Saturday 7th January

It was the first work party of the New Year with a gang of six in attendance, and it also marked the first Saturday of track occupations which will run into February up to the Pre-Spring Steam Gala. 

Wickham Trolley No.1 was fired up and loaded with tools before Tony, Brian Hi, Keith H, Pete and Adrian C departed down the line to Grosvenor Bank to resume the task of replacing defective chair bolts and chair pads.

This left Corina at base and in the Newbury Concrete Works shed to gloss paint the door and frame of the first point oiling equipment cabinet.

Several bolts had been replaced when hunger pangs kicked in, and the Wickham was boarded for an excursion up the line to Alton for breakfast in the Station Cafe, picking up Corina enroute. Neil also joined the gang at Alton, having arrived by train from Newbury.

Returning to the works site several more bolts were dealt with before and after lunch, which was taken at HQ, with time called at around 2.30pm when the prospect of digging out further ballast beds was rejected by tired and weary bodies.