27/05/2026
A further Dougal related project undertaken by our volunteers has been the construction of a wood store at Woody Bay. Maintaining our rolling stock and infrastructure generates a lot of scrap wood, and this wood can be put to good use to start the fire on coal burning steam locomotives.
The project has utilised previously underused space alongside our permanent way shed, with new foundations cast, and a 200kg metal storage container and contents rehomed with great skill, to make full use of the available space.
Spare cladding from our water tower refurbishment has then been used on a frame created entirely from surplus / scrap wood, including many parts from our volunteers Mess Room, also recently refurbished. The frame is designed to allow air circulation under and through the rear of the wood store to assist with drying wood, and the roof directed into a gutter, running into an existing building drain located next to the store.
Our team have been hard at work gradually sorting through a mountain of stored scrap wood, processing this gradually to fill the store - a perfect chopping block from a recently fallen tree at two post curve has been installed to assist too.
As a final, slightly eccentric touch, interchangeable labels have been added to the store to assist the crew in their choice of wood when lighting up coal fired locomotives - visiting locomotives Christopher and Victoria put the wood store to good use over our May Steam Gala! Touches like the wood store make our volunteers days significantly easier, and all form a part in the smooth day - to - day running of the railway.
