Saturday 15th March

A gang of 7 assembled at M&FM in overcast but fine weather conditions for the line inspections, with Keith B, Graham, and Keith H heading off to Alresford, and Peter and Martin B Alton bound. Adrian and John stayed behind to fabricate a temporary infill panel for the hole in the pway hut wall above the chimney breast (until a new brick supply is located to finish off the chimney). This was then transported by the company van down to the hut site, with the rest of the tools for the days work.

The first task on site was to light the bonfire prepared a fortnight before, giving the usual notice to Hampshire Fire Brigade beforehand, to avoid a false call out. They then carried on with fixing the vertical cover battens over the wall sleeper joints, before joining the line walkers as they came through for the remainder the walk to Alresford, and of course the customary breakfast baguettes.

While the others caught the train back up to M&FM, the temporary infill panel was fitted, together with more cover battens, before the rest of the gang joined them in the early afternoon. The sun had come out by then, and it really was a great location to sit and have lunch by the side of the River Arle, as it makes its way to Alresford flowing under the railway embankment. The chosen name for the hut is hence the very appropriate 'Arleside', and the concrete name plaque is currently in production at Neil C's Newbury Concrete Works.

With the gang in full force, a productive afternoon ensued, with Keith H wielding a chainsaw to carry on with bank clearance, and the others finishing off the cover battens (well until they ran out of battens, being 15 short- Ed), and digging out for, and laying concrete slabs outside the door complete with a drainage channel. Graham then started painting the outside of the hut with Creocote (Creosote substitute), and Keith B filled joints on the inside with expandable foam, before time was called at around 4pm.