Scaling the Heights

Trouble with towers, they are tall.   Ours is about as short as they come but it still takes effort and some nerve to reach the ceiling of our main room and the parapet and tank from outside.

I got myself a scaffolding tower of sufficient height to paint the main room's ceiling.   It has featured here already.   I am now the proud owner of an extension kit and substantial outriggers to reach the masonry under the water tank:

We have a slight water ingress problem when the wind blows strongly from the south.   Rain hits the south side of the tank and runs down onto the massive overhanging stone plinth below.   Some of it gets into the joints between the stones and then into the top of the wall causing localised dampness  and occasionally puddling on the floor below.

The extended tower gets us right up to the problem.   Local roofer James Holgate is en route to advise and fix.    The tower is sitting on the front entrance platform, from which it is slightly taller than necessary but the overall height will be ideal for the rest of the tower from ground level where we have paving all round for this very purpose.

And now a set of scales to add to the railway ambience.   Robert Staveley was having a clear out and was en route to scrap these when inspiration struck.   Thankfully, he diverted to the water tower and dropped them off.    They were familiar items at every staffed railway station that could accept goods, back in the day.   They will weigh up to 5 cwt and are in fine working order.    They are also immensely heavy.   

In case you are into these things they are a type 600 weighing platform, made by F.J. Thornton & Co Ltd of Birmingham.    If they do not achieve EIDAS* they may find their way to Settle or Ribblehead stations.

That's the next restoration project sorted.

*EIDAS - 'Er Indoors Approved Status