We've hit the roof!

The Mulbery tree fights for survival!
The frame of the building starts to be filled in... now it really IS starting to look big!

I can't resist a picture of two cranes!

The new building will have efficient insulation.

REALLY thick insulation!

The sixth form Art project to decorate the hoarding has got to the stage where the background is Finished. I thought that was it... but I was wrong.

Insulation & walls creeping up all over now.

These metal frames will hold insulation panels... then the walls are built up either side. Sounds strange but it goes up really fast!

Fletcher's Croft on the left... new build on the right.

See..... we have GEESE!

Stairwell moulds ready for concrete.

Outer brick walls appearing now.

Those metal frames with the insulation in them.

Insulation and steel roof frames.

The brickwork goes higher!

Roof timbers are delivered.... a LOT of roof timbers... this is just some!

Insulation with holes for windows.... which is just as well I suppose. :-)

How to do the curvey bits!

Now we have all the Geese added! It's pretty impressive. (But will people flock to see it?)

Shower/sink/toilet "pods" arrive.

The pods fit into a corner of the room and are self contained and "en suite". No more waiting for Dipo to finish showering!

And the roof starts to be built.

They are REALLY quick at ROK!

The roof timbers fly up!

View of the emerging roof from the lower school site.

Roof view from the path behind Bennetts.

Lots of electric cables being put in place. The old boarding houses were built with a socket for a hoover in the corridor. Now there are multiple sockets in every room for all the elctronic ephemera we just can't do without.

Reall REALLY getting on with the roof now!

And on the other side as well.

So..... huge spurt in the building process. ROK are efficient as ever. As I write the work has been stopped for a little while as there is a gale blowing. Makes the crane GREAT for playing conkers... but not a lot else. Hopefully the next blog will show some internal details as I get to walk round inside.... with a hard hat apparently. Looking forward to it!!

There's a whole load of stuff going on in this series of pictures! I'll try not to loeave it so long next time.
The "Left" side (out of my window) is just going up to the second story... the first few frames for the pillars are in place. Soon I'll not be able to see Fletcher's Croft (The Housemaster, Mr Loader's, residence) at all.


The "right" side is being prepared for the pouring of the first floor.
Huge amounts of plywood are fixed in place to have the steel reinforcements rested on before the concrete is poured over them. The whole lot is kept up by those yellow beams and steel supports.

"Now... you're SURE that this is the right way up??"

Scaffolding arriving as the work gets higher and higher!

Cranes and chains.... everything is still pretty much moved everywhere by the remote control crane.

Big palates of internal wall bricks are delivered.

Trimming the last bits of plywood to fill the gaps. Don't want any holes for the concrete to fall through!

YES! The path around the back of Bennetts is started!

Work on this went pretty quickly.

The build from another angle. The path goed down to School Lane via what was Mr. Loader's old garden gate.

More pillar framed up and ready for pouring.

The frames are removed from the set pillars and moved over ready for the next ones.

Gravely base for the path is laid.

Another "side on" picture of the building work.

This is a view of steyning from the top of the Bostal Hill. You can just see St Andrew's Church and the crane.

Lets zoom in a bit. There's the flat roofed Bennetts building to the left of the crane.

Back down from the hill.... and tarmac is going down! These guys really are FAST!

Flattening the path... love to have a go at driving one of these.

The guy delivering was keen on a little publicity. :-)

Another load of tarmac.

Raking it out.

Looking good! Nearly finished.

Virtually finished with posts for lighting at night.

Past Bennetts and down to School Lane.

Side view of the left side of the build.

Brickwork going up. These are the internal bricks. A layer of insulation will go onto these before the outer bricks will be built up.

Here's a really good look into the supports that keep the floor up whilst the concrete sets.

Nice "arty" view of the crane and scaffolding.

Most of the pillars on the left are in place of setting.

The right side being prepared for the first floor concrete pour.

And there we go... LOADS 'a concrete!!!....

.... all delivered by the huge pumping arm.

A bit more "casual" pouring.

The pour being levelled of with one of the "Flymo" thingies.

All getting ready for the next floor on the left.

On the right the pillar frames and a shear wall are all ready for pouring.
More scaffolding goes up.

Our old friend the Electricity Cupboard is still there from the old building.

Lots of "Thermalite" style internal bricks were delivered. Alan tells me these are high spec ones!

MASSIVE great mortar storage tank! And the work on this side's upper level is well under way.