A hot day today, and one we had earmarked to finish off the ducting. It was cold as I set off for CRC, and I had a long sleeved shirt on. Soon, the sun came out, and it became unbearably hot (well, for those working a shovel !) Here is the situation at the start of the day, with the last 40m of the platform still without ducting:

At the start of the day

Wrestling with a 6m piece of unwilling pipe.

 The idea was to measure up and lay out the 100mm ducting, as well as the junctions for each lamp post. In the picture above, you can see Tony and Bob working the circular pipe cutter, which leaves a lovely chamfered edge, if only you can work it round the wriggly piece of tube. It leads to some ungainly poses. We got there.

Dig that hole!

Next, we realised that we were 2 holes short for placing the lamp posts. We measured out the location of each hole, and started to dig deep. This worked OK for the first 6 inches - see picture - but that was as far as the rain had penetrated. Then, we were in 190m year old shale, which when first exposed to daylight is pretty hard stuff. We hacked at it with a pick axe, but quickly fell about exhausted, due to the heat. Bob then went off to get a Hilti for the day:

Dig that hole, part II

This is an electrically powered rock hammer, which went through the shale just nice. Only have to scoop the stuff out now... Derek was nominated as the shoveller, and is looking on sceptically.

Breaking up the old running in board.

As a distraction from digging in the heat, four of us broke up the old running in board. This was unfortunately life expired, and not quite a copy of the one that was there before. A new one, similar to the one on platform 1, has been requested by the Area Group, and the replica posts and finials have been ordered, based on the good experience we had with the board at Broadway. B&S will make the board itself, so in a couple of months, we should be ready to go.

The view from the top of the ramp - form an orderly queue now.

While seeking shelter form the pityless sun, we walked up the old ramp and took this picture back down. This is a lovely crowd barrier, made mostly from old bullhead rail. There is tarmac under that grass...

The heat takes its toll - but here comes the cavalry!

The picture above shows the killer job of the day, back filling the channel with the ducting in it, so that it was safe for the mini digger to run over it. The mini digger then duly arrived, and made mincemeat out of what was taking us so long. In the background you can see Pete from B&S repainting the canopy. This is after he has fished out undescribable things from the guttering. A brave man. The end is already looking nice, Pete!

At 4pm we called it a day. All the ducting was in, and covered over with spoil. Using the 1T dumper, we carried away the excess. This process is however not yet complete; we need another half day to scrape away the clay that has been trodden into the scalpings.

Next on the agenda is a day spent setting out the continuation of the brick laying, or starting on CRC2b as you might call it. Next Monday we also intend to start the process of erecting the lamp posts themselves. To start with, we will put into each excavated hole a base of concrete for the lamp posts to stand on at the correct height.

Swallows - what are they doing up there?

So that we are not always talking about platforms, above is a picture I took first thing, next to the signal box. My heart sank, as I initially thought this was swallows assembling for the trek south, signalling the end of a glorious summer. But on closer inspection of the several photographs I took, I now realise that these boys are all young. They sit awkwardly, with fluffy feathers, out for their first flights. Not quite the end of summer then - more hot days to come later this week, if you can believe the forecasts.