Saturday 5th December

The day heralded the start of the Railway's Santa Special trains, with a service operating between Alresford and M&FM only for the first weekend. There was also a Personal Track Safety (PTS) Course taking place at Ropley in the morning for the newer members of the gang, with eight Saturday personnel signed up to undertake the course and obtain a PTS card; a mandatory requirement for those working on or near the line. This left Ian J, Keith H, and Eddie to undertake the line inspection to Alresford, and Corina and Adrian C to stay behind to sort out items for work on The Grosvenor hut.

With the newly qualified members back in the fold, and now joined Neil and Paul C, the afternoon saw the whole gang working on The Grosvenor hut, and including a spot of bank clearance on the adjacent embankment. By the close of play, the hut door frame had been fitted with brick coursing below the threshold, the creocote staining of the outside had been completed, Neil had added the mortar fillets to the corbels and rear of the chimney, and the external area to the rear and London side had been tidied up.

Much needed sustenance for the line walkers at Alresford

P.S. Gang members should visit the Volunteers' Area for news of a social event.