A little bit about Weston...

As well as the two operating sites, work is ongoing to extend the line at Oswestry south towards Weston Wharf.  This is a relatively short term goal and will extend the running line by a further 3/4 mile ish to a still to be built station that has as a next door neighbour a brewery.

http://www.stonehousebrewery.co.uk/

It's strange that the track gang has developed a strong urge to get there quickly.

This extension will involve relaying the track and sorting out various features along the line such as drainage and vegetation.  Although the track has remained in situ since the last stone train ran the vegetation had taken hold. Vegetation clearance has seen the track emerge from the undergrowth and now 'all' that remains is to lift the track, screen the ballast to remove organic matter, renew sleepers as necessary and then relay the track.  Sounds so easy doesn't it?  Here is a picture of what it looked liked before removing the rails. (Photo CHR Facebook)

At the moment work is going on at a site not connected to the current Oswestry running line as we are waiting for work to start on re-grading the line under the propped bridge on Shrewsbury Road, or Gasworks Bridge as it's know locally.  This re-grading will allow trains to pass under the bridge without the need for replacement of the road deck.

Work on the track is being carried out both during the week on Thursdays and during weekend working parties.  Mechanical assistance is being provided by a 'patent mole hill generator' which creates mounds of screened ballast and soil.  The appearance of these piles has made people question whether there is a cross breeding exercise going on between moles and elephants.

This latest screener is an improvement on the previous versions, which were assembled from various parts that make Scrapheap Challenges look like raw beginners. The time taken to screen ballast has been reduced and hopefully further mechanisation will improve output.

For use at Weston we have an original Cambrian footbridge donated very kindly by Network Rail.  Other items already restored and waiting are these speed restriction signs, though the 25 MPH is the maximum speed. (Photo courtesy of CHR Facebook)

As plans are firmed up for the station at Weston we will see how it all fits together.

So next update will detail progress on the way to Weston.