" - and here it is:
I am reliably informed that the six types of block bell normally used are:
Church, Ordinary Round, Flat Round, Cow, Sheep, Gong.
I'm sure Church will sound best!
Back to stool planting. Firstly we unloaded another 20 lengths of rodding from our diminishing store at Winchcombe. These are now residing in the 6ft waiting to be put in once the concrete has set on the next batch of stools:
John P and Carl S started by dismantling the shuttering from last week's run of concreting and filling in the ballast round them:
George busied himself assembling some more stool/roller assemblies on the makeshift cabinet bench while Foremarke Hall rolled by
Still quite a few more needed to get us to the end of the platform - but sufficient to keep us going today:
A total of 28 stools have now been installed which takes us almost up to the footbridge. Probably another half dozen to get us to the point where the first pair of compensators need to be for the first set of points and fpl:
Just 5 of these left for concreting next week.
Couldn't resist climbing up the bracket signal to get an overhead view of Foremarke Hall on its last Broadway run round of the day:
Curly
Thanks for the update, Curly. Could you please remind me what the (presumably) 3 runs of rodding are for in the North? Any thoughts on doing extra workdays during the summer to avoid having to contend with finishing everything off during the cold winter?
ReplyDeleteThere are four rodding runs north. One for each point and one for each fpl.
DeleteWe work in all weathers!
Thanks. I thought the siding points were to be left clipped up and manually moved when access was required! I didn't realize that you were controlling both sets from the box. Makes sense now.
DeleteIf we run out of point rodding this might be the case!!
DeleteI assume you will also need to install a new block bell in Toddington box ? Will it be a Church one as well ?
DeleteThere is already a block bell ready and waiting in Toddington box for the Broadway connection - and it is a Church Bell - these two are the only two of this kind on our railway.
DeleteRichard - according to previous blogs you had 138 lengths of rodding to paint. At 18 foot a pop, that's nowhere near enough to do the 6 runs of rodding north and south of the box!
DeleteYes, but this was the rodding we bought from the Great Central that got painted. We have another pile of old stuff lurking in the nether regions of Winchcombe yard which hopefully will get us there. We don't plan on painting it though because it should be well out of sight up north! I haven't been over to count up how many lengths we have in this pile - wait and see!
DeleteI know several bell ringers who volunteer on here and SVR.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to see that one of the three block bells, which I recently donated to the railway, has now made an appearance on the blog page. I am looking forward to seeing - and hearing - the installation in the signal box in due course. All the best with the continuing installation. Barry
Many thanks for your donation - we shall look forward to it having pride of place on the blockshelf!
DeleteA church bell for Broadway, how fitting for this cathedral of splendour in the Cotswolds! Thanks for the update Curly, we will soon be fit enough for our annual visit and "fix" of the line.
ReplyDeleteRegards
Paul & Marion.