The Cutting Back Gang have been busy for four Wednesdays “just around the corner” from Buckfastleigh Station – pleasing the neighbours by taking our foliage back to their fence lines (at their request), and improving the amount of light in this cutting, at Paper Mill Bridge.
The average attendance is eleven members of the gang each week. As always we welcome new members – who are welcome to contact John Harris on Telephone 01364 653082. Our locations do change from time to time, but the favoured day of the week is Wednesday.

Another success story for the Cutting Back Gang in the Nappers Halt area – the before and after shots, September 21st and 28th 2016. The area was cleared at the request of the PW department, who will be putting out new sleepers and rails in this area fairly soon.

Twenty working days for the SDR Cutting Back Gang, transformed this part of the Buckfastleigh Site that the public never sees, that resulted in these pictures being taken at the site of the proposed Covered Carriage facility at the Ashburton end of the site. The logs will be collected by the Gardens Department and used to heat them during the forthcoming Winter, whilst enjoying their morning coffe and afternoon tea.
Regular users of the road from Buckfastleigh to Totnes should have noticed our efforts at Caddaford Curve, where you can now actually see that there is a railway, behind the tall weeds that were there until recently.
To join the Cutting Back Gang, please make contact with John Harris on Telephone 01364 653082. Our locations do change from time to time, but the favoured day of the week is Wednesday. Pictures by Ted Parrott

The photos above give a good impression of what 8 volunteers can achieve during a concentrated working day at Hood Bridge, on the South Devon Railway. This was our first day this year at this location, and the users of the A384 road will now be afforded at better view of the steam trains that ply between Buckfastleigh and Totnes. There were four brush cutters and a scythe in use, on this very hot day (Wednesday 8th June). The pictures show things as they were at the start and end of the day. More potential volunteers will always be welcome – as our Leader, John Harris is currently enjoying a holiday visiting railways in Scotland, our temporary Leader is Ted Parrott, who can be contacted on 01803 614240
The Cutting Back Gang offer their congratulations to Ruth Keohane on gaining her Chain Saw Operators Certificate at the first attempt.

The images above show the before and after appearance of Woodville PW Hut after the attentions of the SDR Volunteer Cutting Back Gang, on 27th April 2016. Repairs to the roof, a re-hanging of the door, securing the window board, a general strim around the hut, re-stain the front and both ends, and of course the ceremonial burning of the rubbish generated. The whole area and structure looks a lot better for the work carried out

The SDR Cutting Back Gang, who meet most Wednesdays, and can be contacted via their leader, John Harris, on telephone 01364 653082, or via leaving contact details at Buckfastleigh Station.

The pictures of the logs and neat permanent way were taken on 4th May 2016.

Our work is currently taking place in the area of Milepost 5, 50 chains. The pictures here show the logs already awaiting collection, and the area ready to receive attention next. The gang was a total of 12 members this week.