Things have, for one of my projects, unexpectedly moved along a lot!

There is usually something going on at the Rocks By rail Museum when I visit. Sometimes it is expected things but occasionally there are the unexpected things happening which was the case on my latest visit to continue my work clearing the Bone Yard or operation Treasure Junk Hunt as it has become known!

First unexpected thing to catch my eye was this addition to the side of the Exhibition Centre...

Now, whilst it may look as though this should be like a porch to the entry door but built in the wrong place it actually is built in the right place to serve a completely different purpose!

It is actually a shelter for the Crossing Keeper on days where the Museum runs trains. In the past if it was raining the Crossing keeper got wet and on occasions very wet! However, as Andy demonstrates, the cavernous nature of the structure should assist in keeping future Crossing Keepers somewhat drier during inclement weather! By the way, much of that wood is what came out of the old WMD kitchen that was updated about 18 months ago. That wood is seeing some good use with the floor of loco Mr. D being made out of other parts as outlined in this post. Good to see it all have a second life!

Talking about inclement weather drew me to the second unexpected thing which was this work at the back of the Exhibition Centre.

The blue arrow is a newly lad drainage pipe that goes into the buildings main drainage system. Why has this been laid? Well where the red arrow is pointing locates what was found a few days ago.

That large pipe was unknown about before a few days ago when the area around it suddenly started gushing water. If left unchecked there was a real possibility of the foundations towards the rear of the Exhibition Centre being undermined hence the new pipe was laid to deal with the issue.

Not unexpected, was the fact that the Bone Yard project had not progressed any further since my last visit so I was back to the Junk Hunt! 

This time I went fully armed with both Sammy Strimmer and Bobby Brush Cutter! A bit more done with more chopping back of the large saplings at the rear of the Bone Yard.

Which means the back of the cafe is becoming more visible.

Whilst it may not seem like much progress when compared to what it was like back at the beginning of November.....

...things have, for one of my projects, unexpectedly moved along a lot!

A variety of finds in the Bone Yard!

And todays Rocks By Rail Museum Treasure Junk Hunt items include these fish plates with nuts and bolts used to join sections of rail together...

These concrete sleepers that the joined rail can be laid upon.....

In fact there must be 50 or so of these sleepers just laying around.

Finally the find of the day, this delightful laundry basket that could grace any home - well maybe not but there has to be something in it once i fully uncover it!

Having brought Sammy Strimmer out from his three weeks off, we made some progress beating back this vegetational wall...

 

...to this. Lots more to go but it is slowly getting there!

That water pipe that found and blogged about a few weeks ago has already found a purpose. It is being used as cable ducting for the colour light signal that will be erected later this year. Eric and Derek are installing said cable.

Good to know that the uncovered treasures junk that I have found are being used even if not for their original purpose!

Well, everyday is a school day!

A dry day meant it was back to Treasure Hunt Junk at the Bone Yard at the Rocks By Rail Museum! At the moment Sammy Strimmer has been left in the cosiness of his shed as I have been dealing with the various saplings that have grown over the years. I am not sure of what sort of saplings they are but they have sharp spikes to them which seem to be able to penetrate any protective wear! 

Any way the day started with this mess...

...and ended with this lesser mess!

The back of the cafe is now much more visible and hopefully opening up the area behind it will help maintain the building by getting some sunlight and air around the back of it. You can also get views like this which has not been seen for years!

I had some very welcomed assistance with Alex, Gary, Martyn, Richard and Steve doing the burning. I think they were quite keen on this as it was a cold day and the fire offered some warmth!

That large heap was continually topped up over the day but eventually it had all burned down.

Was there any junk? Well I did uncover this rather strange looking thing.

I am informed that it is a Casting Table. It would have been used when casts for objects were being made before molten metal was poured into the cast. Well, everyday is a school day!

I also discovered that there was another set of tracks behind the first set I found a few weeks ago!

Not sure if they will ever be used again but at least we have a pair!

Not sure what I will discover next time I am clearing the Bone Yard but it is always a surprise!

Darth Vader at the Rocks By Rail Museum?

Did we really have a visitation from Darth Vader of Star Wars fame? Well despite having had some celebrities visit over the years, this was actually Steve who was fully PPE'd up to the eye balls (literally) whilst cleaning up the footplate of steam loco 1931. Oh well but may the force be with you Steve!

At the other end of the footplate Gary and Richard were heads down whilst also cleaning up the footplate so things are moving on!

