Autumn Working Weekend Report
Published: 24th November, 2024
Autumn Working Weekend 2024
The weekend of 22nd to 24th November was the L&B's Autumn working weekend. Our volunteers were out in wet and windly North Devon doing a huge number of essential tasks around the railway.
The railway is enormously grateful to all of the volunteers and staff who braved the weather and provided their time and labour. We really couldn't do it with out them.
The next big working weekends will be 24th - 26th January and 28th - 30th March 2025. Volunteers are always welcome - please contact Stuart at Woody Bay for more details.
Day 1 - 22 November
A group of volunteers took a train down the line to clear gorse from the lineside, and strim and tidy the site at Killington Lane. Other gangs were carrying out maintenance on the 7 1/4" gauge railway, and starting to prepare Woody Bay for Christmas.
Day 2 - 23 November
Volunteers battled pouring rain in their heroric mission. Work included the minor adjustment of track alignment in various locations, the collection of scrap metal from the Killington Lane area, putting up even more Christmas decorations, and clearing blocked drains on the A39 outside Woody Bay Station.
Day 3 - 24 November
After day two's rain and high wind, day three offered up even more rain without the wind. There was significant flooding of the roads in the area, and the highway drains outside the station were again blocked by leaves, causing some motorists to turn round. Also, there was a significant risk of the water over-topping the bank between the highway and the station area, affecting the 7¼” railway, and also the tearoom. Efforts were directed to clearing these drains and the risks removed.
An additional highway drain which had been blocked on a number of occasions, defected to Devon Highways and attended to by them previously was found to be blocked. This drain runs into an open pit at the top of the overflow car park, then underground and is culverted under the railway. Volunteers eventually cleared this drain and traffic was able to pass safely.
Various other jobs were carried out around the station area.
09 July 2024