The pressure was on today with a mass of thirsty passengers wending their way towards the bars of Toddington and Winchcombe stations. It was busy but good natured at the Racecourse Station and, hopefully (!) a similarly happy crowd for the return journey! Anyway, we workers mostly stood back in admiration as the ever patient Station Staff dealt with the hordes – including, most unusually, Dave G selling tickets. And the good weather brought our volunteers in good numbers as well with Dave T, Bob, John, Maurice, Steve, Mike, Andy & Mary all in evidence.
Dave T did a bit of ‘parking management’, then spread out the sodden bonfire pile (during which he found a pair of secateurs!) to try and dry it out a bit before a Monday burn. This inspired him to prune the laurel bushes where they were sticking out over Platform 1 – two barrow loads of trimmings. In a similar vein Maurice continued his battle with the overgrown pyracantha – tough issue that one! Meanwhile Steve got the brush cutter out – did some essential maintenance and then a bit more clearance across on the platform 2 bank.
John was back in the saddle – on the veg plot that is.
I think it’s the sign of a truly great gardener that you can’t always see them for vegetation!
Bob appeared to do a little tidying on the Platform 2 embankment gardens and then lead your truly to the alleged site of the lost ‘Klargester’! Sounds like a Sherlock Holmes mystery but there is apparently another, much smaller disposal unit south of the Evesham Road bridge. And now it’s my job to get busy with a spade and uncover it. Mind you if it has been working successfully for the last 10 years undisturbed it might be better left well alone!
And here’s some of Mary’s hard work – note the seamless transition from tended bed to wild flower embankment!
Personally, I did a stint on the Billy Goat with the new ‘dust proof’ (I don’t think!) bag attached – just as well I’m from mining stock and used to working in adverse conditions! It is surprising how much debris accumulates on the Platforms – most of it being natural not man-made.
Let’s hope it was only the engines which were ‘steaming’ for the return trip!
Regards,
Tim