Meanwhile, John is getting to grips with stripping paint off the Southern brake van which despite looking like a neglected garden shed before coming into the Restoration Shed, has survived fairly well once the paint is removed. There is a need to replace some wood and metal but not as much as first thought.

Steam loco Barrington is coming along well and David was preparing the cab for the various gauges to be reinstalled which will bring some life back to the cab. Will this loco ever steam again? Well if you had about £100K you might achieve that but if not, then just making the loco presentable and preserving the structure is a good budget alternative! 

 

I was back in the Bone Yard on a mission of vegetational butchery and to rescue the water pipe that so many saplings had grown through trapping it from liberation.

Having cut all the saplings down it was possible to get the roll of pipe out of its resting place.

And then it moved onto a new resting place where it is at least visible so it may come in useful now we know we have it!

It was then back to the slow job of cutting down each sapling and clearing them out of the way but at least I can see more of the back of the cafe so things are progressing!

Hopefully next time I get a chance to clear some more saplings the view will be even better!

Given the current state of the loco, the cosmetic surgeons are going to have their skills well and truly tested!

Things are getting back to normal, if indeed there is a normal, after the Christmas and New Year break at the Rocks By rail Museum.

This pallet load of loco parts has appeared in the Exhibition Hall which apparently are part of steam loco Uppingham.

Uppingham will be subject of a cosmetic restoration this year.

Given the current state of the loco, the cosmetic surgeons are going to have their skills well and truly tested!

Meanwhile, in the restoration shed, things are moving on with steam loco 1931with more cosmetic work being done whilst the return of the retubed and ready to go boiler are awaited.

Andy, shares the secret of his cosmetic skills or he is trying to live up to the Gunk name with its ultimate performance!

Cosmetically challenged I went onto continue my clearance of the Bone Yard with Sammy Strimmer and also assisted by Alex. The finds were less than in previous sessions but we have just about freed this length of water pipe.

We also found this metal racking support which may come in useful if we find the rest of the racking or it may become something completely different like a fence post or it may just go in the scrap bin!

We did however make a major breakthrough - literally! We have got through to the far side of the undergrowth and can now see the rear of the cafe!

It was raining by this time and I think that Alex was trying to tell me that having achieved this monumental moment it was time to pack up and get in the dry!

As we sought some dry undercover shelter I di look back and think that it may still look a mess but over the past few weeks there has been  a lot of vegetational butchery and a lot of junk treasure uncovered!

Treasure Hunt or should that Junk Hunt?

In anticipation of the bad weather to come I returned to the Rocks By Rail Museum on Wednesday of this week which was a decision which actually worked out for the best which is unusual for Woody! Just like the end of last year, the start of the this year saw Sammy strimmer coming out for another session of Junk Treasure Hunt in the Boneyard!

I and in fact even most of the longer serving volunteers,  just don't know what is under the undergrowth but first off was the discovery of these ten slabs in good condition.

Next up were these two curiously shaped steel plates. Similar to what you might find on a steam loco but not boiler parts that anyone can recognise at the moment. No doubt they will have a use at some point even if only as some form of playground slide!

Then there were various metal parts including point rodding A three link coupling, a boiler strap, several hooks for a crane and amazingly for a railway museum, two lengths of motorway crash barrier! It is now all corralled together with the thirty or so sheets of corrugated iron that no one can recall having! 

John kindly gave me a hand moving those crash barriers which are not exactly lightweight in nature!

Though the crash barrier was unusual, the prize for the most unusual item has to go to this roll of digger track links which I am guessing has something to do with the drag line or face shovel that the Museum has. However, another item no one can recall having seen!

I am about a third of the way through this clearance project so there could be more to find on my next Junk Hunt!

Meanwhile, back at the trackside, Steve and Derek are investigating the catch point and talking about relays and switches for colour light signals. All very interesting so I will await to see what comes about. Just hope theu are not expecting me to find a colour light signal in the Boneyard!

Probably the last day of this year that I will be at the Rocks By Rail Museum!

Probably the last day of this year that I will be at the Rocks By Rail Museum and I finished the year as I will no doubt be starting it in 2026 with more vegetational butchery in the bone yard! It may not be the most glamorous job but you never know what you may find and it is also starting to interest other volunteers who now come by to see what I have unearthed!

Todays junk treasure included this table frame....

,,,,thus ladder....

.....these point rodding parts.....

...and an assortment of metal parts that may well end up in the scrap bin!

Hopefully be March of next year just about all the bone yard will be cleared but there is much to do so the start of 2026 will be a busy one if the weather is kind!