Canopy work progresses

No news on the actual extension this week, but there is progress in other areas to report.

The fabrication of the replica canopy, being undertaken in the loco works at Toddington, has progressed further, with several more pieces completed or in the course of assembly.

A second length of fascia board is stored outside the workshop, while inside...

... a long piece from the longitudinal structure is in the course of assembly. You can see where this will go in the picture below:

This piece runs the full length of the canopy, while the rafters, of which three have now been made, cross through it at right angles.

The clock and the lamps are not original at Toddington, but do look the part.


While at Toddington, we also had a look at the relaying of the unloading road:

The turnout leading to the two roads in the foreground (one on the left, the other under the spoil heap, which runs into the loco shed) has been moved further back towards the conical tree in the distance. This is to ease the curves coming off it, and to straighten No.6 road leading into the shed.

Here is the turnout in its new position, with a lot of the work already completed. The work going on today was to dig out the unloading road up to the level of the shed, so that this too can be relaid. The dumper in the background took the spoil away. Some of this has already gone to Hayles, where it was very welcome for future infill behind the blockwork.

This relay needs to be completed before we can receive any more new rail. As it coincides with the contractors occupying the extension trackbed, there is no time wasted - it's all part of the plan ! Work on the extension itself will resume once this is completed, and the contractors have released their possession.

Finally, a snippet of what is done behind the scenes:

The replica cast iron worksplates for the footbridge and the canopy have arrived. They are faithful reproductions of an original recovered from Broadway in 1963.

New IN and OUT signs have also been sourced for the ticket hatches in the booking office. Form an orderly queue please - well, this is what we hope to be able to say in 2018!