NR volunteers are building a new shower block at Bridgnorth 

The SVR’s partnership agreement with Network Rail is yielding another positive development at Bridgnorth, where the shower facilities for volunteers have been in dire need of improvement for some time. 

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Thanks to a superb initiative to marshal some intensive Network Rail volunteering, a new shower block is being constructed, next to the car park entrance, at a fraction of the £100,000 cost that was originally quoted to the Volunteer Accommodation Committee. 

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The idea came about when NR’s Phil Slawson attended a volunteering day at Bridgnorth earlier in the year, as the SVR’s volunteer civil engineer Antony Bartlam explains: 

‘Phil enjoyed the day so much he asked if there was anything he or his building team could help with, and the shower block offered the ideal opportunity. Network Rail employees can take five paid volunteer days each year, so with Phil’s support and careful co-ordination, his team of bricklayers, carpenters, plumbers and electricians could tackle all aspects of the build, as volunteers. 

The SVR’s volunteer architect Ben Wright had drawn up plans for a three-bay shower room and a changing area. After a review of the specification and a simplification of the materials, the material costs were greatly reduced, helped by the supply of free materials from within the Railway for fire doors, tiles and various other items. The volunteer skills and labour from NR is worth around £30,000. So our overall costs will be around the £25,000 mark.’ 

The cost of the materials for this project has been met by the SVR Company Limited (which provides the Railway's volunteer staff from its membership), and the Volunteer Accommodation Committee (which provides and maintains facilities for volunteers who work on the Railway.) 

Work started on the ground on 4 November, as NR volunteers laid the first bricks. The superstructure blockwork is now up and work has started on the roof at which point the internal fit-out can commence with completion anticipated just before Christmas.  

Antony added, ‘It might take a while to finalise and commission, but this is a huge step forward. Without Network Rail’s help, this project would have taken two to three years to complete.’  

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Network Rail volunteers at the start of the shower block project. ANTONY BARTLAM

​The walls are rapidly taking shape for the new shower block. PHIL SLAWSON

Out with the old at Bewdley 

On Friday 11 October, a working party of nine Bewdley-based volunteers met to tackle the job of sorting through over 10 tonnes of wagon components. These had been stored for more than three decades in Mink G covered goods van 112889.  

The components had recently been removed from the Mink in preparation for its restoration by the LNER Fund group, and placed on pallets in front of the goods shed before being marked up for keeping or disposal by members of the Wagon Repairs dept.   

Around 80% of the components were consigned to the scrap bin, and the task was greatly assisted by the JCB telehandler and the careful positioning of a large scrap skip adjacent to the yard gates.

Some items had to be cut into sections prior to being put in the skip, and the requisite manual handling was accomplished in a safe and efficient manner by the volunteer team, sustained by regular tea breaks.  

The money raised by weighing in the parts will go towards the restoration of the Mink van, which is owned by the 813 Fund. Bewdley yardmaster Clive Thompson said: 

‘As conservationists we all dislike throwing stuff away, particularly if it ‘might be useful one day’. However, sometimes we must face up to the fact that things we have kept, in readiness for that mythical day, really must be consigned to the scrap heap. It’s an added bonus when scrapping these components can financially assist a project which will hopefully come to fruition in a matter of years.’ 

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Simon Brooks drives the telehandler whilst Dave Penn acts as banksman during clearance of wagon parts in Bewdley yard. CLIVE THOMPSON