Completing The First ‘String’ Course

A further update from Bob describing the work undertaken on Wednesday this week.

A welcome spell of sunshine today saw us begin the delicate task of unpicking the unstable corner of the signal box in which the fireplace had once stood. A hard frost from the previous night had firmly stuck the blocks of stone to each other necessitating some very gentle persuasion with a hammer and chisel. Taking the corner down enabled us to free the last remaining piece of the original string course and lay the remaining stones of the new, lower string course thus completing it right around the building.

The Dismantled Corner

We will now concentrate on building up the dismantled corner to a sufficient height to brace the rear wall while we dismantle its inner skin for rebuilding. There will be lots of hoping and praying that it won’t fall down in the process!

The completed string course on the western side of the signal box

Finally, the eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that the corners of the string course have not been mitred yet. This will be expertly done, by hand, by our stone supplier Mr. Graham Walton as soon as all the stonework is completed.

As always, very many thanks to all the volunteers who braved the cold to progress the work.

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