Edging Closer

Due to the low temperatures the painting of the steel work on the bridge is taking a little bit longer than hoped for.  The paint requires slightly milder weather to be able to cure correctly.  Progress is still being made and Guy N. sent these latest pictures of the work in progress.

We start at the rail head looking south with the results of the Thursday Gang's clearance efforts on the left.  These ex-sleepers are not fit for any further use so will be disposed of.

There are still some areas left to paint and the tower under the bridge allows the contractors access.

 The north side of the bridge is looking smart with the recently painted beams on display.

It's not just the outer beams, all of the steelwork is being painted, ready to give many more years of service.

The south side is also complete, the remaining areas to be painted are under the bridge between the supports.

 A recent delivery contained 400 concrete sleepers with chairs ready to be laid on the extension.

 The delivery was spread over several piles to make movement easier.

Materials ready for track laying are building up and there was a planning session to work out the best way forward.  Once we have possession of the section the fun can begin.

Thanks again to Guy for the pictures.

Until next time.

Thursday Gang

The Thursday Gang had quite a good turn out last week. There were quite a few jobs tackled by members of the team.  Work continued on the yard entry gates.  Here are the gates showing off their new paint.

 Along with the main yard gates the smaller car park access gates were given a makeover as well.

Work continued on the next one of the main crossing gates, these need to be cleaned down and primed before the top coats are applied.

Other jobs undertaken were checking the recently arrived cabin, the roof is sound and so far leak-free.  An extra floor panel was procured ready to install.  The Barclay was sheeted over for winter

Another delivery of 400 sleepers (concrete this time) arrived for the extension and the team made a stocktake of material on hand. 

Thanks to Dave R for the information and to Guy N for the pictures. 

Until next time.

More Pictures

Tony J took some more pictures during the weekend showing the work in progress.  We start by looking south before the gang got really started.  The loose rails are waiting to be re-laid in the gap between the railhead and the bridge once work is complete.

The next photo shows the team in action cutting back the vegetation.  There were a considerable number of people who stopped and asked questions, any excuse for a chat and the work halted for a breather.  

Once the lineside vegetation has been cleared the view from the footpath becomes much clearer.

One of the perks was having lunch in the signal box.  Can you spot some of the wood trims from the coach that are being worked on?

Thanks to Tony for the pictures.

Until next time.

Pictures From The Working Weekend

Part of the working weekend was devoted to the maintenance of the lineside south of the Middleton Road bridge. The team continued with the ongoing task of keeping the line clear.  New contributor, Tom S, has provided these three pictures.

Firstly the shredder is being fed with the results of pruning from along the lineside.

Several thickets of vegetation were eliminated, opening up views long the line.

Once vegetation has been shredded and before moving on it's time to press in to action that most important item, the ring for boiling the kettle.  This has it's own place on the mobile support module, a vital bit of kit for all CHR working parties.  Nothing happens without tea!

Thanks again to all who turned up and to Tom for the pictures

Until next time.

Working Weekend

Thanks to all who came along and made the working weekend a success.  There was a lot of preparation work and clearance going on to be able to make progress on the extension.  Various sites were cleared and vegetation removed.  I will post pictures as they become available.

On the bridge front we may have a small delay.  The final bits to be blasted and painted require decent weather conditions in order to not compromise the adherence of the paint to the base steel.  We need to wait for some slightly warmer weather to finish the job.  

Until next time.

Thursday Gang Supplemental Pictures

Whilst Andy G was working on the coach woodwork Guy N took a walk around taking pictures of the members of the Thursday Gang and other items at Oswestry.

As published before the recently arrived new mess cabin is on the platform, awaiting movement to it's final resting place.

The inside already has some furniture ready for it's new use as the mess room.

Elsewhere the gates get a fresh coat of paint.

Don't forget to get in to all of the corners!

 

 Next to the signal box in the sunshine the deck-chair tea-drinking team compare notes.

 After much rubbing down..

 constant vigilance..

 and much chat the pile of parts grows.

 Coach restoration continues in the shed.

 Gradually each area is being worked on to return the coach to operation.

