11th April 2026
No Tim! No photos!
Thus you are stuck with text from DG.
Present, diligently preparing the railway for running were: Alan A, June, Andy C, Phil E, David G, Dave M, Nick S, Robin S & Alan S.
Also there was a fleeting visit from Dave M in the afternoon.
Weather : Dry, cool and sometimes sunny.
Achieved :
Alan S put the finishing touches to the loco preparation area in front of the shed; it now gleams with brightly painted walls and new gloss black on the features.
Robin S was i/c checking points and putting out signals. Several signals have been rebuilt by Alan A over the winter. Most things worked but thorough testing remains to be done. Some issues were identified and Robin will prepare a snagging list for Andrew A, our professional signal engineer. One signal solenoid was found failed and was replaced.
Gas Pipe Restoration at Spinney Box occupied the majority of the team and this work was completed using the (hopefully) everlasting plastic sleepers. One of the group brought a compressor, used to power a hand held tamping machine - think pneumatic drill. Dave M may still be vibrating.
DG looks forward to Tim returning next time.
Pictures above received after my first attempt.
Thank you Robin (left) and Dave M via Alan S (right).
28th March 2026
A rescheduled day as many of us were unavailable last week. However, a good turnout of friends and the nine were:- Alan and June plus Tim, Dave M, Dave MB, David G, Alan S, Andy, Phil, Robin and Peter. Thanks to June for the teas and cakes.
Whilst the track was out, another pipe was laid in case we need to run more cables in the future. The line nearest the Signalbox has now been connected, aligned and ballasted and will require tamping next time. The other line is waiting for the last track panel to be inserted, then aligned and ballasted next time.
The two pictures above show Phil and Robin re sleeping using new plastic sleepers and the unballasted track. Dave MB also joined in to help what looked like a factory process and three track panels were completed. A lot of effort exercised today.
Alan S continued his engine shed patio project and today he built a step up to the area and capped the wall, all under the supervision from David G. Alan A has been working on repairing the signals and today he was spraying the light housings. Hopefully the short showers did not affect the paint work.
Peter has been repairing and painting buffer stops and additionally at Old Oak he has run an electrical feed to illuminate the red light.
Jobs for next time involve:-
- Continuing with the Spinney relaying project
- Site clearing
- Branch line level crossing is currently unusable due to earth covering the line
- Boarding has arrived to complete the foot crossings, especially the Dingly Dell foot crossing as the sleepers are not connected to the rails
7th March 2026
Firstly, appologies to Robin and Nick, whom I forgot to add as attending, (sorry working) in the last news but this has now been corrected. They must have been in stealth mode. Nine friends today and were:- Alan A, June plus, Tim, Robin, Nick, Dave M, Mick, Alan S, Phil, Jamie and Peter. Apologies from Dave MB and David G who decided it was too cold and jetted off to the Caribbean to lounge around in his speedo's. Unfortunately Mick was taken ill and Alan S had to drive him home early, we wish him well. A slow news day with only four projects on the go and were:-
- Cutting and drilling sleepers
- Re-sleepering track panels
- Cutting back vegetation at the engine shed
- Pointing the new slabs the engine shed
Thanks to June for the teas and cakes. The picture above shows Dave M and Jamie cutting back the vegetation whilst Alan S, pointed the paving slabs.
We had some plastic material delivered for making sleepers, so a factory like process was set up with Alan A, cutting to length, Nick drilling the holes using a jig for spacing and Tim moving them to Spinney. 173 sleepers were made today and are currently stored on Spinney platform like the game of Jenga. Phil and Peter can be seen re sleeping the second track panel whilst Robin drills holes for the bonding - Richard would be proud. Projects ground to a halt and we had tea at 15.30 before departing.
Next time
The sleepers at Dingly turntable require fixing to the rails and ballasting and continue with re-sleepering at Spinney.
21st February 2026
Good turnout and progress made today with several projects on the go. Ten friends attended and were: Alan A, June, plus Tim, David G, Dave M, Dave MB, Phil, Alan S, Andy, Robin, Nick and Peter. Excuses received from Jamie and Henry and thanks to June for the teas and cakes and to Dave MB for the additional photos. Peter has made some new station signs at home, this time using plastic so should fair better through the year.
When we resleepered the foot crossings on the railway, we forgot the crossing at Dingly turntable. Phil started to dismantle the old crossing and through the day was joined by Dave MB and Robin. The old foot crossing has now been removed along with all the sleepers. Robin measured and cut to size new plastic sleepers and can be seen inserting new membrane under the instructions from Nick sitting in the turntable. The ballast was removed and washed and relaid on other parts of the railway. Nick was taking measurements after discussion with Alan S regarding the repair to the turntable which is showing signs of wear. It has been decided to cut out the existing stretcher with the hole and weld in a new piece and use bearings to aid rotation.
