The final day (this week....) and another hottie. There was a team of 7 today, but the day started off with Derek manning the shovel all on his own.

Still on the first dump, and the second ready to drop.

Luckily, two more volunteers arrived in due course, so that the shovelling team became three, which is more reasonable.
The objective today was to put in the 4th layer. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons we did not manage this, and just got 45 meters in. Still, looking back over the week, we reckon we transported and levelled 200 tons of infill, with 3 1/2 layers done, and 1 1/2 layers still to go. The platform has been transformed!

Here is the main reason we did not fill as much as we had hoped today:

The big sky - unfortunately, also the small pile.

No infill available ! We are rather dependent on our kind suppliers Kier, and today some of the crushed concrete they had was used under their piling rigs, so that up to a point we had to make do with what was left over from yesterday.

No, not crisps, water.

One very welcome sight today was, as promised yesterday, a water bowser that ran up and down the route used by the Kier lorries and dumpers, to dampen down the dust we have been having in this hot weather. It was a big improvement.

Thirsty work for a CAT.

The big field behind the signal box continues to swallow vast amounts of clay, dug up from the foundations of the new racecourse buildings. This huge bulldozer flattens out the spoil deliveries, and at the end of the day, the field hardly looks any different. Amazing.

Tony and Ron have a chin wag.

Our little dumpers were proving temperamental when starting - every other start attempt resulted in electrics, but no starter motor activity. We tried wiggeling various levers, bouncing up and down on the seat (there is a contact under it, believe it or not) and even prayer, but often as not, the d****d things wouldn't start. Finally we found the cause - the main control lever (which acts as a sort of joy stick giving forward, back, brake and dump control) also has a sensor in it, which is rather worn. If it isn't exactly in the middle when you turn the starter key, it won't go. Glad we got that sorted then. Now, how about some more spoil?

As the spoil shortage had also impacted Kier's activities, the ordered some crushed stone from a quarry, and very kindly rerouted one of these lorries over to us. Now that is friendly! We were off again, but now in yellow. It looked rather odd, but that's the Cotswolds for you.

4270 comes to inspect our work

Friday is a non-running day, so we are not slowed down by passing trains. Not!
Peculiar arm waving by the shovel gang as I mounted the platform infill caused me to slow down and stop. It was 4270, let out for a canter. Nice. I am so impressed by this locomotive, being a shareholder of 4253, which still has some way to go, but this is what we will get. Fabulous.

What's this yellow stuff you're bringing us then?

The crushed Cotswold stone was very sticky and almost impossible to shift, even with pick and shovel. Eventually we cracked, and ordered a 1 1/2 ton mini digger to help distribute the material. It arrived within the hour - now that is service.

Rolling, rolling, rolling.....

Finally, the 45m we filled were rolled by John, leaving a nice packed surface.
This is the end of our working CRC2 week, and tomorrow were are having a 'holiday' at Broadway. the signal box is calling us...

We will be back at CRC2 on Monday to progress the fourth layer - other days are not yet certain.