 Repairs including new insert panels are underway.

 Glynn shows what is going on with the coach doors where restored wood inserts are being fitted.

 Drains, dowels and screws in place at the bottom of the door.

The final picture shows the team waiting for the morning call to start in Buffers with a fresh brew.

Until next time

Sunny Thursday

The Thursday Gang were in action helping to prepare for the weekend, when we hope there will be many volunteers on site working on the P.Way.

As it was sunny most of the crew were outside and spread far and wide.  There were may jobs tackled such as painting a set of gates for the car park, preparing track trolleys and moving sleepers.  A start was made on a retaining wall.

Those who could not run fast enough were collared by John to sit in the sun and rub down pieces of wood from the coach.  Here John explains the process to Davey who required several cups of tea before things became clearer.

The opportunity was too good to miss and the group sat around in the sun and drank tea, it's a tough job but somebody has to do it

It was suggested that this is how the Care in the Community system operates..  Thanks to Andy G for the pictures, who had been collared by John to join the group so was limited in the number of pictures he could take.

Until next time.

Thursday Comes Early

Tuesday saw a couple of the Thursday Gang volunteers at Oswestry to help with the latest arrival.  An ex Network Rail cabin has arrived for reuse.  For the moment it is in a temporary position on the platform at Oswestry until the base at it's destination is prepared.

Thanks to Andy G for the pictures.

Here the cabin is being swung over the fence ready to land on the platform

 The cabin has been rotated round and has touched down.

 Job done, slings removed and the truck is ready to depart, leaving behind the cabin.

  Until next time

The Finishing Touches

A quick couple of photos from Guy N of the trackbed to the south of the bridge, waiting for the relaying work to start.  You can see the drains in place ready for the rainy season.

The second picture shows the last minute jobs being finished on the steelwork and then we are clear.

Plans are being made for the next Big Working Weekend, we should see more movement on the extension, preparing the ground for the start of tracklaying.

Until next time

Thursday Gang: On Your Marks, Get Set.....

The Thursday Gang set off in high spirits down to the cattle creep.  First let us meet the Thursday track work team. From the left: Dave, Alan, Noel, Dave Roll, Keith, John Williams and Steve with Andy G behind the camera.  This is an historic photo as it shows the first rail in position on the latest section towards Weston.  Take a bow chaps!

The important fact about this rail is that it sets the level on the next part of the extension, so with much to ing and fro ing the rail was placed in the chairs on the bridge giving us a level to work to.  This level will now be projected back at the required gradient to the freshly painted Gasworks Bridge (or Shrewsbury Road if you can't find that marked on a recent map)

Here with the rail in place the team set about establishing the correct level at the rail's end.

The level is now set and temporarily propped, the space under the rail will be filled with ballast and sleeper plus chair.  This would normally call for a ritual celebration to the divine gods of tea next to the line, however with the rain just seconds away the team made a dash back to base for lunch, avoiding, for the time being, the showers.

After a hearty lunch the next job was to collect and transport scrap sleepers down to the rail head, the disposal of these sleepers is just one of the jobs lined up at the Big Working Weekend on the 21st/22nd October. 

Once again the rain started and the team beat a hasty retreat back to base to round off with celebratory tea and doughnuts, we know how to live life to the full! 

Thanks to all and to Andy G for the photos and notes.

Until next time.

To the South

South of the bridge the re-grading work is also complete but this section is still used as access by the contractors working on the bridge.  Here we take a pictorial run towards Weston. 

Looking over the shot blasting contractor's compressor the line stretches away from the camera on a gentle curve with the cemetery over to the right

 The grading and levelling is now complete and just a few last items to remove from the work site. On the right is the drainage system under the ballast.

The compound has now shrunk to the last storage units which are planned to be moved shortly. This is roughly where the trackbed returns to it's previous level.

Beyond the compound is the area where the track materials are stored on the straight run down to the cattle creep.

 The sleeper stacks and piles of ballast can be seen showing the way to Weston.

 The signs are in place and soon there really will be a railway the other side of the gates

Guy N again with the pictures, thanks.

Until next time.