Moving Monday

Monday was a day of big things.  Big crane, big moves and big improvements.

The wood store (an ex Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway covered van) was relocated and the new mess room was moved into position.  That makes a big improvement visually and will also provide somewhere for the team to meet and provide a home for the vitally important tea making facilities.

There were quite a few people onsite today and it fell to Dave R to take the pictures.  The first one shows the wood store being relocated.

Once the store had been moved a shuffle round with the lorry and the Portakabin was moved from it's temporary home to close to the shed where it will serve as a focal point for volunteers.  Sheer luxury!

Although Monday is not a usual working day many thanks to all who turned out to assist and to Dave for taking the pictures.

Until next time.

Thursday Gang Update

Everyone was busy on Thursday, in fact everyone was so busy that there were no pictures taken.

However the team still continued and much tidying up was done.  As Glynn says..

"No photographs this week I'm afraid, and as I was quite involved in the wood store I may have missed some jobs being done.
Initial progress consisted of preparing the wood store (L&Y grounded body) for Monday's lift and move, plus moving equipment, materials and scrap (metal & wood) from the adjacent areas.
Between showers, some heavy including hail, the area bounded by the park and middle road, South of the down platform and north of Coney Green had a considerable amount of materials moved to leave the site looking much better, the only items being left were point rodding which will be required in that area, and 3 location cabinets which need to be separated before we move them.
John continued working on the Suburban, with Glyn putting finishing touches to the paintwork on the door edges, Keith and Al continued working on the Permaquip packer. The north end of the portacabin on the platform has been painted as during its proposed move on Monday into the yard, it will be swivelled 180º so that end will be close up to the toolshed."
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Thanks to Glynn for the update.

Until next time

Tuesday Gang

The Tuesday Gang had a day out, space is needed at Weston to clear the site to allow work to start on the platform and facilities building.  Currently there are a number of items of rolling stock stored there which need to be recovered to Oswestry.  Although the track south of the cattle creep is not yet up to passenger carrying standards we can move the stock along the line.

Armed with metal divining skills the team set off to recover some rails from the undergrowth and connect up the isolated siding.  Andy G armed with the camera took the following pictures.

We start with the successful hunt of rail.  A suitable rail has been found and Noel, Tom and Glyn have started to move it in to a position to be recovered for it's temporary use.  Notice also the wall in the background of multiple heights, dubious parentage and lacking in stability.  This will be rebuilt as a platform as part of the Weston station works.

Now joined by Dave and John the second rail is gently lifted from it's slumbers ready to join the first on the way to their new home.

Dave, Mick Noel, Tom, Glyn and John have a breather after getting the1st rail in place and ready to be keyed up.

It's all hands to the bars as the second rail is moved up into position, but look some people are just not trying..

 When we said all together that means everyone, shall we try that again??

The rails were soon nudged into position and the temporary connection made.  Note that these rails will be lifted again as part of the Weston station re-layout

The rolling stock can now be moved to allow access for the building work to start at Weston.

Thanks to all who participated and to Andy G for the pictures.

Until next time.

A 200 Special

So here we are now at post two hundred.  Many thanks for dropping by and as a treat, courtesy of CHR/Facebook we have a photo of a steam hauled train down at the bridge during the Easter running days.  Some said we would never reach this point (both the 200 blog posts and the loco to the bridge) but here we are.  This is only another small step on our journey, first to Weston, then onwards.

There is still much to be done and it is good to see new visitors and volunteers at all our sites.  We thank you for your support.

There are many ways that you can help CHR to grow:

• Come and take a ride on our services or the special events that we are holding throughout the year, details are on the website calendar page.
• Join the CHR and receive information on progress as well as contributing to the restoration fund.  You can join on-line through the website membership page.
• Volunteer at any of the sites, there are midweek sessions (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and also regular weekends.  Get in touch or come along to see how you can get involved.  Tea drinking skills are an important part of the routine! 
• Tell your friends about CHR. Follow our social media pages
• Make a donation through the donations page on the website or by any other means, we accept all forms of payment though cash in the post is not recommended.

Once again a very big thank you to all who have helped to reach this milestone.

Until next time.

Take Me To The Bridge

Another cracking day by the Thursday gang and more historic moments.  Andy G (and it seemed just about everyone else present) took the pictures of the first loco to run down to the Gasworks Bridge.

