Finishing Off

Lots of jobs going on around the bridge, the trackbed is being rolled and prepared. There was also an additional visitor as a bird of prey had lunch alongside the track.

Firstly the drains are now all covered and the track base is being rolled, the tidy up of the site has also begun with some items being positioned ready for removal

The level boards are back to be able to set the final track and ballast levels

Work goes on with grading and levelling the trackbed with the dumper bringing in additional fill as required.

This small roller has being in action consolidating the ground under the trackbed

Here you can see the rolled bed ready for ballasting

The trackbed has been used by many creatures.  Here a sparrow hawk has lunch following a hunt along the railway.  He barely stopped as Guy took the picture.

Under the bridge work is continuing with the sandblasting and painting of the steel work

The whole of the steelwork is being painted to ensure another trouble free pair of decades or so

Even the detail wok of the jacks are being prepared and painted.

Here you can see some of the beams already finished

The sandblasting equipment is standing by ready for another bout.

Here we are looking along the compacted trackbed, ready for final rolling and ballast.

Here is a rolled section, not long before the team start to lay track.

Help is on hand for moving earth and ballast

A view back along the track as various jobs are finished off.

Thanks to Guy N for the pictures.

Until next time

Three Steps

There are still a further few items being worked on relating to the Gasworks bridge.  Guy N took some pictures of some of the recently cast features around the bridge, first an overall view of progress.

In the second picture notice the three cast-in steps to the left to give access under the bridge, very neat.

Here is an overall view of the bridge works with the access tower in place for inspection and fettling of the underside.

Looking south the works are progressing, we are on the home straight now

Thanks to Guy for the pictures.

Until next time.

Working Weekend

A big thank-you to all who turned up to help out with the multitude of jobs over the weekend, quite a few new and younger faces which is a real pleasure to see.  We hope you had some fun despite the weather.  It was Colin's turn on the pictures, many thanks

The screener was in action and continued on it's quest to be fed .  It's like the plant in Little Shop of Horrors as it continually needs filling up and, despite the rain, it performed as intended, so well done to those who have carried out the repairs and upgrades. We look forward to a dry weekend to really put it through it's paces.

Work by the various contractors has carried on around the bridge.  The gabions are advancing and the cutting sides will be contoured to the final shape.  The first picture also shows off the slab over the sewer in all it's glory with the line of gabions to the left, this looking south towards Weston.

The second picture shows the ground conditions after the recent heavy rain and it's pleasing to note no pool of water under the bridge, showing that the recently installed drains are performing as intended.  The bridge is receiving some attention whilst access is easier.

A special mention to Dave and family who kept the volunteers supplied with food and drink over the weekend.

Until next time

Heritage Open Days

Over the last two weekends CHR has participated in the Heritage Open Days that have seen several sites in Oswestry open their doors to the public.  It was our pleasure to show off to many visitors the restored Oswestry South signal box.  It has taken a lot of effort by many people to restore the signal box and to support these open days.  Many thanks to those who helped and to those of you that visited.  We hope you will return to see the progress on our project as we push towards Weston.  The weather on the final weekend was perhaps not as good as it could have been but by Sunday afternoon it had cleared up enough for Guy to take some pictures.

The view from the signal box shows the Company Secretary waving from the brake van as our passengers take a trip along the line towards Weston.  There were two locos in operation during the day taking turns and assisting with movements.  To the right of the brake van are the sleepers waiting for when we have access under gasworks bridge to relay the line towards Weston, the Thursday gang continue with preparing these in between all of their other projects.  

 The train is seen heading over the crossing and away down the line.

Inside there were continual demonstrations of how the 'box would have been operated during the steam years.

The lever frame and interlocking was explained and a run through of how each train was handled on it's way to the next signal box was demonstrated.

Including the necessary bell codes which identify which type of train and actions needing to be taken to ensure safe passage.

Whilst keeping a good look out to ensure situational awareness of where everything is and where it needs to go! Quite a job on a busy day.

The range of block instruments were also explained, these identify when a train is in the section under the control of the signal box.

 Kenton keeps a good look out to see what is going on from the restored balcony

The previously restored and hung gates were in action to keep the visitors safe from passing trains but yet allow access to the signal box.

 Here the train rolls across the crossing during a shunting move.

 Additional freight stock was added to the train during shunting operations

Lastly our new arrival basks in the glorious Oswestry sunshine ready to help as required.  Thanks again to all who made this happen.

Until next time.

Shop Lifting From Shrewsbury

No we have not been party to any illicit activity.  We have recently taken delivery of a Coles Argus crane from Caterpillar in Shrewsbury.  This was made back in 1963 so is making me feel much younger as I was born after it was made (just..).

Many thanks to all who helped with the organisation of this donation and to Caterpillar for their very kind gesture of support to our project.  Thanks to CHR Facebook for the photo.

This will be especially useful in lifting things around outside the workshops.  This joins the growing collection of useful items of plant available to the project.

Until next time.

Filling The Gap

Over the last week there has been a fair amount of comings and goings making photography a little difficult.  The trackbed has been used to deliver the concrete which now fills the gap between the sheet piling. Here is a view along the trackbed with levels established, awaiting the ballast.

Under the bridge the centre piece of the slab has now been poured, this sets the track level so best to double check that stock will pass as intended.

The formwork also includes covers for services and keys in to the soon to be ballasted section of the running line.

 These areas will be finished off shortly.

Whilst the concrete was setting these temporary props kept the sheet piling sides apart, now the piling is secured both sides by concrete so these will be removed

 Looking back under the bridge you can see the slab in place, another part of the job completed.

Thanks to Guy N for the pictures.

Until next time.

On The Slab

Work under the bridge continues with the creation of the internal steel reinforcement ready for the next pour.  The first view shows the base layer in place and the steel being assembled.

The vertical cylindrical piles are interlinked with the reinforcement for the slab, which will extend over the whole area between the sheet steel piling.

The view back through the bridge shows the section of completed rebar and the temporary wooden stopper at the end.  Work will continue with the steel work so that the whole section can be concreted.  That will be one of the last concrete pours required.

Temptingly trains were running to within sight of the bridge as part of the Heritage Open Days in which CHR are taking part over the two weekends. The Signal box is open for viewing and trains run at both sites.

Thanks to Guy N for the pictures.

Until next time.

Thursday Gang

Again multiple jobs were undertaken by the Thursday Gang with Andy G on hand to catch and photograph what was going on.

After hanging the first two gates last week attention turned to the next gate post to be installed, Noel is seen here with the needle gun tackling the rust.

Davey J also joined in as work outside continued under an ever more threatening dark sky.  As the weather closed in the tea stops became more frequent and longer.

The rain eventually came and the team that were dealing with the sleepers further down the line came back to base to work inside.

Amongst the work going on, John continues with replacing wooden parts on the coach, here proving  that there are never enough clamps when you are working with wood.

 

Restoration of details on the coach continues with the refurbishment of the door bump stops.  The process starts on the left with the part as removed from the coach.  After a thorough clean and stripping back to brass the stops are repainted and stored ready to refit when the bodywork of the coach is complete.

With undercover restoration space at a premium there have been expansionist moves in to the signal box, here are some of the internal details of the coach being worked on.  However by the end of play the intruders had been evicted as the signal box is prepared for it's starring role in the upcoming Heritage Open Days.  See the previous post.

Inside the station building there were more evictions as Santa's Grotto moved to a new storage location, leaving behind some unpleasant surprises. 

Finally everything was cleared up. Special thanks to Dave, John, Keith and Tom who encountered some of the worst elements that our society leaves behind as traces.

Thanks to Andy G for the pictures and details.

Until next time.