Further Ballasting

Work has been going on early this week with preparing the trackbed south of the bridge.  Thanks to CHR and Facebook here are the latest pictures.

First we start with a recap of the ballast being profiled to height. Here the ballast is being levelled over the sewer crossing, this view is looking back towards Oswestry. 

Down at the far end of the section at the cattle creep (bridge 51) is the start of works as the reclaimed ballast is laid to a depth of around 150mm all along the route.

Here you can see the ballast bed in position and levelled with further piles to the left.

Progress has been good and you can see the cattle creep in the distance, beyond that lies roughly another 3/4 of a mile to arrive at Weston.

The machines have been busy moving up the ballast from the storage piles.

The soil reclaimed from the screening process was transported away to be used elsewhere.

Looking along the line you can see here we are leaving behind the town and moving in to open countryside.

Materials for the extension are stored along the way including the concrete sleepers with chairs that will be re used with the bullhead rail which lies alongside waiting for the PWay team.

Looking back towards Oswestry the ballast bed advances north.

The levels have been marked up along the extension and the ballast piles await profiling to the final level

The aim is a clean ballast bed on which the sleepers can be laid with space for access alongside

Glynn S and CHR took the following two pictures which show the JCB moving the sleepers in to position alongside the track.  These will then be swung round into position by the track laying team, avoiding the need to wait for the sleepers to move up from the piles.  All together around 40m was complete.

Andy G, who is usually the one taking the pictures, was driving here and being directed by John W where to place the sleepers. 

Thanks to all who helped and further updates soon.

Until next time.