As Andy says.
"This Thursday Reg and John continued work on the suburban coach, Keith R and Alan P worked on the tamper machine while the rest took the train down to Gas Works Bridge to work on preparing the new section of track for testing and in the near future the same work will be done on the south side of the bridge, before any passenger services can run through the bridge. Under the direction of Richard J and the guidance of Pete McC the track was slewed into the position needed to run through the bridge, rail gaps were adjusted and fishplates undone and then tightened up to the correct torque. Then Glynn brought Telemon and the brake van down to the north edge of the bridge and this was the first time a train had been in this position in a long time. Many pictures were taken of this event along with a couple of volunteers working."

We start the pictures with the slow and cautious steps along the extension by Telemon and the brake van.  After all of the preparatory work it was time for the long awaited first movement of a full size locomotive along the extension. Every joint, key, clip and chair was observed as the convoy moved south.  Everyone was keen to get a picture of this historic moment.

The loco inched forward with everyone watching and taking pictures.

Telemon has reached the north side of the bridge.

Looking back through the bridge we can see that there is clearance.

Richard J and Dave R look suitably pleased with progress.

It was not all watching, there was work to be done as well.  More fettling and trimming of the membrane with Tom standing, Noel, Mick and John hand digging the ballast, there's dedication for you..

Telemon has arrived at the destination for today, parked just before the slab.

In the last picture Tom walks back from the south side of the bridge past a resting Telemon.  You can see that now stock is able to pass between the columns and under the bridge.

And that was Thursday. A really big moment for CHR and payback for the hours that have been put in to the project.  Thanks you to all who have contributed be it with hours, money and best wishes.  Thanks to Andy G for the pictures.

We hope to see you on one of our trains through the bridge before too long.

Until next time

Fun In The Sun

How do you get grown-ups to have fun?  Well some thought that a few days adjusting the levels on the extension would be a good way of spending time.  The following pictures record ongoing work.

Whilst we are waiting for the drainage works to start at the access crossing the team have been continuing to manually level and pack the already laid track panels.  Assembling the track gives good visual progress but this is only part of the story.  For trains to be able to run the levels need adjusting and the sleepers packing up to level, not forgetting to put in the cant on the curves that helps to give a smooth ride to our passengers.  Guy N was out and about with the camera as the team, under the direction of CHR President Richard Jones, continued with work on the extension. 

The raw materials for this work are ballast and muscles.  Luckily we have a number of tools to help us and we are all looking forward to the introduction of the jacker/packer/tamper which continues to make progress at Oswestry.  Already the unit has made it's first moves around the station but there are still a number of items which require further work.

On to the pictures.  We start off with the tools on the trolley and the team move to the areas identified for action following a thorough survey of the levels

The ballast and tools are moved in to position using the go kart, you can also see the surveyors pegs marking out the alignment.

 At the allotted place the team spring in to action, measurements are taken and levels confirmed.

 Next the manual jack is put in to position to lift the rail until the desired position is reached.

The track is jacked until the bubble is in the right position.

We check and recheck as in the background the height-adjusted sleeper is given some extra ballast and work started on packing under the sleeper to maintain the correct position.

Andy G, more normally behind the camera is here starting work on covering the edges of the membrane that has been used under the track to combat weed growth in this highly vegetated area

More jacking and packing with Dave joining in on the shovel.

It's time for more raw material and this is brought up again by the go kart to be then placed where needed.

Andy scrapes away ballast from under the edges of the membrane which will then be flattened and buried under the ballast.

The track jack is wiggled in to position and with a few pumps the rail starts to move.

Lots of discussion and checking before everyone is happy

The membrane has now been covered and Andy makes sure that the ballast level is even.

With the sleepers held on the jacks the important job of packing is about to begin again after a test of the level across the two rails.

The muscles are being tested as the well practised team moves the ballast from the trolley and in to the waiting gaps.

The following is not Irish for I can not, it is the indications of where inclination on the curves begins.

As the shadows lengthen the final tweaks for the day are made, the last shovel full of ballast is dropped and it's time to head back to base.

This work needs to be repeated all along the extension to Weston but each panel completed is one less to do.  A big thank you to all who participated and to Guy who took the pictures.

Until next time.

Seven to Eight Tuesday Gang

The Tuesday gang were again in action   This time panel number seven was installed and preparations for number eight were underway.
Thanks to Andy G for the following pictures of the work done under a very grey and damp sky.  The rails for the centre road were stored down near the cattle pens alongside Middleton Road. Using the power of arms and legs these were loaded up on to the iron men and brought forward to alongside the railhead.  The rails were left in the four foot to then be simply moved over to the middle road.  It sounds so quick and simple when you say it like that.  Actually it was a lot of hard work by the team to get everything to the right place.

