Saturday 27th June

A smaller gang than usual today mainly due to the holiday season being upon us, with just 4 arriving at M&FM for the 8am start. The line inspections were undertaken, with Adrians N and C heading off to Alresford, and John and Martin W Alton bound.The latter were joined at Alton by Neil.

The afternoon's activity was a spot of fishplate oiling, starting at the down end of the M&FM loop, and working towards Ropley. This was supplemented by the replacement of quite a few broken and damaged Panloc rail fastenings on the stretch down to Lymington Bottom bridge, courtesy of the Network Rail Stoneblower, which has a habit of catching the fastenings with either its track lifting wheels or tynes (there are another 35 to be replaced!). By the close of play, the gang were into Soak cutting having oiled 33 joints.