December 2016
Maggie and Mike Taylor having just got married 
wedding cake in Avon Gorge Hotel made by neighbours 
guests going down the tunnel
October 2016
Taking out old cable from June 1941. It took all day
cable was coming away from the wall 
broken sheaf 
didnt take much effort to lever from the wall 
carrying up the stairs 
cutting the cable 
carrying down 
Job well done. admiring the pile o cable
September 2016
Time to put the banner up again 
Maintenance time. We had not been in the top water tank since 2007 so the trees were growing again 
The trees were cut down and passed up to Alan to cut into smaller pieces. We also cut the ivy at its roots 
Tom brought his chain saw for the biggest tree 
Just need to get a skip and dig out the mud and roots another day 
Maggie went into the Sion Hill tunnel 
Flags adorn the new ironwork which was much photographed by many visitors 
Rob Wheeler brought a sketch he had drawn based on a Loxton drawing, which will be placed in the bottom station when we get time. Much admired by the public 
Sunday we got the cars out to help bring the crowds 
Sue Dawson, great grand daughter of Philip Monro the architect of the railway came to see us 
And the queue got longer and longer. We had 6 guides in the afternoon but it was difficult to keep up with demand! 
The sign boards we put up in April 2005 had gone rotten 
We have replaced them with enamel boards with raised lettering. Look very smart 
Close up detail
August 2016
Usual balloon fiesta fireworks. This time the new ironwork is something to hold on to 
Got some images of balloons under the new ironwork
July 2016
Looking for coins 
Mike painting part of the wall with Alan standing by 
Sal sweeping the stairs 
The wall came out really well 
Got Sal to weed the stairs too 
Wall good and weeds gone
May 2016
Group photo with Baroness Janke of Clifton on open day. We showed her round before she cut the ribbon to open the gate. 
Baroness Janke making her speech. She never envisaged what a success the railway would be after she last saw it in 2005 with all the rubbish and rubble to shift. 
We did test the scissors would work first 
Sue, Pauline, Peter and the Baroness 
Even the Lanchester was clean and tidy for the Railway flags and new ornamental itonwork 
Very pleased to show John Penny round who came with the Malago Society.
30 April 2016 The top gate reinstatement taking 4 1/2 hours, 6 men and a woman
Top station after 1912 
Top station before 30 April 
Tom, Ed and Dominic chatting. The scaffolding and first vertical support has just been brought round 
support safely lifted onto the scaffold. Dave, Dominic, John, Mike, Tom and Ed 
support safely lifted onto the stone pillar 
Mike drilling the stone to put studs in to hold the support firm. A levelling string is in place the dust was blown out and bonding agent inserted 
Ed and Tom went to get the other support 
Ed brought the signs round 
the support is level 
Mike and Dominic having a pause and reflection (followed by an ice cream ) 
time for the next support 
lifted up on the scaffold 
and onto the pier 
looking good 
Mike definitely in control 
Maggie replaced two missing rosettes. We had had them cast up when doing the other work. Someone had returned a rosette so it was put to good use as a pattern 
light box slotted straight into position 
and level first go!! 
the main sign went in 
the led lights were inserted having raised the scaffold 
the lid went on 
satisfied looks all round at the finished handiwork 
the team photo (Dave, John, Mike, Maggie, Dominic, Tom and Ed) 
lights up well at night- very subtle 
Mike was kind enough to dedicate the ironwork to Maggie
April 2016
Tidying up for open day- John is cleaning the top station roof 
Ed did his favourite job and weeded the track finding lots of coins buried in the sediment at the bottom using trowel and brush 
Nicky weeded the stairs while John sanded and revarnished the handrail 
Ed, John and Mike discussing lifting the pillar headstone to make sure it is level and safe 
The headstone has a very solid core- will be fun drilling 
Nicky doing more weeding. I stayed inside most of the time and swept and cleaned. 6 hours later— 
The model to demonstrate how a water powered railway works was tidied up 
The 1924 Lanchester set the scene with the flags 
Dave taking a group round 
The Radio Bristol Clueless team interviewing Maggie 
Made in Bristol TV making a short film about the railway 
Made in Bristol TV interviewer Josh and the cameraman
March 2016
the foundry work is back- rosettes, tassles, more railheads for the decorative ironwork over the top gate 
the rosettes came up well from the pattern 
Copying components of an existing pillar to make patterns 
The start of the iron work for the top station sign starting to take shape 
Mike using many rods to weld together the components 
The milling machine useful for square holes for the base 
The framework now has the top support and the base added 
The signs for the sign box have been delivered 
Assembled on the floor to see how it will look 
Even tested to see how it would look with light 
the curled bits from Dorothea arrived 
more bits added 
no wonder he is so pleased with himself. All the bits gone for powder coating now 
Added more missing railhead on the railings
February 2016
Mike using the trusty lathe 
Making supports for the spheres 
The start of the iron work for the top station sign starting to take shape 
We had the remains of a rosette which we could use to make a pattern, and another pattern was made 
Another pattern being made 
The frame is starting to take shape 
Struts added 
Pattern completed 
The sign box is delivered 
the railheads need much fettling 
fettled railhead 
railheads on the frame 
The last missing railhead of the railings 
The last railhead placed on the railings
January 2016
The old wooden stairs in the bottom station installed in 1941/2 were getting past their best. They had uneven treads and some wood was rotten, but we had always maded sure all the treads were well supported. We had propped them up for years so that they would be safe to walk up. We thought we had better replace the steps and the floor over the water trough to make sure everything was tidy and safe. Work did not affect the original entrance to get onto the cars except for supporting it better. We took two and a half days with the help of eight volunteers.
Propping under the stairs 
A safe gangway to get to the steps over the trough using scaffolding planks but not pretty 
Mike, Alan, Maggie and Dave cut all the treads to be able to dismantle the steps. 
Ready to remove the side panels and use them as a pattern 
We decided to replace the joists over the trough too. Steph, Alan and Dave overlooking 
Steph, Tom, Maggie and Chris treated the new steps and treads 
Alan sweeping out the dusty trough with Mike looking on 
Mike adding the new joists and making sure they are level 
new treads and supports all treated and ready to install 
Tom treating the top landing joists ready to put some new floorboards down 
Meantime John and Chris were making the new side supports. We changed the angle from 47 degrees to 45 degrees after much scratching of heads. We also had to redesign the ends to reflect the new floor 
This is the last remnants of the original floor over the trough! The public were prevented from walking over this right from the beginning as they went through the hole but we were surpised to see how bad it was. We can now use this area for a display area 
John and Mike trying out the new side to get the top and bottom profiles correct 
New floorboards in position 
Wherever one looked there was someone doing something! Brilliant 
The first side being fixed in 
and level 
the other side then went in 
the first step was level too! 
Demolition Dave put in the rest of the steps 
Looks good and safe 
Happy gang. Maggie with dirty face as usual, Mike, Alan, Tom and John