Another project can be seen at Spinney where a large white pipe needs to be laid under the railway. The pipe can just be seen on the left of the picture. Track panels were removed and wooden boarding laid over the tracks to support the spoil that was removed in the dig. Care had to be taken not to disturb the new signal cables we have recently laid. Right hand picture shows Andy and Dave M continuing with fitting wooden edging strips to help keep the earth and vegetation from encroaching onto the railway.
Alan S had his helper back today on the engine shed patio project. David can be seen jet washing the slabs before stepping on one that Alan had just laid. We knew it would happen, just when was the question. Alan has now laid all the slabs and will grout next time. Also discussed what to do with the walls to smarten them up and be more presentable.
7 February 2026
February, a month of rain but we were lucky with a dry period. Six friends turned up and can be seen in a group picture L - R, Alan A, Dave MB, Phil, Robin, Dave M, Nick, June and Tim behind the camera. Group picture managed when June came out with the teas and coffee. Thanks to June for the teas and cakes and to Phil and Dave MB for the additional photos. Excuses received included, not being let out, Ill, and lighting Mother in Laws Birthday candles (all 83 of them).
- Three new posts concreted in around the Dingly area as a start to the resignalling project
- Clearing vegetation from the line
- Turntable investigations
When I arrived, Phil had already made a start on clearing the ivy from the siding at the loco shed, previous news showed the line completely covered and unusable but that has now been reversed. Dave MB took on a solo project and cleared the area between the two tunnels, this is a very damp area and has a lot of moss and Dave reported a few sleepers have perished.
Robin and Nick took on the challenge of investigating the poor state of the turntables at Dingly and Old Oak. After extensive investigation they concluded that major work is required to keep them operational, What they actually said was summed up in one word but not broadcast-able. Dingly turntable can be seen off its spigot which was also examined. Whilst at the Dingly turntable, we realised that we had forgotten that there was a foot crossing and this will require the same treatment as the others and have plastic sleepers inserted and old sleepers removed and discarded.
Alan A has been working on repairing the damaged / rotten signals and picture shows one of them with a new base. Righthand picture shows one of the three new posts that were installed in readiness for electrical boxes to be mounted as part of the Dingly resignalling which will materialise over the year and be swapped over to the new system, hopefully by the end of the year.
24 January 2026
Not too bad working outdoors today however rain stopped play at approximately 16.30 and getting chilly, we packed away and headed home. Nine friends today and were, Alan A, June, plus Tim, Mick, Alan S, Jamie, Dave MB, Dave M, Andy, Peter and Robin. David G has gone away again to a warmer climate, it's not that cold here. Thanks Dave MB for photo submissions, unfortunately they were portrait and to June for the teas and cakes. Projects today, included: Plastic sleepers under the foot crossings, Moving a block joint, Paving.
Left hand picture shows Jamie and Dave MB in the synchronised sweep and swept the ballast from the top of the sleepers, allowing them to air and dry. Robin moved a block joint at Baytree as it was too close to the platform starting signal (BE12) signal, the signal reverted to danger before the driver passed it. Full marks to Robin for making the job last all day as per full size practice. Plenty of banter to fuel the day.
Foot crossings
Pictures above show the start and finish of the replacing of sleepers at Baytree with Andy tamping whilst the others supervise or rest after doing all the other work. The vibration from the tool, certainly packed the ballast under the sleepers. A tube was laid in the ground in case any signal cables need to be run in the future and will save disturbing the new crossing.
Right hand picture shows the team in morning prayers deciding on how to finish the foot crossing at the greenhouse. All foot crossings have had new plastic sleepers inserted and are now waiting for the non slip wood to make the foot crossing useable.
Loco shed apron
Alan S started a project with David G before Christmas break and continued today by cutting and cementing the slabs to the loco shed base. Alan S can be seen checking his work, there is a gentle slope built in to allow the water to drain away. There was a slight delay as it was thought there was no sand and trouble starting the cement mixer, but all turned out good in the end. Hopefully the rain at the end of the day does not undo any work.
10 January 2026
Firstly, a very Happy New Year to all and a thank you to Robin who wrote the text last time for David G to submit. Robin apologises for no photos of the day but I think this is part of a plan so that he doesn't get to write the news each time!! I did ask but Robin gracefully declined as being retired he does not have time. Looks like I am back. Seven friends bracing the winter weather today were:- Alan and June plus Tim, Robin, Nick, Dave M, Phil and Peter. Excuses received from Alan S (Sick, we wish him well), Jamie and Dave MB and David G who doesn't want a cold on one of his holidays. Whilst we were deciding on the plan for the day, Dave M unloaded his Beattie Well Tank to test on the points etc then reloaded to take home. Reports of a successful test are noted. Thanks to June for the teas and cakes, Christmas cake still on the menu and to Berry for the scones. Also thanks to Dave M and Nick for submitting photos and David G for a formatting issue.
