Month: March 2018

Main activities this weekend included the completion of the clipping of the overgrowth on the east embankment which had simply got to untidy during the construction of the 2nd platform wall, we then moved on to the station garden area for its initial tidy up of 2018 and the scrubbing down of the picket fence continued we are hoping that the effort being put in is worth it and the paintwork will last another running season.

Before                                                                            After

Work started on refitting the cornice in the exhibition room that fell down in January, its been refitted and gaps filled ready for sanding down and painting. Outside the picket hence had it s final wash down and as we where in a scrubbing mood the new planters also got a taste of the cleaner ready for final painting and then potting up.

Work also continued on the cutting back of the vegetation along the embankment, another shift will have this cracked hopefully, the blue bells planted a couple of seasons were located  in the undergrowth which was a pleasant surprise, so hopefully they will have a chance to bloom!

 

 

Finally the new running season has commenced on what has been a lovely sunny day at Birkhill.  The group took full advantage of the weather and continued on the east embankment tidy up. At this stages its planned to go from the bridge to just passed the new platform ramp, until the next phase of the build is underway and we can see how the platform construction will ultimately affect the embankment.

The picnic tables also got a good scrubbing down in preparation for a lick of paint

No.19 was in action today, below is  clip of her arriving at Birkhill with the first train of the 2018 season the 10:45am from Bon’ess.

The start of a new running season just brings home how much work is required in maintaining a heritage railway with just volunteers, a small country station is just one small cog in a railway and that provides enough work on its own! This week we focused on cleaning up again tackling the rear of the station building, hanging up pictures of the old clay mine in the exhibition room and fitting a wall bench towards the Lamp hut end of the platform.

Oh and do you know when something is really bugging you well the east embankment overgrowth is one of them! Due to the construction of the 2nd platform, very little work has been done on keeping on top of the plant life, but this week that tiny little bug just got to much so we have made a start on tidying it up, working away from the bridge.

 

 

Finishing touches to the exhibition room continued with the installation of a pictorial history board of Birkhill station which we hope will provide additional interest for visitors alighting trains during the up and coming running season and as members of the Heritage Railway Association – Scotland Branch to shelter in the exhibition room did while visiting the station on Saturday 10th March.

The train used for the visit to the B&KR consisted of two SRPS Railtours coaches and class 47 diesel 47643

Work also commenced on a sleeper wall to the embankment just passed the Lamp Hut. During the very cold spell in December ’17 the platform in this area got very icy which we believe the water running off the embankment at this point contributed significantly. 

 

The band of two where down at Birkhill again today for the second time in the week we going to look like we are full timers soon!!

After checking on the newly repainted Exhibition Room floor had dried and taken okay, we washed down the woodwork to the front of the station in preparation for the first running day of the season in a couple of weeks. The dark brown paint work is now looking a bit tired and will require a new coat in the very near future. We also gave the platform outside the station doors a good scrub too. Back on Saturday 10th if anyone fancy’s a bit of hard graft on the embankment.

Snow then snow drifts followed by freezing temperatures and strong winds played havoc with access to the station and put a temporary stop to the plans of getting the final cleaning up of the station done before the first running day. However, after a quick scouting trip yesterday, we managed to get through via the top road with an attempt to get back on track. Focus was on the main waiting / exhibition room and the repainting of the floor which we managed to get finished.  The toilet room area still needs to be done, but at least the main room has a good spring clean.