4 Jun Staplehurst - Network Rail kindly donated signalbox frame from redundant station box. The unassuming box - everything came out the window. Commencing deconstruction Dave on the case Inspecting the booty                                 Suitably dosed up on coffee and bacon rolls, work commenced...by 1500 all was done.   1 Jun Another 'back breaking' day at Betteshanger sorting and stacking point sleepers. Managed to recover almost all useful material to RVR by truck on 2 Jun. Mostly same crew so rather weary. Very grateful for cooperation of Fitzpatrick. Sorting the Stack Standard Lengths - Had to stay on site Preparing to Lift ... Again Grim Detrmination to Finish the Job                               29 May Pictures from site showing the material recovered from Betteshanger and progress in removing large bank. Also planning permission has been granted for rezoning of land as a railway again - with conditions Last remnants of big bank   ...... this is where it ends up...Southern Water mandatory access to pipeline. Chairs and track materials in a big dusty heap More ex-Betteshanger material. Buffer stops had to be sawn in half to transport. Skip for damaged chairs to go scrap.                                               25 May Progress report: Due to the generous donation of track materials facilitated by SEEDA (South East England Development Agency) we have been receiving vast quantities of track materials from the former Betteshanger Colliery site in Kent (near Sandwich). Several volunteers had already gone to help facilitate movement - today a group of six went to recover point timbers. Pictures below. A lot of chairs have already arrived on site with clips and spikes. Broken chairs have been sent for scrap, as the track was roughly 'dismantled' to allow progress for the country park being developed, and fishplates were gasaxed. Much more needs sorting. Wednesday 1 Jun is last opportunity to do manual sorting at Betteshanger in prep for transporting the rest of the materials     Lunchtime .. For the intrepid Supporters       Where it all began.. Sort this lot out                                 2 May Volunteers from the Bluebell visited on a reciprocal 'field trip'. It is always helpful to have dialogue and share experiences with other railways. We all walked to Bodiam and back to show the extent of 'progress'. Unfortunately most people were not used to an 8 mile round trip and were rather the worse for wear on the return. Trains were running at Bodiam and we talked to a few KESR volunteers as well as a stop in the buffet.   Along the Udiam cutting End of Udiam cutting Start of prepared trackbed, towards Bodiam (KESR) headshunt. Austins bridge - our finest pway structure, languishing unused in the middle of nowhere...                               Late April Not so much going on at the moment on site - most projects on hold while planning permission is going through. This has allowed time to be spent on some other tasks, such as rebuild of pway trolley and other engineering and maintenance. Model railway exhibition held over 23 and 24th weekend was well attended - thanks to all who exhibited and attended.   . This has allowed time to be spent on some other tasks, such as rebuild of pway trolley and other engineering and maintenance Dave working on the 'flying flea'. It has a hydraulic table which can be used to spin it round 180 on the track and lots of other previously unknown talents (I don't think it can fly though!)                             6 & 7 April Bridge timbers being sawn into point and standard sleepers with the help of a mobile bandsaw. Creosote substitute applied to timbers. Even after saw hire and an industrial quantity of 'creosote' this will save a lot of money and enable us to get on with critical trackwork   .                   3rd A Rother Valley Railway flower bed (and nice new ballast) Flower bed and diesel tank New ballast for run round. Siding relaying. pril Worked all day with bridge timbers preparing and sorting for cutting on Wednesday into point sleepers.