This Wednesday, the contractors were busy at both bridge sites, Little Buckland and Broadway. Early in the morning, then 360 digger was dispatched from Broadway to travel south along the trackbed to Little Buckland. The two miles take about half an hour...
The purpose there was to further dig out the abutments.

At Broadway, the bridge has been encased in sheeting:

Broadway bridge this morning.

A passage has been left for pedestrians and cyclists, and it sees quite a bit of use by people coming to get their papers from the garage. On top of the bridge two tents have been put up. The activity today at Broadway was shot blasting, and laying of an electrical supply to the George Law offices on the drive.

Shot blaster's lorry.

Looking down from above, you can see the shot blaster's lorry below. This self contained unit provides the power and blasting grit for the contractor working on top of the bridge. Here is a close up of this rather interesting vehicle:

The power house.

Surrounded by air receivers, a compressor and sacks of grit is an enormous diesel engine. It's a German Deutz V8, air cooled. Ideal for the job, as reliable, simple and powerful. It burbled away most of the day.

Upstairs on the bridge is the contractor with the business end:

Shot blasting in progress.

It was a hot day again today, and it must have been unbearable inside the suit. It has a helmet akin to an old fashioned deep sea diver's, and an elastic collar to make sure no dust gets in. Nor any cool air... there is a separate supply for this though.

This is the first initial grit blasting, to clear away rust from areas that have to be repaired. Once all the repairs have been effected, the bridge will be shot blasted all over, prior to painting.

At the end of the day, the contractor was still busy:

But the Broadway gang was on its weary way home, with just Clive remaining to take a look. You don't see this every day.