GWSR Broadway Developments

Now no longer available on iPlayer, but here instead, no need to have Facebook to watch it.

 

A Monday gang of 6 worked in fine sunshine today, and we had a day of good progress. We split ourselves into a brick laying gang, and a drain laying gang.

The 2 brick layers worked on the southern third of the building, and two of the three sides are now up to 14 courses, while the third side is up to eight. Corner towers will soon be erected on the northern gable in order to allow progress to continue at that end.

On the drainage side we back filled the 6inch storm drain laid down to the track bed, and started digging a new trench along the front of the building. The purpose of this bigger drain is to catch the rainwater run off from the area in front of the building, as well as from gutter downpipes. A separate pipe, already buried under what will be a pavement outside, carries the foul water from the toilets.

The front of the building now has quite an impressive brick wall on it. A small date stone in the same stone as the window cills indicating the dates of original build, demolition and rebuilding will be incorporated in the front near the main entrance.

 

The Monday gang did well today, in fine weather and with 4 brick layers in attendance, although one at the controls of the mini digger laying a drain.

The southern end (about 40% of the building) now has two facades up to 14 courses, and at the end of the day all three facades were up to this level. With the bricklayers already up on planks supported by milk crates (and one spot on a tower of 5 milk crates !) this is as high as we would like to go for the moment. For bricks beyond this level we need scaffolding in place.
As two brick layers worked on completing the 14 course level (this is not counting the 5 rows of blues underneath) the third one started work on the northern end of the building, round the future gents' toilet. Two towers on the corners were completed, and this will enable rapid infilling in between, starting on Wednesday, when all 3 brick layers will be at work on the northern end.
The other activity going on today was the further laying of the 6 inch storm drain along the front. This take s quite a bit of skill, it's not just a matter of digging a trench and burying a pipe. The level has to be perfect to connect with everything else and take the water away, and catch pits and junctions have to be added in, requiring much sawing and filling with lean mix.
At the end of the day, today's stretch was back filled and the associated bit of car park released back to traffic. More digging is due on Wednesday here, until the northern corner of the building is reached.

Our plc FD came to see what we were doing with the money! Hopefully we impressed. We heard the share issue has reached £520.000 as of today, confirmed by a boardroom blog report now available. Still not at the half way stage though; that's £625.000. We still have a long way to go.

 

Breva: At what point do you start to erect the inner blockwork walls, presumably with a cavity filled with insulation? You look to have some impressive outer walls appearing, do they have ties inserted as you build, to connect to the inner blockwork?

Keep up the good work, and your regular updates which are much appreciated.

46118

 

I believe the inner block wall will be started shortly.
There are ties in the brickwork; you just can't see them.
There will be insulation too, all part of building regulations, which is why the canopy will sit on the stanchions, and not on the solid brickwork as once was. The floor is insulated too.
Come and see for yourself during our annual open evening at 18.30 on Friday!

 

As ever, thanks for the info.

Regards

46118

 

The power of the Nat Pres forum!

Internal block laying started today. Most of the kitchen end and the intermediate wall to the cafe were put up today, including the necessary insulation.

Feels quite snug in there too We tried to order two coffees over the wall, but the brick layers were not amused...

 

Thanks Breva...but I am sure the bricklayers have a plan,... without NatPres input!!

Great progress.

Must again float the idea to the wife of a visit to Hidcote, so that along the way we can drop in at the station site.

46118

 

A nice promotional video has just been put on YouTube in support of the Last Mile share issue:

 

I wondered what they were filming me for! Excellently produced as well, as indeed all our media has been in the past few years.

 

Just seen a copy of the latest steam beano, a good article on the share offer, and a quote from our FD saying every time we open a new station numbers increase 25% - roll on Hailes Abbey Halt then!

 

In my experience, when you open an extension, numbers go up, then they go down again. We'll just have to see.
Certainly when we had our open evening last Friday, there was a very large queue of parked cars all along station road into town. One visitor brought a signalman's stool for the train register desk which was great; we could do with a second.

The gang building Hayles Abbey halt have now got their ducks in line, and are holding a site meeting with potential volunteers next week prior to laying the first block.
You should see progress photographs on the B&S blog in due course. The link is here: http://gwsrbuildingservices.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/hayles-update.html

I'll give a Broadway update on Monday after work.

