By 8am the early morning congregation at M&FM peaked at 12 individuals, offering the prospect of a very productive day. Anxious to complete the fishplate oiling task on the Alton section, Eddie, Martin W, Ian R, Adrian N, John, Graham, and Matt, departed for Alton Station to resume oiling in the vicinity of the signal box, working into and through the Station and loop. This left Keith B, Brian, and Bill to undertake the line inspection to Alresford, and Keith H and Adrian C to walk to Alton.
Keith and Adrian managed to catch the earlier 10am departure of the day's three train service back up to M&FM, which gave them time to assist the Wagon Group with a spot of strimming, clearing away the rampant vegetation at the end of the sidings in the vicinity of their paint store and bonfire site. This was of course only undertaken after a suitable trade had been agreed, the promise of a cake from Corina!
When the others arrived back from Alresford, a fairly quick departure was made down to The Grosvenor hut site, where a pile of remaining timbers of varying lengths were cut to the required 8' 6" and added to the stack, followed by the clearance of vegetation back to the fence line and either side of hut footprint. The completion of the chimney foundation trench was postponed due to the extremely hot conditions that prevailed, and an understandable reluctance by anybody to wield a shovel and pick axe!
A return to base at around 3pm was closely followed by the return of the oiling team, who had successfully completed their task. A great result!
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