Continuing Preparations

 Tuesday 20th Dec

We continued today with the preparations for the re-routing of the signal wire to the advanced starter at Winchcombe. John P, John B and myself in attendance with Malcolm W.

We need to install a vertical pulley at the base of the signal to  route the wire across the track . Here it is pre-assemled. 

John P is drilling some holes in  a piece of plate to fit some anchoring legs (4 lengths of screwed bar with bent ends) to secure it in a concrete block.

So... off we go for a walk up to the signal to dig a hole for the concrete .  Some really sticky black clay here with a ballast topping - makes for some strenuous digging!

The base of  ladders are normally secured in concrete - this one isn't but has a couple of rungs below ground. Anyway we have extended the hole to give it added security!

The angle crank you can see at the base of the post will become redundant and will be removed.  We will make a new sling to connect directly  to the balance weight arm.

Any further preparations here will have to wait until the closed season  when we can disconnect the signal and gain access with the railcar to transport the heavy stuff - which we have already got ready as you can see  here:

These two blocks holding the horizontal pulleys will be sunk into the ground - so more digging of ballast.

Also being prepared today is the 8ft long wire sling which will connect to the balance weight arm. The thimbles on each end are securely fixed in position using aluminum sleeves which are crimped with this tool - John B on the handles and Malcolm W on the ground (Sorry picture not terribly clear)

But here is the end result

So that will be it for this year . We have several signal restoration projects for next year some of which will require the erection of scaffolding.  A new metal token exchange platform is in progress for Gotherington - there will be plenty to do. Not sure at the moment whether the plan to replace the bracket signal at Cheltenham will go ahead during the closed season - so the one we have prepared still languishes horizontally in the yard at Winchcombe.

I'll sign off now wishing you all  Merry Christmas and, hopefully , a fulfilling New Year from GWSR S&T

Curly

Signal Wire Re-routing

 Tuesday 29th Nov

It has been decided to re-route the signal wire to the advanced starter situated near the northern portal of Greet tunnel because it currently crosses the access road down the embankment and has to be disconnected when vehicular access is required. (this access road was prepared by the contractors to enable heavy plant to be brought in for the recent repairs to the embankment here at Winchcombe)

The existing stakes supporting the pulleys and wires will be replaced with new ones on the opposite side of the track. So starting adjacent to the bracket signal John P prepares to measure the distance up to the starter. This will enable  us to determine the length of new signal wire we will need , including the additional length to cross under the track twice

At the starter signal we will need to bury the wire in a tube to allow vehicles to pass over, so to determine the heights required for the blocks for mounting horizontal  pulleys  - we check this using a piece of nylon rope passing under the track

Here are a couple of views from each side of the track looking towards the tunnel to show the position of where the wire will cross back to the signal. We will need to re-configure/reposition the cranks on the signal post to lower the connection for the wire.

This is all here for today so we return to base to find some lengths of old point rodding that can be cut to provide our new signal wire stakes.

The old stakes are in pretty poor condition so we will eventually grub them out from their concrete "boots" and scrap them.

Back at base John B re-assembles a re-conditioned crows nest - just needs the footboards cutting to finish it off. We have quite a few signals that are in need of some TLC which we have plans to attack during the closed season - so this unit should end high up on a signal post somewhere on our railway!

Curly

Curly

Repairing the Crossing

 Tuesday 11th Oct

A visit to Gotherington signal box today to replace some rotten planks in the foot crossing. 

We were intending to catch the first Cheltenham bound train from Winchcombe but for some reason it was going to be significantly late so we got permission from Brian Nicholls to park up at Gotherington West.

There are several rotten boards in the crossing some more obvious than others until you stamp on them. 

All the boards are covered in chicken wire to prevent slipping- and this  is held down with many staples (to prevent tripping!). These are a pain to remove where they are well hammered in, but with four of us at it we son peeled it back.

Seven boards have been replaced and re-covered with wire. Should be safe for a few more years.

A bit of creosote required on a few ends that we had to trim. Left it for the Wednesday team!

Curly

Simplicity

 Looking again at the last blog and the lovely pic of the Button A/B phone reminded me of just how simple it was.

 When you inserted the coins it was arranged that they hit a small bell dome  near which was a microphone so the operator would hear a different  note as each coin was inserted!

 Thats how she knew that you hadnt put in the full amount!

 I can still remember them saying " Caller you need to insert an extra penny" or whatever. 

Thats also how they new that when your time was up you could be asked for an extra sixpence or shilling on a TRUNK call.

 Come on now someone will know what the coin values were?,, yes yes a penny slot but what did the other ones allow?

And dont get me started on indirect local dialling codes, tapped out on the receiver rest to get a free call. 

(as a clue they started with 9 as that got you from the uax into the parent exchange?.

Mike S

Ps. I have now been told the pre-decimal it was 1p, 6p or a whole shilling. After decimalisation it was a 2 pence or 10p.

A Catch Up

 Tuesday 30th August

Today we started moving house! Now that we have a sparkly 40ft container in the yard at Winchcombe we can re-organise all our equipment from diverse locations into one place.