Nick in action
Nick can be seen showing us how to toss the caber or pole vault. Nick delivered plastic sleeper material from Robin which we are now using for the sleepers. The oak sleepers previously used below the foot crossings have deteriorated very quickly and today it was decided to replace all the foot crossings with plastic sleepers and eventually non slip boarding. Nick can also be seen cutting the sleepers to length of some sort.
Pictures above show the foot crossing outside Old Oak Signalbox which was dug out and three full length sleepers inserted plus others and a plastic membrane, then ballasted. It will require tamping next time and lastly, the boarding fitted, which is planned to be slightly wider than the previous.
Phil and Peter took charge of the foot crossing adjacent to the green house. The ground was frozen so an SDS drill had to be used to break the ballast. All ballast removed and again a plastic membrane was installed and is ready for ballasting. Time ran out for ballasting so a job for next time. Original plan was for the whole panel to be lifted and the fish plate bolts were removed. Decision taken to replace sleepers with track in situ and it became a problem to reinstate the fish plate bolts as the rail had shrunk with the cold. Eventually after persuasion the bolts were returned to their correct place. An electric cable also passes along the track bed and this was lowered out of harms way.
Righthand picture above depicts Robin showing Alan A how long his tape measure is.
6th December 2025
Robin writes:
Sorry - no pictures. Without Tim no one had the foresight to take any!
We had 9 Friends for the last gathering before Christmas, Alan & June, David G, Alan S, Jamie, Paul, Dave MB, Phil and Robin.
Peter put in a brief appearance and managed to collect buffer stops to be taken home for painting. He had an even more important job to get his car opening roof fixed - it was stuck open!
The main job was leaf clearing. Although Alan A had cleared a lot mid week there was still a lot to be done by Paul, Dave MB, Jamie and
Alan A. Hopefully this will allow sleepers to dry out and we can see how many need replacement and any other track work needed.
Alan S and David G started cleaning up pavers to go in the raised track area outside the engine shed. Phil started removing the old decking boards on the foot crossings ready for renewing rotten sleepers and fitting non-slip replacement boards. Robin continued to work out what’s needed for the Dingly Dell rewiring project.
Thanks as always to June for tea and cakes, which we managed to consume between the showers.
That’s it for 2025. Merry Christmas. Hope to see you all in 2026!
Robin
22nd November Cancelled
Cancelled due to poor weather forecast and only three friends showing as available.
8th November Pack away and winter work begins
Now that the running season has finished, we collected in all the signals and started a couple of winter projects. The aim is not to have a repeat of the last couple of years where we suffered from over running engineering works and were unable to run when other locations were.
Packing away today were:- Alan, June plus Tim, Heather, Alan, David G, Andy, Robin and Phil. Excuses provided from Dave MB and Mick who both had better things to do and Dave M due to sickness (and appreciate keeping that to himself). Thanks to June for the teas and cakes, Andy enjoyed the cakes baked by Phil's wife and finished them.
All signals bar Spinney number 8 signal were removed for winter storage, in the process it has been discovered that many are suffering from years of neglect and age and will require substantial repair / replacement and have been placed in Baytree Signalbox as wanting repair. Robin has taken home, two ground disc signals which require overhauling as they are a bit sticky. I am making new posts to ensure the signals are not touching the ground and remove the rotting issue. Hydraulic ram was removed from the unloading ramp and stored as well as the Old Oak water pump put away for storage. The station signs are showing signs of weathering and will also need some TLC.
Winter projects started with Alan S removing the screed at the loco shed using a kango as this had broken up with the weather affecting it. This will be replaced with a screed more adaptable to the weather using PVA as a bonding agent and in the mix. Robin and David G worked on investigating the Baytree wiring to establish the reason behind the faults we have been suffering from in the running season. Many references made to the schematic wiring diagram, but not sure if they could interpret it correctly. Also replaced was a micro switch in the point motor for Baytree point number 4. Some track circuits were showing occupied which could be due to the damp conditions and we will need to test it again when it’s dried up. Phil and Robin looked at the point number 20 outside Dingly signal box and Phil can be seen above finding it under many leaves.
At the end of the day, chatting with a cup of tea or coffee, June asked how the Pinewood visit went. Various editions emerged and when I said it is on the news web page, all had blank faces as it transpired NO ONE had actually read it........ Apparently my fault for not telling everyone.