We start the pictures with the second rail of the number seven panel in place and the team wondering when the rain will stop.

 With the second rail in place it is keyed up before the team move on to the next panel.

To get to the next set of sleepers it was necessary to have a shunt around of rolling stock and Telemon duly obliges whilst some of the team dry off and replenish the level of tea in their system. 

Following the shunt further rail is brought up from the store ready to become number eight.

It is pleasing to note the rolling stock on the centre road where it was being stored temporarily to allow further supplies to be brought up to continue track laying.

Here is a sight not seen in many years!  Rolling stock on the centre road.  Not that long ago this was just open trackbed, look what the team have accomplished. 

Looking the other way we see the sleepers for panel eight in place and the rails waiting to be moved across from the running line.

Close of play saw the loco return to the front of the station and you can see how far we have come in a couple of months.

Thanks to all who braved the weather and to Andy G for the pictures.

Until next time

Now We Are Six

I have been away for a week so my apologies for no updates during the week.

Work has continued on the centre road at Oswestry and we have now laid six track panels.  Andy G sent the following pictures of the work done on Tuesday.

A good turnout for the tack gang under the brighter weather allowed the team to make progress.  Once the sleepers had been spaced out it was time for the iron man to spring in to action to transfer the rails from the storage location inside the running track (known as the 4 foot in railway jargon) in to the waiting sleepers.  The first picture shows Steve, John, Keith, Tom, Mick, Noel and Tom preparing to move the rail across. 

The sleepers were nudged into position to make the rails easier to drop in to the chairs.

Glyn Keith and Steve were on fishplate duties and along with 'Jack' had the rails in position so that the fishplate bolts could be inserted.

Once the fishplates are in the rail can be keyed up, here John, Keith and Glyn do the honours.  In the background you can see the bracket signal on the platform fast being left behind as we press on with the centre road.

And that is it for the day, John, Mike, Keith, Glyn, Noel, Andy and Steve line up for Andy (behind the camera) to celebrate panel six.

Looking south you can see what has been done and more rails have been dragged in to position to carry on with the centre road.

Many thanks to all who participated and to Andy G for the pictures.

Off camera John continued in the suburban coach with his labour of love.  Phil, Rob and Reg made further progress with the tamper which will see extensive use once available.

There were ongoing discussions about motive power.  We are looking at the best way to have a second operational steam locomotive to join the fleet.  There are a number of candidates but we need to work out all of the details, the one thing missing for all options is funds.  If you can help with a donation, however small, we would be very grateful.

The operating dates have been published for 2019.  Please see the website for full details, link in the top right hand side of this page.

Special Events - to be confirmed and scheduled
We have many Special Events over the two sites again this year, full details will be posted on the website nearer the dates.

• Easter Egg Hunt - Oswestry 21st/22nd April
• Diesel Driver Experience
• Model Railay event - 2nd June
• Summer steam on the Cambrian at Oswestry - 14th July-18th August
• Industrial Diesel Gala - 25th/26th August
• Heritage Open Days 7th/8th - 14th/15th September
• Halloween - 2nd November at Oswestry (TBC)
• Santa Specials

Until next time.

Tuesday Gang

Andy G sent the following report and pictures of work at Oswestry on Tuesday

"This Tuesday we had in total 9 volunteers turn up at the signal box. The plan for the day was to take on 2 elements of work. The first was to work at the existing rail head to get the ‘Cant’ correct for the transition from the existing line onto the newly laid line towards the Gas Works Bridge. The second was to continue working on the middle road. The work to modify the ‘Cant’ was done under Richard J's direction and was completed by midday. The work on the middle road was frustrated by the lorry that has been used to pull the 60ft rails into place from the North end of Oswestry platform not starting, despite all efforts and swearing at it. This meant that we didn’t have rails to make the next panel and because where the lorry is parked it blocked easy access to the sleepers to be used. The solution was to collect refurbished wooden sleepers from down by the existing rail head and bring them up to the middle road. 21 sleepers were brought up using the ‘Track Rat’ which is like a go kart that fits on the track and was used to move a trolley with the sleepers up to the middle road. All of this was done while the weather gave us sunshine hail and wind, often all at the same time. Not many pictures this week."

The fist job of the day was to test the tea.  The signal box made an ideal meeting point.

The important job of signing on forms part of the morning ritual. Note the sun shining through the signal box windows, once outside the team were treated to the full four seasons.

At the end of the day under a dark sky the extra sleepers had been moved in to position and the rails were waiting to be pulled in to position.

Thanks to Andy G for the report and pictures.

Until next time