Week ending 9th January

Monday - To start the New Year off, myself and John P. began one of our tasks for the 'Toddington Big Spring Clean 2010'. We have given ourselves the task of replacing the very tired looking fence at the southern end of platforms 1 & 2, repairing, extending and adding gates to the fence at the north end of platform 1, replacing all the picket fencing around the cattle dock, and also repairing / renewing the fences around the Flag and Whistle and the children's play area. All of the above will then be treated with preservative to give a fresh clean look.

Meanwhile, Malcolm and Neil spent the morning sorting fittings for the new signal T2, and an electric motor and crank for operating signal T32. Signal T2 will be positioned slightly south of where the original south ground frame stood on the approach to Toddington and is scheduled to be 'planted' early in February.

After lunch, a trip to Toddington in the railcar to fit the above mentioned electric motor and crank. Upon fitting and operating from the signal box, it was found the arm was not coming 'off' sufficiently due to the crank arm being in need of slight modification.

Back at Winchcombe late afternoon, black gloss was applied to two lengths of ex-point rodding and two short lengths of angle iron for a new cabinet to be erected at Toddington.

Tuesday - While waiting the arrival of Malcolm, Neil and Carl, myself John P. made a start on dismantling the fence around the cattle dock. On arrival of the railcar and after a quick brew! the gang of five headed for where the south ground frame once occupied in order to strip all the fittings, detection, wheels and blocks. Within an hour of starting the snow began falling but the job had to be finished as P/way were due on site on Saturday to remove the point work and plain rail this area. No problem!! After lunch the errant crank fitted to T32 yesterday was removed to take back to Winchcombe for modification.

By 2pm, it was decided to get the railcar back to Winchcombe before the snow got too deep. Myself and John P. stayed behind and fitted new support rails to the fence posts around the cattle dock before heading home around 430 pm.

Due to the bad weather, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were written off, but did give Malcolm an opportunity to finish drawing up the diagram for the new Toddington signalling.

Week ending 16th January

Monday - within the relative warmth of our coach, ha-ha! A coat of black gloss was applied to the banner repeater plate and hoop, and two plunger casting bolts were cleaned and primed.

A check was made to ensure we have in stock all the large lever locks required as per the configuration of locking positions on the drawing.

The ladder previously renovated for use with signal T2 needed some slight modifications to be made. Firstly the end crows nest brackets were cut off before drilling and fitting a new hoop and post bracket.

Tuesday - today's task was to swap the electric locks between levers 22 and 20. Sounds easy enough until you take a look under the lever frame. With no room to swing a mouse let alone a cat, Malcolm and I set about removing the locks and supports, drilling new bolt holes through six inch timbers and then bolting the whole assembly back together again. Levers 20 and 22 were swapped around in the frame and lever 23 removed, cut down to size and refitted. While all this was going on, Richard Collier was keeping warm in front of the log burner painting the lever frame.

Wednesday - Winchcombe - plenty of cutting, drilling and cleaning. Three electric lock coupling bars and lever attachments, a lever lock angle and brackets for the banner repeater lamp case were all completed today. Does not sound a lot of work, but done properly takes time.

Thursday - first job was to load the railcar with T2 ladder and fittings and ten bags of cement within the confines of C&W sidings. Once completed, five sets of points had to be cleared of snow to enable the railcar to be shunted back into P/way sidings. A trip to Toddington in the afternoon to fit T22 lock mount bolts and modify lock sleeper fixings to get T22 lock to locate in 'N' (normal) and 'R' (reverse) positions correctly. Snow cleared from 'E' switch and tested…OK.

Friday - Toddington 'box - completed the locking in 'D' & 'E' channels of the new locking tray with the aid of John Simms.  Assisted Neil Carr fit new lock to T20 and clear snow from points 12 & 14.

Week ending 23rd January

Monday - the morning spent in the coach at Winchcombe making three concrete studs for attaching T6 horizontal wheel. A start was made on cleaning and repainting on the wire adjuster for T5. After lunch a trip to Toddington with the railcar to unload the ladder for T2 and load two tons of aggregate onto the trailer. Under the 'box, the wire for T5 was cut and refitted to T18, tested and OK. The same was done to T6 and refitted to T20.

