Gigabash 2005
...I didn't see that one coming...
Its Gigabash time again, around eighty people have had the usual annual blitz on the railway. This time no big controversial fires were lit, but lots of spiders were made homeless. Weeds were harmed in the making of this movie.
Anyway, around eighty people, with a high proportion of kidz, ex kidz and kidz parentz descended on Minffordd Station (gardening), Blodge (electricing) and Port (no idea- was anyone watching the webcam?). There was twenty-five of us at TyB and given I was there, that's what I'll describe.
TyB is looking a touch tired at present. So teams attacked the fencing, washed algae off the walls of the station building and dug over the flowerbed by the water tower. More concrete (ha ha!) modifications were adding a slate slab kerb alongside the cafe patio, to act as shoulder pads for Fred's ballast. The accumulated gunge on the picnic tables was jet washed off (really makes a difference) and a new concrete and brick base for a stores shed was put in. Inside, a scaffolding tower that would has impressed M. Eiffel was used the to repaint the ceiling. What sounded like whale song echoing around Dyffryn Maentwrog was the inside tables being scraped down and oiled. In between this, the lean mean 589 green team of Earl, Ricket and, erm, Prince were working service trains. Tea for YTS on Sunday was al fresco, but the participants didn't seem to mind.
In between these were the usual activities kidz planting bulbs, painting anything that didn't move and clearing endless accumulated dust, mud, weeds and spiders webs. Generally non-big-and-sexy stuff that goes un-noticed, but makes a world of difference to the appearance of the railway. The usual evening JGF train was run, with a card presentation to Hilary and Alan as it was their 39th wedding anniversary that day. To celebrate we had Lemon meringue pie!! The usual craic duly ensued with a three way game of Mornington Crescent and Rumens Snr losing 10 for not knowing when York Minister burnt down. The "Phrase That Pays" of the weekend was "I didn't see that one coming", which was shoehorned into conversation every five minutes and managed to become irritating by lunchtime on Sunday.
Went home via Croesor on Saturday if no-one has done that road, recommend it. We had a shower of rain so there was a nice rainbow up the valley not sure if anyone got a pic. Matty was fotopicing all weekend, so watch out for some gems on his site.
Talking of Sunday, a team of kidz were bush bashing in the sand pit for various interesting reasons (more parking for Robco not being one). The Cherry Picker has been domesticated and was being used by Brian Coldwell to pull cables on the inside of the Erecting Shop roof. Up to Tan y Bwlch and into the cloud layer, a bit Gorillas in the mist.
Otherwise, very productive, although my hangover didn't help. Usual caveats lots more happened than I've described, thanks to all involved, full respect to Eileen and Whizz and all those that organised and made food, still more to do, 87 fence panels need washing, see you in March.