Because of the ice cold weather, we couldn't lay any bricks today, so had just half a day preparing for the next time. Six people made it on site, with minus 2 degrees outside, even after arrival. Two of us are off sick, and are much missed. Get better soon, guys!

What now? A committee is formed.

What to do if you want to lay bricks, but can't? After some headscratching, Bob and JC decided to set out the final three profiles, for the 180m, 190m and 200m sections. That was rather satisfying....

Yes, it does take 5 men to erect a profile. Bob is about to devise a complicated arrangement involving two levels, to get a reading off the running rail. To lock in the uprights, John has just been asked to make up some mortar - yesssss !

Here is the final, 200m profile. John O went round and added the distances in felt tip. It does really help too, as we need to know when we give directions to bring stuff down to the so-and-so section. What a long way it used to be to push those clapped out barrows. Now it's just round the corner!
To celebrate the raising of the last profile, John O has added some amusing bits - click on the picture to zoom in.
Now to finish laying those bricks, it'll still take us a couple of months.

What next then?

Move some bricks !

There's no room behind the wall, some idiot's been driving a dumper up and down here and it's all deeply rutted. Frozen, too.

Dig it out then!

(Grumble)





We decided to attack the last pallet-and-a-bit of blues that is located behind the half way point. John S, Brian and yours truly manhandled 500 blues down the slope and stacked them on the platform edge, ready for an easy load on to the Pway trolley, that we had also dragged out of the shed and put in position.

While we did this, it struck us how strangely quiet it was. Turns out Tony, Bob and JC had skulked off to have an early brew, and it was only 10 o'clock! Leaving us to to the sweaty bit.
Having stacked all the bricks and tidied up the site, we went up for our cuppa in turn, and when we came out again, there they were, pushing the trolley up.

This felt like cheating a bit, but hey, a brick moved is a brick less for the future. We have now disposed completely of the second group of pallets at the half way point, leaving only 10 more stacks of blues near the 170m mark. That's 4000 bricks to go.

After this easy push of the trolley up the line, enthusiasm for further brick shifting waned somewhat.

We decided on an early lunch, and a discussion on the first cars we ever had. Grinding in the valve seats, and rust, rust, rust. Such nostalgia, we never had it so good.

Then to reset the mousetraps. Score today - one. I think we are winning :-)

A final look at the level crossing, where the CRC contractors were in action.

Our piles of infill and broken concrete have been taken away, but not yet our pile of clay, nor the pea gravel bags (a worry about damaging the grass with the digger tracks here). Those huge lumps of concrete have gone too.
The contractors are rebuilding the L/C approaches, with new edges and fine stone. Very good it looks too.

Next week, warmer weather. We hope.