Lynton and Barnstaple - Operations and Development

Absolutely no criticism.
Read about all the trouble they had, thus I was thoroughly surprised that they had got so far with No. 5 already.
I know how much work it is in such a project, we have had one going on for several years.
http://museijarnvagenimariefred.se/

 

Indeed ..... that new jig for squaring the bodywork looks as though it'll help a lot. Roll on a review of No.5's construction from the horse's mouth. It's amazing how the 'production line' has speeded up since the first restoration, though AIUI, each carriage turned out now will include less and less original material. Still .... if Blodge could get away with 'Rebuilt' on Taliesin's works plate, courtesy of (I believe) just the reversing lever, perhaps it's time someone scoured all the out buildings around Exmoor for L&B hinges etc*.

Is anyone aware of current L&B thinking on what gets built, carriage-wise, once the original components are used up? In any event (hopefully), 17 carriages, to original designs, ain't gonna be enough once the Blackmoor - Lynton stretch is fully open, never mind the full line to Barnstaple.

*looking at the bits they've recovered to date, I wouldn't put any money on finding much else!

 

Chelfham Station site will be reopening on Wednesday 6th February.

Only Trust members are able to volunteer on the site, but a day membership scheme is being introduced to facilitate non-members who wish to participate in restoration activities.

Chelfham - like the rest of the L&B - reawaketh...

 

A sight to gladden the eye. Chelfham emerges from hibernation, blinking in Wednesdays bright winter sunshine:

(Photo by Nigel Thompson)

 

Good to see Chelfham open again - thanks for the update and photograph Mark and Nigel.

 

stooks are still seen widespread in this area,particularly south molton,winkleigh and dolton area,although these days they are wheat for thatching and not oats

 

Stooks was used in Warwickshire when I was young.

 

Much activity over the weekend, firstly around Rowley, and also exploratory work bridge 54, south of Blackmoor Gate. The Rowley clearance work continues on from that started in January.
This gorgeous view looking towards Blackmoor by James Bloomfield, shows work in progress as of yesterday:
https://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/files/embedded/imagesWorkingWeekend190330JamesBloomfield/image010.jpg

 

Good to see that the needless wearing of hi-viz vests is so prevalent on the railway before it has even been built. This really bodes well for the heritage feel once trains start running.

Just my opinion

Peter

 

Im no expert on h&s rules, but this probably has more to do with the presence of tracked vehicles, and people with chainsaws, etc.

 

I agree with your sentiment, but the hi-vis is not about it being a rail environment. Any construction site requires hard hat, hi-vis and safety boots and glasses and gloves (especially if vehicles/mobile plant are used). Health and safety legislation has had a positive effect on the wellbeing of those employed in construction and, however unnecessary/ unattractive it all may seem, it is here to stay. Those chaps simply do not have a choice whether or not they use PPE or not

 

Except that this clearly is not a construction site yet and there seems to be considerable choice about about the clothing worn in this picture. I agree entirely about the positive effect of H&S legislation, but the wearing of hi-viz vests unnecessarily does nothing to promote safety as it will not protect you from anything, least of all if you are stupid enough to get in harms way. It is a visibility aid, no more.

Peter

 

Excellent to see, I was wondering when work would recommence.

 

No. There is a requirement for a risk assessment. The risk assessment might have such requirements and over the last 40 years the trend has been for ever more onerous mitigations. Arguments will continue about their worth.

 

People like the nanny state. It is now embedded. Sorry but that ship has sailed get yer silly vest on and zip yer lip.

 

Whatever the legal requirements are - or not - for the wearing of Hi-Vis I have to say that if I was working there and someone gave me hi-vis clothing to wear I would happily accept rather than wear our my own clothing.

 

In other non tedious hi viz ranting news.

Lyn is currently being unloaded in Minffordd Yard for a little holiday.

Tim

 

There is a requirement for a risk assessment, and that risk assessment will inevitably require the use of PPE. In the event of an accident, the employer will have to answer if staff were not required to use "normal" measures to avoid the possibility of accidents. Not ensuring the use of a precaution which may have prevented that accident makes you "negligent", and will end up costing a lot of money.
Personally, I'd rather see the L&B spend its money on track and ballast, rather than litigation and fines.

 

I agree with the thrust if not the detail of your points despite previous posters inferring wrongly that I am wholly opposed to contemporary H&S processes. My quibbles with the posts above are not with what has become the practice but with the requirements of the relevant legislation. I know a little about this as for several years until retirement I had senior management oversight of H&S in a fairly complex organisation.

 

Not so many years ago, I worked on a land based maintenance contract for an offshore gas producer. Their requirements were very strict, applying 'rig' safety culture to the 'landfall' site, and even then into the office complex some 15 miles away inland. Having worked on MOD airfields and camps, their 'safety' regime was, to me, OTT. They wouldn't let me carry a spanner up the stairs, let alone my control system computer. No lift in the building, so a forklift truck was used to raise said spanner and computer to the first floor. Their plans came adrift as the FLT went over a speed bump and dropped the lot. I still hadn't worked out how they were going to get the FLT into the building to lift everything into the roof top plant room.... Back on topic, though, if the workers are all trackside trained to wear HV, then whenever they are tasked a job on the operational railway, the safety culture is already in place.