2016 March - Tidy the Railway Weekend

The annual Tidy the Railway Event took place over the four days of the Easter Weekend.


With Easter being early this year the weather was not quite as kind as it has been in recent times with Friday being the only completely dry day, and Saturday's efforts being hampered by heavy rain for much of the day. Despite this 13 people gave 39 person days of assistance and many tasks were achieved over the four days.

On Friday the gang split into a strimming team and a cleaning and gardening team with strimming at Abergynolwyn, Brynglas and Rhydyronen being completed. The team at Wharf completed all the usual spring cleaning tasks as well as planting the window boxes and other small gardening jobs. Alongside this over all four days a team worked to continue the Wharf south side tidy up including sorting and palletising the railway's stock of heritage bricks and other building materials.

From Saturday through to Sunday the cleaning gang undertook the usual tasks of gutter cleaning, paintwork and window cleaning, point rodding clearance, and gardening from Pendre up the line to Nant Gwernol. In addition, at Abergynolwyn the driveway and children's playground were tidied up.

On Monday two members the gang worked up on the Extension clearing leaves from sections where a significant build up had occurred. Other members completed the tidy up at Wharf with the palletised bricks being moved into the Llechfan garden area for temporary storage.

Finally across all four days one gang member prepared and painted the Wharf toilet block windows internally and externally with the result that the building looks much better for our visitors.

Many thanks to all who took part and helped in this important annual event - the railway looks much smarter now!

Thanks to Keith Hayes for the report and organising the Tidy the Railway weekend.

Photos by Keith Theobald and Karen Willans