Watertight at Last!
As the heavens opened this afternoon, we were busy removing the cat ladders from the roof after installing and pointing the last of our ‘wavy’ ridge tiles. I say ‘wavy’ because these tiles, salvaged from the Waiting Shelter at Barras station some 17 years ago, have a unique history. Originally made in 1861, they were entirely hand-crafted, resulting in variations in almost every dimension. Coupled with the firing techniques of the time, this produced tiles that were anything but straight! The signal box is now, at last, completely watertight. This milestone enables John Paul to move forward with boarding out the rafters inside, fitting the wide window ledges all around, and installing a floor. These tasks mark significant progress in transforming the space. Meanwhile, Tim and the signalling squad are hard at work, eager to begin installing the frame and levers they have so skillfully refurbished. This effort also includes assembling all the associated hardware in the locking room. Ther