I spent the day manufacturing two new gates, installing three new posts and repairing / replacing the fencing at the north boundary of platforms 1 & 2. Two coats of preservative were applied to the support rails around the cattle dock, one a.m. and one late p.m.

Tuesday - An early start was made today concreting in three new fence posts erected yesterday and treating the fence at the north end of platform 1.

Back with S&T, the route indicator signal, T22 & T23, temporarily erected last year at Toddington North, was stripped of its fittings today in preparation for its removal. A scaffold tower was erected around the post while Malcolm disconnected the signal wire from T22 & T23 and re-jointed them into the wire run for T27 & T29 (bracket). By mid-afternoon the scaffold tower had been removed and relocated by the ex-south ground frame and all the fittings loaded onto the railcar. The signalling of the approach to Toddington from the north will now be controlled by the bracket signal situated approx. halfway between the Stow Road Bridge and the viaduct once the wires have been re-routed under the 'box. The fittings from the route indicator signal have now been returned to Winchcombe where they will be fully refurbished for eventual erection at Broadway. The post awaits removal by the road/rail machine next time it is in use.

A start was made on removing the wire adjuster for T2 but progress was slow due to very stubborn bolt heads and coach screws.

Wednesday - under Toddington 'box, the wires for T27 & T29 were re-routed and re-jointed and tested for correct operation- all OK.

T2 wire adjuster removed and refitted five inches sideways after drilling and bolting the two support beams.

Thursday - an important visit to Toddington, with the help of John Simms the new locking tray and all bottom bars were tested and OK. Then 'A' & 'B' channels were tested and OK.

John P. and I fit new picket fencing to the south and front sides of the cattle dock.

Friday - a trip to Gotherington 'box to fetch lever labels and large lock rings for Toddington. Then to Toddington 'box where some minor filing to tappet blades and bars was necessary.

John P. and I fit new picket fencing to north end of cattle dock and give the whole a first coat of preservative.

Saturday - a second coat of preservative applied to fencing around the cattle dock at Toddington.

Week ending 30th January

Monday - a morning trip to Gotherington with Malcolm and Neil to erect and concrete four new speed sign stakes, two at either ends of the track circuits.

Back at the coach in Winchcombe yard, the wire adjuster for T5 was primed and undercoated. A length of ex-point rodding was cut and shaped for use as a support for T5 wire adjuster. The remaining time was spent unloading the route indicator fittings from the railcar into storage.

Tuesday - before the arrival of the railcar and the rest of the gang, time was spent giving the fence at the south of platforms 1&2 a second coat of preservative.

After arrival of the railcar and a quick brew, a new cabinet and its two large concrete supporting blocks were installed opposite the site of the new signal T2. After lunch, two new speed sign stakes were erected near the viaduct and additional track bonding and circuit feeds were installed around the trap point in the North Head Shunt, while under the 'box, the wire adjusters for T1 & T5 were installed, and signal wire and long slings fitted, jointed and tested.

Wednesday - John P. and I fit new gravel boards and make repairs to fencing around the children's play area as well as replacing rotten posts and rails to the picket fence around the Flag and Whistle. Broken pickets were also replaced along the car park fence line.

In Winchcombe coach, half of the banner repeater signal received a coat of black gloss, while the other half was cleaned and primed. A broken side catch was replaced, the other three removed and cleaned.

A large electric lock was fetched from the container for refurb in the coach, and three 25mph speed signs had the yellow and black paint touched up.

Thursday - undercoat second half of banner repeater signal and large electric lock. Fit check rings to large electric lock. A trip to Toddington in the afternoon to remove vertical wheel for T1 lever and reposition for T2.

All unused metalwork, fittings and tins of nuts and bolts removed to lamp hut. The end is now in sight?

Friday - again under Toddington 'box, file/modify and fit new lock in 'C' channel and test. Cut/file locking in 'D' & 'E' channels and test. File slots in tray lids x3, and stamp with numbers then mark and punch ready for drilling fixing holes.

John P. and I fit new rails, concrete in new posts and replace the picket fence around Flag & Whistle.

In all, not a bad months work considering the harsh weather at the beginning. Hopefully February will be kinder to us all!