Continue with sleeper retaining wall.
Continue to unearth the mysteries of the gas plant and decide how to restore it.
Stephen's first job was to seal all of the MDF coping stones with diluted PVA. Once hard, they can be rubbed down and painted.
Laurence continued with the sleeper wall steel reinforcement.
With just a couple more sections to go, it's looking very good.
Earlier in the week, Geoff had discovered that the gas plant building was bolted down, and could be removed, with a bit of effort. Inside, was more detail that we had never appreciated in the gloomy room, like the gasifier, below. Coal/coke were loaded into the top, to generate the gas, which had to be drawn off, cooled and cleaned, by the external equipment.
All of the equipment?
Geoff had been investigating what all of the plant was for. The arrangement and equipment appeared to be of the type to produce a noxious mix of gases that was definitely not suitable for 'domestic' use, but was for the generation of electricity. What we were lacking was an engine and generator.
Geoff had already got plans for 'developing' the building and soon, he and Stephen were reforming the staircase to make space for the new generator room. The new room would have white, glazed wall tiles and be more of a feature than before. Lighting (and possibly a working engine) were high on the list.
After examining the flue pipe arrangement, and the general height inside, it was also decided to lift the building on a plinth, but retain the 'gasifier' room equipment floor level and create a substantial floor for the engine, generator, batteries and control equipment.
Phase I - the staircase
Clearing the area for the new floor and plinth.
Once a murky, unknown area, this building can now 'come alive' and become even more of a feature on the layout. A very exciting project!
