John Protherough, Carl Smart and Ron Redding painting posts T4 & T20 in Winchcombe yard.  


Bracket signal nearing completion in Winchcombe yard.  


S&T coach void of clutter prior to moving for the first time in many years!!  

Week ending 3rd May

Remainder of fittings bolted to the main post of bracket signal for Toddington north. This is now likely to be transported to Toddington and eventually lifted into place as a whole rather than dismantling, transporting and rebuilding. All that remains to complete the build is to source timbers and guardrails for the bracket platform.

Week ending 10th May

Final coat of paint given to signal posts T4 and T20. Both posts now await the welding of a base plate to the bottom to allow bolting to the concrete pads mentioned in the last update. These signals will replace signals T4 and T6 currently at the north end of platforms 1 and 2 at Toddington, and be installed 80 yards further north (i.e. the other side of Stow Road bridge). The reason for this is because with six-coach trains, locos currently have to pass the existing signals to get all the coaches alongside the platform.

Timbers sourced, modified, drilled and bolted to bracket platform supports and treated with preservative.

Week ending 16th May

Guardrails sourced, modified and the abovementioned timbers drilled to attach railing stays to the platform. The railings were then given a coat of black hammerite paint and the timbers another coat of preservative.

Week ending 23rd May

Fabricate and fix a strengthening bar to the front edge of bracket platform in readiness for ladder fixings. Remove all trace of paint from two short signal posts (these will sit aloft the bracket signal) and coat with red oxide paint. The same treatment given to two 10mph and two 25mph speed restriction signs. When finished in yellow paint, these will replace wooden signs at either end of Gotherington loop.  

Week ending 30th May

The two short bracket posts receive undercoat and a top coat of white paint. In between painting, a start was made on removing stored items and rubbish from beneath coaches stored in the first siding immediately behind the C&W workshop. This is in readiness for the major shunt to store stock for long-term restoration projects on new sidings laid in Winchcombe yard. This should be done during the first week of July.