Beyond The Bridge

Following on from the earlier post we continue our pictorial survey along the extension.  We start at the slab under the bridge with the centre line and dots indicating the alignment of the track and baseplate positions.  From the edge of the slab we move on to new concrete sleepers with new flat bottomed rail, this will be the second of the two lengths that will be welded together to have a continuous rail over the slab.

At the end of the new concrete sleepers we move back on to used concrete sleepers with used bullhead rail.  The sleepers are waiting in stacks on the left and the rails are on the right.  As this is the main delivery route in to the site the ballast has not been laid yet as the passage of vehicles would soon disperse the stone and push it in to the earth.  Once the contractors have completed their work on the track under the bridge we can then ballast this section and position the sleepers.  At the end of the gentle curve to the left you can see the Haras site fencing, this is where the site access is and from where we will see later the next section.  The line regains it's previous level at roughly the point where the site fencing is positioned.  For those with really good eyesight you can just make out the ballast screener waiting for it's next turn.  

Looking the other way back to Oswestry station you can see the new rail on the left waiting to be moved in to position once the baseplates are in position on the slab.

In the next view we have moved up to the access point behind Travis Perkins and are now looking along the trackbed towards Weston.  Site access is from the left and further stocks of used concrete sleepers can be seen waiting on the right.

Looking further down the trackbed we can see the line of sleepers and ballast bed being laid north from the cattle creep (bridge 51) to meet up with the line extending from the bridge.  The sleepers are currently laid out on the prepared ballast bed for about one quarter of a mile. On this section the ballast bed needs extending up to meet the line and then the sleepers moved in to position.  The ballast piles are waiting on the left. 

Now we are looking back from the cattle creep towards Oswestry and we can see here that the used concrete sleepers are laid out on the ballast bed and the rails are waiting to be dropped in position and keyed in place.

Thanks to Guy N and Andy G for the photos.  You can see that once the rails are positioned on the slab we can move forward fairly quickly as all materials are to hand.

There are always more spaces for people who want to be involved and there are opportunities in all areas.  There are lighter jobs as well and tea drinking is an essential ritual for which we are already world famous.  Fancy joining in?

Until next time