 

The promised Monday update....
It was hot today, and little shade (yet!)
Four brick layers were busy today, working on all three sides of the northern end, the southern brickwork now being as high as we can get without scaffolding.
The first 2 pictures show the inside of the southern end, which is the kitchen and part of the cafe. They have now been lined in Celcon blocks. The inside will also be dry lined eventually, and this will hide the stanchions.
Steelwork for the roof has been ordered, and manufacture is about to start.

At the other end of the building the red brickwork is beginning to rise, and rather more quickly, as there are fewer windows here, as this is a toilet area with only small ones.
Finally, another socket was prepared for the new reproduction lamp posts. In the foreground is the new socket; in the background one of the municipal street posts that are being replaced. We are hoping for a delivery of the first sample GWR casting in about three weeks.

 

Are those workers wearing authentic GWR hard hats?!?!
If not it is a disgrace, etc., froth froth rant....

(Back to reality)
Progress looking good, this will be a lovely station when finished.

 

On the GWSR website, the track showing the progress of the share issue is now showing £600,000 subscribed. so nearly half way there!

 

The Monday gang made a very subdued start this morning, due to the continuous rain overnight and into the start of the day. No bricks were laid until 10am, leaving those that turned up at 7am chomping at the bit for 3 hours.
When the rain did stop, two out of the three brick layers were called into a committee meeting, so serious brick laying didn't start until after lunch.
That said, the guys did well and quite an impact was made on the northern third, which is now being worked on. The car park side had several rows added, as well as towers at the corner and expansion gap. They now rise to 14 courses, which will allow the bricks in between to be laid more quickly. 14 courses of reds is what we can achieve without scaffolding.
The platform side went a bit more slowly, as due to the three doors leading into the three toilets a lot more cutting and fitting has to take place. In the picture a cut brick is being inspected by a sceptical brick layer. Will it pass muster?

Another municipal lamp post was dug out on Saturday, and the hole vacated by the unwanted post was immediately filled with a new concrete box for the GWR replicas today. Two more municipal posts (out of 9 planted 3 years ago) remain to be done; 7 holes are now ready to receive the GWR type. Without exactly promising, the foundry has suggested a test casting might be available in 2 weeks. Fingers crossed !

In other news, work has started on the manufacture of the replica canopy. This is excellent news - funds have been released, material ordered, and the first two 'rafters' (the correct word escapes me) have been test assembled. They are currently bolted together but will be rivetted in the final version.

4 replica works plates (E.Finch, Chepstow, 1903) have been ordered by yours truly. They will be fitted to the footbridge and to the station canopy. Should one be upside down, as at Toddington? Check it out for yourself

The original lent to the foundry to make the replicas is believed to come from Broadway station itself. It is in excellent condition, suggesting that it was not fitted outdoors (eg to a bridge) but indoors in a dry place, such as under the canopy. It was picked up at Broadway during the demolition process in 1963. A picture is attached (in primer). All the ironwork along the Honeybourne line was manufactured by E. Finch.

 

Is the word you're looking for 'roof truss'?

Sawdust.

 

I have ascertained that it is indeed a rafter. It's two parallel angles with a criss/cross of strip in between. They are starting with something small to get into the swing of things. The bigger trusses and arches will come later.

 

Just seen on the GWSR 'boardroom blog' that the share sale has passed the half-way point. The total is now £628,000.

I also saw the photos of the first latticework rafters for Broadway station building on the extension blog. After the difficulties in agreeing the design for the station roof, it's wonderful to see a design that's so sensitive to the line's heritage.

I like all steam railways, and if I'm passing one I'll try to visit (family allowing), but there are a handful that I'll follow closely, give money to and think about getting involved with. And the thing that sets this group of railways apart for me, is an authenticity in preserving or recreating railway heritage. Things like the signal box at Corfe Castle, the platform canopy at Loughborough, the new SECR carriage being launched today at the Bluebell. There are cheaper ways of getting the job done, but that's exactly what makes these projects special, choosing to do it the hard way in order to do it 'right'.

At the moment, the box on the left says 'no I do not currently volunteer', but I don't live that far from the GWSR, and I'm now thinking about it. Broadway station, and what it says about how the values of this railway are changing, has made the difference.

 

That's very kind of you, thank you.
Come and have a chat at Broadway, Mondays, Wednesdays or Saturdays.
You have put it well with 'changing values' but more can be done.

BTW we have a regular volunteer from Crawley, and another from Bedford!