Works taking shape at Aviemore - Week ending 12th October 2024

Thursday Midweek Squad saw a continuation of works at Aviemore. 

Fergus with his own personal whacker plate, possibly thinking "one of these days I'll get a hire fee from Strathspey Railway!" It is a very useful bit of plant.

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Saturday saw an even bigger squad.

Nathan applying heat, John applying some gentle persuasion!

 Above a considerable number of brand new check chairs required, as it is an A 6 1/2 Switch (believed to be from Grantown Gas Works many years ago) with a tight radius turnout necessitating a long checkrail. 

Mike, Angus and David topped up with many fresh loads of ash and again compacted using guess what? (might try and erase shadow of me sometime)

Close up of how the timbers in pit are joined up, these were AS1 chair screws, Mike was instructed to cut protruding square heads off, which he did to his satisfaction, Georgie subsequently asked Shed staff to further smooth them off!   

Scene near end of play as captured by John, Road 1 finally taking shape, no idea of the name of Road to future Running Shed?

Thanks to Mike, Angus, Roddy, David, Fergus, Michael, John, Ian, Richard and the brains behind it all - Georgie!  

 

Fencing and even larger timbers at Aviemore - two weeks ending 5th October 2024

An extra midweek day, with Georgie South we headed North - to assist Fergus fencing on the Dulnain extension, in perfect weather.

Apparently we got the large round posts cheap! Mike wielding Fergus' new post hole clam-shell digger, (he called it something else, but I think he was taking the proverbial!) does the job until finding large boulders, rare photo of Michael working or perhaps leaning on Fergus' "too heavy bar", even for Mike  

who used his golf swing to mell the posts to the correct height, Fergus took no chances with any colour blind bulls, he covered his high viz.

We never heard David hit his thumb once, quite amazing really as he did all the staple hammering. Fergus thanked us for our efforts, a few more to do.

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Saturday 5th October saw a slow start with the Boss having to cadge a lift from Inverness, returning her hired van after her usual sojourn South.

Martin under the watchful gaze of Nigel (Shed Foreman's dog) cuts a clear edge and later removes debris from pit floor.

Concrete sleepers fortunately inserted by Colmar  

likewise the heavy longitudinal timbers

Martin and Richard packing the ends to try and get them level in warm sunshine.

Thanks to Mike (todays photos & info) Michael, David, Iain, Martin & Richard.