Saturday 31st December

A team of six arrived at M&FM keen to burn off some of the Xmas over indulgences. The day started with bit of unplanned cleaning of the mess room with the discovery that an uninvited visitor/s in the form of a mouse/mice had been feasting on the biscuits and leaving small deposits everywhere. A trap baited with cheese was duly set before departing on the line inspections, with Adrian N and Brian Hi heading off towards Alresford and Adrian C and Ian J Alton bound. This left John and Corina to travel first to Alton, and then to Ropley and Alresford to oil the points, sparing the line walkers this time consuming and messy task.

Upon the return to base, the trap was found to have performed its job, dispatching a mouse.

The afternoon was spent down the line at the A31 embankment undertaking further bank clearance work (and Martin B joining the gang) with the obligatory bonfire, and around 50 yards was cleared.