Last week we built some serious wooden shelving . Here's Neil in full flow with battery drill and battery screwdriver. John P had cut all the battens ready for this

 

And the finished shelves - providing a serious amount of shelving

Looks quite bright with the flash but we need to install some lighting so that we can see what we are doing .  There is no electricity supply on this side of the yard at this point so Neil C is digging a trench down the side of the concrete roadway to provide a connection on the other side near the toilet block  (there is a duct under the roadway through which the cable can be fed)

So we spent most of today sorting out signal fittings, loading them onto the transit  and moving them to their new home 

What do we put where?!

So, to summarise the last few weeks . 

We have spent time making and fitting two brackets to secure the two mechanical detectors at Toddington to the adjacent rail. This is to ensure that there is no relative movement putting the locking bars out of alignment.

Here is one fitted at Toddington (the triangular bit)

Plus a lot of cleaning and painting work including Winchcombe signal box window frames and sills

Various signal fittings 

And of course the scruffy Winchcombe automatic gate!

Finally some repairs to the foot crossing at Gotherington signal box which we have given a good dose of creosote - but we shall have to return when we have sorted out some timber to  replace some decaying boarding. 

We have also prepared some boarding to replace a rotten part of the foot crossing at Toddington signal box.

No letting up on the jobs to do!

Curly

We HAVE been busy

 Apologies for the delay since last posting

Firstly I just wanted to say a grateful THANKS to all the people who have donated to us very valuable, indeed irreplaceable, Strowger Servicing tools over the last year or so.

 Last week I called into the coach that serves as out S&T centre and was greeted by the gift of a very well kept "Wallet, Tool, No4"

 And inside was...

 

 complete with a selection of the most requently used tools, not sure about the big spring guage though?

So I owe someone a THANK YOU, they and the wallet will be most helpful.

Earler in the year I built a copy of a "Stand, Testing , No 17"  Its not quite as elegant as the originals and I hope you like the bungee that holds the capacaitor box open- saves a lot of broken fingernails and trapped fingers!

Its been an essential tool as we have embarked on clearing a few faulty selectors and basic lubrication- has anyone got any "Oildag"? knocking around?

 Had a horrible fault on one selector, it kept trying to go rotary as it went vertical, somehow drive was getting to both magnets, turned out the problem was breakdown in the paxolin insualtion on the upper wipers , but we found it in the end

Heres a couple of pics of it in use

So, honestly, we have been busy and thanks to all our readers and supporters.

 Keep cool

Mike

PS As a little extra here a couple of pics that I took at Lincolnshire Aviation at East Kirby- wot an excellent day out

Its the only place YOU can ride in a Lancaster ( but you do need a deep pocket!) 

Not yet Flight worthy but taxy's several times a day!

and I couldnt reist this one, oh for the simplicity of Button A/B! No STD, no C&FC relaysets, 

No electromechamical Directors either!

Point Clipping Made Easy

 Tuesday 18th May

Another use for some spare point rodding was being developed today to make the  signalman's life a bit easier in the event of motor point malfunction.

If this happens the signalman has to walk from the signalbox to the points in order to wind them over with a hand crank and then the points have to be clipped for safety. Carrying a (not light) point clip over this distance is somewhat tiring. So the plan is to have a secure place at the points to mount a clip and make it vandal proof. 

Here is a mock up of the proposed unit.

Five lengths of rodding have been prepared 

Here John P is cutting the ends with the angle grinder to prepare a point to make it easier to hammer into the ballast

Then they will be made secure with a bed of concrete

A rectangular slot will be cut into the top of rod into which the clip can be locked .

So each motor point will have a secure  local clip for use in emergency with only a key needed for the lock!

The deconstructed back blind has been cleaned up and has been given a coat of green primer

The signal that once had this on Chicken Curve was moved to the other side of the track and visibility of the arm is no longer a problem - so we won't need it now. So once it is all repainted and assembled if anyone has need of it we would be happy for it to go to a new home for a small donation to the GWSR!

And the post holding the keypad at Winchcombe gate has received its cream and brown top coats

Curly

General Stuff

 Tuesday  10th May

The red lenses in two of the ground signals at Toddington  have frosted over significantly reducing their visibility (plastic I'm afraid!)

Easily removable if the clamps haven't been fitted with slotted cheese head screws! Otherwise significant dismantling required. Luckily a pair of stillsons managed to grip and move them. This photo shows what an effect the weather has on the plastic - really ingrained.

One of the other tasks we need to address is the fitting of some additional rodding to the motor operated points north of the station at Toddington (no. 22). We will fit two additional angle cranks to the sleeper ends to connect the two yellow stretchers - this to prevent any flexing movement of the centre of the  blades during the passage of traffic. 

Meanwhile back at base we continue with the refurbishment of various items of signalling - including a facing point lock:

Various pointwork connections and cranks:

And the dismantling of a signal arm sighting board (or quadrant). Needed all its bolts cutting off with an angle grinder - Andy D at work here:

More angle grinding for tomorrow's team!

And finally a bit of tidying up of the post holding the keypad for the gate at Winchcombe which has had a bit if a scraping from passing plant. Green primer doesn't look heritage at the moment! Another job for tomorrow to finish off.

Curly