Bob and John O did a quickie at CRC today. The 90m section being finished as we reported last time, only the 100m section remains, with 4 courses to go on. So our expert brick layers split their time between Broadway (3 courses laid in between the locking room windows) and Cheltenham platform 2 today, with Bob's report below:

After discussions with John C regarding the proposed work on the signal box at Broadway it was felt that he and Tony B would be able to achieve the required outcome for work today,

So after a quick call to John O, he and I went to Cheltenham to push on towards the completion of the 100M section. At the end of the day the last course of blues before corbelling and the first row of corbelling were completed along with a further course of reds on the back. This now leaves just two more courses of corbelling and two of reds plus an infill course of cut reds to finally complete this section.  It was a running day, the weather was good and passengers were complimentary about the progress.  All in all a very satisfying day.  

The end of the beginning

 From the picture you can see the first of three courses of corbelling has gone on the last, 100m section. The row of vertical bricks on top keeps the bricks in place while the mortar dries, or 'goes off' in our parlance. You can see that it's hot because a cover has been placed over the barrow with black mortar, to prevent the very rapid drying that takes place in the sunshine we've just had.

One more day of corbelling could see the first half of the wall finished. We also need to move the stacks of bricks on the right, to give the dumper access to the rear of the platform, as well as finish off the last 10m of pea gravel, and clear up any remaining surplus bricks from this area. Back filling is penciled in for the week beginning 9th June, we heard today. You read it here first!