They Say, Variety is the 'Splice' of Life...
In search of some variation from the usual themes of digging, cleaning, painting and fettling, Matt has started on the massive task of installing the signal wires. All the wire stakes have been 'planted' (a term which makes it all sound so straightforward and easy-going!), pulleys added and almost all the benches are in place. Wherever the signal wires join on to levers, signals, cranks or chain to go around wheels, the wire needs to be made off appropriately. 'Proper' signal wire is formed from 7 strands of galvanised steel: 6 strands twisted around a single (slightly larger) central strand. Matt has started by fashioning a couple of ends around thimbles, to join to shackles. In order to do this, the wire is twisted to form a loop, whose two legs are then cranked out slightly, so that they will sit snugly together, parallel. Each of the strands is then wound tightly around, 7 times, before being twisted off (this is a skill in itself...). The final strand is the cent...